Based on the bestselling novel by Francine Rivers, REDEEMING LOVE is a powerful story of relentless love and perseverance as a young couple’s relationship clashes with the harsh realities of the California Gold Rush of 1850.
Angel expects only pain from those around her. Sold into prostitution as a child, Angel survives with hatred towards herself and the men that use her. She meets Michael Hosea, a farmer who believes God wants Angel to be his wife. Dire circumstances force Angel to accept his proposal, but when Michael defies her bitter expectations, her wounded heart begins to mend.
As Angel encounters a love unlike anything she ever experienced, feelings of unworthiness and shame cause her to run from a life she doesn’t think she deserves. As Michael sets out to find her, Angel discovers there is no brokenness that love can’t heal.
Angel expects only pain from those around her. Sold into prostitution as a child, Angel survives with hatred towards herself and the men that use her. She meets Michael Hosea, a farmer who believes God wants Angel to be his wife. Dire circumstances force Angel to accept his proposal, but when Michael defies her bitter expectations, her wounded heart begins to mend.
As Angel encounters a love unlike anything she ever experienced, feelings of unworthiness and shame cause her to run from a life she doesn’t think she deserves. As Michael sets out to find her, Angel discovers there is no brokenness that love can’t heal.
Go see Redeeming Love in theaters starting January 21st!
My Review
I'm sitting here now a few hours after watching the film version of a book that I read nearly 20 years ago as a teenager. Just as it was two decades ago, my mind is full and I can't help but think the enormity of what I just saw on the screen. I've thought of Redeeming Love many times over the years, parts of the story and the emotional response I had to them were hard to forget. As a teen I wrestled with what I had read on the printed page as my perceptions were rocked then precisely as they have been again by the same story.
There was, and once again is, much more to this retelling of the Biblical account of Hosea than I could even begin unpack in a single review that isn't the size of a book itself. I'll be honest, Redeeming Love isn't easy to watch, it's not a light-hearted fluff piece in any way, shape or form. The story shines light on some of the darkest parts of humanity: child and adult sex trafficking, abuse, murder, emotional manipulation and coercion, suicide, betrayal in every way possible, and things even darker yet. It was hard to read and watch just how evil people can be to other people. But with great darkness comes the chance of great light and God is in the business of hope and redemption. I really don't care to descend into empty platitudes but of the messages in Redeeming Love one of the strongest is the value of every human life to God and that no matter what we have done or what has been done to us He can take every bit of our brokenness and make something new and beautiful. No one is out of His reach or beyond His love.
As to the film itself, it was well done technically speaking. The scenery was gorgeous and the costuming wasn't bad at all. I particularly appreciated the range of facial expressions on the lead actress's face, they really set the emotional tone for many of the scenes. The thing that impressed me the most was how well they stuck to the original story. Of course, there were changes because this is film, but the overall points and spirit of the book were very well represented.
I will be blunt here with a couple of cautionary notes. This is not a movie for children, the very nature of the story should be obvious why, and my personal recommendation would only be for much older teens and their parents. There is some violence and language, though nothing severe in comparison to many TV shows, but the sexual content is quite significant. Which brings me to my second caution, there is some content that sensitized people may find upsetting.
There are reasons why many people will list Redeeming Love as their favorite novel, it's an emotional story that rends and shatters the heart before putting it back together with the message that is in its very title. This film is one of the rarities that lives up to the book upon which it is based and it brings the story to life in a completely different way.
One thing that I would like to say in closing is that Christian movies have come a long way over the years and this is one of a new generation of films. To reach a new audience of jaded movie-goers they are edgier than ever before and are even more hard-hitting. In addition to everything I've already talked about Redeeming Love also raises awareness of human (sex) trafficking. There is more human trafficking now in the 21st century than any time in history. For those of us safe and untouched in our homes, films and books like Redeeming Love convict and demand that we ask ourselves what can we do, and more importantly will we, like Michael Hosea in the story, go to the lengths that God may ask of us?
There was, and once again is, much more to this retelling of the Biblical account of Hosea than I could even begin unpack in a single review that isn't the size of a book itself. I'll be honest, Redeeming Love isn't easy to watch, it's not a light-hearted fluff piece in any way, shape or form. The story shines light on some of the darkest parts of humanity: child and adult sex trafficking, abuse, murder, emotional manipulation and coercion, suicide, betrayal in every way possible, and things even darker yet. It was hard to read and watch just how evil people can be to other people. But with great darkness comes the chance of great light and God is in the business of hope and redemption. I really don't care to descend into empty platitudes but of the messages in Redeeming Love one of the strongest is the value of every human life to God and that no matter what we have done or what has been done to us He can take every bit of our brokenness and make something new and beautiful. No one is out of His reach or beyond His love.
As to the film itself, it was well done technically speaking. The scenery was gorgeous and the costuming wasn't bad at all. I particularly appreciated the range of facial expressions on the lead actress's face, they really set the emotional tone for many of the scenes. The thing that impressed me the most was how well they stuck to the original story. Of course, there were changes because this is film, but the overall points and spirit of the book were very well represented.
I will be blunt here with a couple of cautionary notes. This is not a movie for children, the very nature of the story should be obvious why, and my personal recommendation would only be for much older teens and their parents. There is some violence and language, though nothing severe in comparison to many TV shows, but the sexual content is quite significant. Which brings me to my second caution, there is some content that sensitized people may find upsetting.
There are reasons why many people will list Redeeming Love as their favorite novel, it's an emotional story that rends and shatters the heart before putting it back together with the message that is in its very title. This film is one of the rarities that lives up to the book upon which it is based and it brings the story to life in a completely different way.
One thing that I would like to say in closing is that Christian movies have come a long way over the years and this is one of a new generation of films. To reach a new audience of jaded movie-goers they are edgier than ever before and are even more hard-hitting. In addition to everything I've already talked about Redeeming Love also raises awareness of human (sex) trafficking. There is more human trafficking now in the 21st century than any time in history. For those of us safe and untouched in our homes, films and books like Redeeming Love convict and demand that we ask ourselves what can we do, and more importantly will we, like Michael Hosea in the story, go to the lengths that God may ask of us?
(Disclosure: Many thanks to Universal for providing a sample of the product for this
review. Opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.)
review. Opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.)
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