MovieChat Forums > No Greater Love (2010) Discussion > Ok movie, but too heavy handed.

Ok movie, but too heavy handed.

posted 14 years ago by Cobb05
5 replies | jump to latest

Ok, before I start, I'm a Catholic. So I'm not an atheist bashing religion or anything. Now, I love movies, so I watch everything that I can. So I didn't know anything about this movie when I started watching it. The movie was ok for what it was. I think the writing was pretty bad. I mean it was so heavy handed. It really could've been more subtle. I mean I'm guessing the film financed with the understanding that it would be a Christian film and thought it needed to really push that, but I think it could've been handled a little more subtle. Obviously if Christians are going to see the movie, you don't need to push so hard. Now, like I said, I'm Catholic, so I don't know everything about Christian people. I don't tend to talk religion with people and I don't care what their religion is, so I guess I'm more liberal than some people. I take people for who they are, not what they are. So a few of the messages in the movie seemed odd to me. Like how the Christians seemed to look down on nonbelievers. I don't know if all Christians do this. I was raised Catholic and went to Catholic and I was never told that our religion was better than other people's or that we're going to heaven and they are going to hell. But I felt that people watching this movie, who weren't Christian or religious in any way, might think that the aggressiveness of the Christians in the movie could be a little off-putting. Now I have known Christians, but like I said, I don't really take religion with friends or family. I respect their religion and hopefully they respect mine. But some of the things in the movie seemed wrong (not in terms of their faith, just in terms of what I would think would happen). Like a Christian can't marry a nonbeliever. Well, I would guess that anyone who is a very religious christian would try to convert someone they were going to marry (which the wife didn't even try to talk to the husband about maybe trying it or something). But if someone is married and is Christian, but their spouse isn't, they can stay married (cause they could convert over). So it seems silly to me. The story is about true love and soul mates, but really the movie is about, you can only love someone if they love god too. So I find that a little stupid. If that's what they believe, that's what they believe, but I think if you love someone and you have your faith, it doesn't matter what they believe. I don't know. I guess people feel otherwise, but I have the right to my own opinion. But also, and i don't know if this is with all Christian churches, but why were the guys in charge and the women did the things like making the food. The friend even says that the man is the leader of the family. Shouldn't the man and woman be equal partners in the relationship? I mean I grew up in a family of women. Women outnumber the men in my family and I would never try to tell a woman what to do. And if I was married, I would never try to say that it's my way cause I'm the man of the house. And lastly, I'm guessing the guy who was the pastor was a real pastor and not and actor cause he wasn't a very good actor, but that guy smiled way too much. Anyone who walks around smiling, showing their teeth scares me. I mean it's fine to be happy, but walking around with a smile that shows your teeth, is very intimidating.
This is an ok movie. It wasn't well written. It had a very after school special kind of vibe. It pushed the message a little too much, when it could've done more with the characters and story. You knew he was going to convert at the end. I think it was an interesting movie, but it really could've been done a lot better. You could still make a movie with the same themes and messages, but have the characters be deeper and more developed. I think the characters were way too underwritten and it kept the movie from being better.

[–] allisonarf 14 years ago

I agree with a lot of the criticisms you've made. I liked the male and female leads as actors and it's nice that the movie promoted forgiveness and reconciliation. But, yes, that one pastor guy was sort of creepy, and I was put off by the message that Christians can't marry non-Christians. The faith stuff came off a little heavy-handed, and the movie was a little sexist. All the ministers were men and the women took care of the kids in the church. I cringed when Heather said she had to submit to her husband, and the pastors pushed the message that the husband was in charge and it was good if he acted like the leader of the household.

[–] Kariann1 14 years ago

Let me tell you, there are people who believe just as was stated in the movie. I believe marriage is a 50-50 proposition, and no one should submit ti another. The movie was pretty good, though.

[–] t1380 14 years ago

What in your opinion, is the difference between a Christian and a Catholic? Isn't it the same thing?

Also, wives submitting to their husbands, means that wives trust husbands. and what's wrong with that? It does not mean that husbands are superior to wives, at all.

[–] elisa-hilliard 13 years ago

This movie gave me one giant headache. This movie enveloped itself in a cloak of purity and benevolence, but really just made me think that many Christians use religion as a crutch to justify bad decisions, behavior and shirk responsibility. I couldn't believe this woman was being portrayed as almost saintly when she ABANDONED her child, the father of her child and her responsibility. Yes, she was a mess, but eventually she gets her life on track. Does she think that maybe she has an obligation to actually have any sort of relationship with the baby she conceived? No. She walks out of their life and doesn't look back. We as the viewer are meant to accept that this is all hunky dory wrapped in a beautiful white bow because what, she found God? Yikes. I felt disgusted by the imbecilic husband wanting to give this woman another shot, but only if he CHANGED of course. Personally, I would have said goodbye and good riddance. Like a lot of addicts, she seemed to trade one addiction for another really. For the record t1380, using a term like 'submit' denotes a power imbalance in a relationship. My relationship with my husband is 50-50. If he ever used the phrase that I should 'submit to him,' I would remind him that it is not 1950 and I am perfectly capable of self-sufficiency and autonomy. I admire people of faith, but I can't help think that most religions have encouraged a lot of backwards thinking and have been the catalyst for many of history's darker periods.

[–] hollanddavid00-217-313024 11 years ago

the film wasn't lost in the dark ages, I think the writing and acting was a bit melodramatic most of the time, but truth is truth and they took those things from the Bible. I don't think that no matter how much society advances, and how far behind we leave the "dark ages", the word of God doesn't go out of style. Wives submitting to their husbands is taught to us by God through His word, the Bible. Why do people watch Christian films then act surprised that they present the truths that Christians believe (taken from the Bible) then come on here and criticize things about the film? If your not a believer your not going to get it anyway-it wont make sense.