Very much freedom (no pun intended) was taken with John Newtons story

The movie suggests that John Newton had one go as a slave trader but as he got to know the slaves he started to feel compassion for them and when the storm hit he saw it as God's way of telling him 'you're doing wrong John'.

But the true story is very different:

"Eventually he reached the coast of Sierra Leone where he became the servant of an abusive slave trader. In 1748, he was rescued by a sea captain and returned to England. During a storm, when it was thought the ship might sink, he prayed for deliverance. This experience began his conversion to evangelical Christianity. Later, whilst aboard a slave vessel bound for the West Indies, he became ill with a violent fever and asked for God's mercy; an experience he claimed was the turning point in his life.

Despite this, he continued to participate in the Slave Trade. In 1750, he made a further voyage as master of the slave ship 'Duke of Argyle' and two voyages on the 'African'. He admitted that he was a ruthless businessman and a unfeeling observer of the Africans he traded. Slave revolts on board ship were frequent. Newton mounted guns and muskets on the desk aimed at the slaves' quarters. Slaves were lashed and put in thumbscrews to keep them quiet.

In 1754, after a serious illness, he gave up seafaring altogether. In 1757, he applied for the Anglican priesthood. It was seven years before he was accepted. On 17th June 1764, he finally became a priest at Olney in Buckinghamshire. He became well known for his pastoral care and respected by both Anglicans and nonconformists.

He collaborated with William Cowper to produce a volume of hymns, including 'Amazing Grace'. So popular was his preaching, that the church could not accommodate all those who flocked to hear him. Newton began to deeply regret his involvement in the Slave Trade. After he became Rector of St Mary Woolnoth, in London in 1779, his advice was sought by many influential figures in Georgian society, among them the young M.P., William Wilberforce. Wilberforce was contemplating leaving politics for the ministry. Newton encouraged him to stay in Parliament and "serve God where he was". Wilberforce took his advice, and spent the rest of his life working towards the abolition of slavery."

a snippet from this site: http://abolition.e2bn.org/people_35.html

So in reality it took him 30 years from that slave tour in the movie to actually speak out against slavery where they made it look like he was a changed man afterwards, when in fact he kept the slave trade going for quite a bit

Have you ever stared fear and danger in the eye and said; YES?