A Great Awakening movie review

Some movies arrive with great fanfare, buzz, and excitement. It’s almost a foregone conclusion that the tickets will just fly from the ticket booth and compel movie goers into the theaters.

Most movies walk a different path. They garner some interest, but usually fade away after a short run.

Then there are those movies that almost no one seems to have heard of. Yet a whisper gets out. Or it gets recommended by a friend of a friend. Or some odd something quickens your curiosity about it. And you see it. And something inside you is shifted and you are never the same.

That’s rare. Almost unheard of.

Such a film is A Great Awakening.

Sights and sounds

This movie is the second offering of the theater company, Sight & Sound, based out of Branson Missouri. I have not seen their first film, I Heard the Bells, but if this one is any indication, I certainly should. Because these midwest story wranglers are onto something.

The film tells the story of George Whitefield, the powerful preacher from England and his unlikely friendship with the secular-minded American forefather, Benjamin Franklin. The story is told from the perspective of an aged Franklin, amidst the tense negotiations of the constitutional convention of 1787, as he reflects back on Whitefield’s impact on the colonies.

As he reminisces about his friendship with the fiery English preacher and Whitefield’s remarkable story comes to life, Franklin comes to rediscover the reason behind the revolution.

We learn that the precious idea of liberty did not take root in the American soul by mere chance. Oh no, the seed of freedom which grew to flowering in the American revolution was planted long before in the hearts of born again Americans through the preaching of the gospel which tells us, that “if the Son sets you free, you are free indeed.”

Arise, O Sleeper, Awaken!

Though the story centers around George Whitefield, Benjamin Franklin’s role in the unfolding story is just as significant. And their unlikely friendship ends up propelling both of them into places they likely would have never reached had they never met.

Whitefield, though, remains the focal point. As Franklin says at one point, “You are the lightning, George, I am just the lightning rod.”

But Whitefield’s reply to this, “But who is the source, Ben?” tells us that the true heart of the film is in neither of these two men. No, it is Whitefield’s faith in Jesus which is the true foundation of this tale and what makes this film so special.

In some ways, as an American watching this film, it is like Josiah listening to the reading of the Law after it had been lost for many years. For as Franklin rediscovers the true strength of the American story, so do we who are watching the film.

Revelation and revolution

We see how God raised up Whitefield from humble beginnings to preach to more than 80% of the people living in the colonies at that time. And Americans turned to Christ in miraculous fashion.

In one pivotal scene, he preaches to a crowd of 30,000 in Philadelphia when the city’s population was only 20,000, and all this with no vocal amplification! In the furtherance of the gospel, Whitefield gallops on horseback from town to town and crosses the sea between England and America multiple times, journeys which surely led to his relatively early death. Yet God used his single-minded devotion to bring light to a spiritually darkened land.

More than all his accomplishments, his oratory feats, and his winsome character, it is Whitefield’s passion for Christ which shines through most clearly. And through that passion, God works through Whitefield in powerful ways to establish truth, justice, and the American way long before America ever existed.

As the tagline for the movie says, “Before the revolution there was a revelation.”

God’s unbounded kindness

Many of the scenes of this film profoundly moved me. I wept often from the sheer beauty of Whitefield’s faith. Here was a man in full, a true disciple and servant of Christ. Not a perfect man, but so devoted to Christ I could not help but weep at the strength of faith he displayed.

Before the revolution there was a revelation

And through it all, I was left with a profound sense of gratitude and wonder. One of America’s most famous songs tells us that “God shed His grace on thee.” We certainly did not deserve His grace then, nor do we deserve it now, but I am profoundly grateful for his unbounded kindness to us in giving us HIs word through men like George Whitefield. For we need liberty from the burden of sin far more even than liberty from tyrants.

Awaken us today

Besides the moral beauty and moving truths of this film, the craftsmanship displayed to create it is simply stunning. Eighteenth century Oxford and Colonial America come to life through gorgeous, true-to-life cinematography and sets that represent the best film has to offer. You can see the care in every frame of this remarkable work.

A stirring score carries the movie along as well. It features an original hymn that feels both appropriate for the time and yet melodic enough to move modern souls. It is quite magnificent.

O, for a thousand tongues

For all the excellence in craftsmanship in the music, cinematography, and editing, it is the powerful performances of the two principals which anchor the film. The actors portraying Whitefield and Franklin both turn in masterful performances. Whitefield’s actor has wonderful authenticity, and a powerful voice worthy of the man he was cast to play. He exudes an earnestness and a sincerity in every scene and captures Whitefield’s character from the very first word right until the very end.

The actor portraying Franklin is just as convincing. It doesn’t hurt that he has an incredible likeness to the man on the $100 bill. But even beyond that, he captures a wide range of emotion as he portrays Franklin at many ages and in many situations from diplomat to businessman to inventor.

The rest of the cast turn in amazing performances as well. George Washington, in particular, is played by another actor who is seemingly a doppelganger of the man he’s assigned to play. It’s just phenomenal acting here from top to bottom, not a wasted line or word in the whole of the film.

This is your wake up call

I found myself thankful several times in the movie that such talented and gifted artists had fashioned such a gift for their audience. A Great Awakening truly represents all that is good and right in art. The redemptive love of God for his children and for this imperfect nation is truly remarkable and few times in my life has that been more clear than in the watching of this film.

Please go see this movie. Make it an event for you and your family and friends. It truly is a gift.

Consider this your wake up call.

And may you experience your own Great Awakening as you watch it.