Movie at the Fox

Upon arriving at the Fox Theatre we signed in at the booth set up for press. We picked up our free tickets from the will call and began to take photos of those in attendance. The red carpet ended with an area of interviews with the reporters from the Movie Guide.  There were many reporters and other press at the event, some of which were not Christian organizations.

We took pictures as cast and crew arrived on the red carpet. I enjoyed the fact that most of the 3,000 plus in attendance were modestly dressed and everyone seemed to be having a great time of fellowship. At 6:00 pm the doors opened to the theatre and everyone began to head inside and find their seats.

Andrew and I headed into the theatre, stopping first to pick up our free popcorn and sodas. We found a seat in the press area and began to chat with several couples around us. The press seating area was not full so a few other couples came to sit by us. There was a sweet older couple that we met. They were sitting in front of us. We introduced ourselves and found that the lady was from a family of 13 children. She shared how much she loved growing up in a large family, and how blessed we were to be the parents of a large family. We chatted for a short while before the evening event started.

Bubba Cathy came on stage to welcome everyone. The Cathy children were all in attendance and they were the main sponsor of the evening. Bubba shared how Chick Fil A was proud to work with the cast and crew of Courageous and the Cathy family is pleased to support such a worthy project.

Later in the evening, as the whole theatre was in tears, interspersed with roaring laughter, I noticed the couple in front of us was crying terribly. The man walked out of the theatre leaving his wife behind. I too was in tears, as the movie was very touching and reminded me, as a mom, to never take a day with my children for granted. We never know how many days our children will be with us! About that time the sweet lady in front of us turned around and reached for me. I moved forward to speak with her and give her a hug, when she shared that her and her husband had lost a daughter at the age of 8. I hugged her again, and at that moment realized that God had worked out all the crazy events of the day in order for me to attend this premier and be an encouragement to this family. She went to her husband in the lobby and they came back together to watch the remainder of the movie together. I cannot imagine their grief. I know how sad my heart was when we realized that our little Solomon in Liberia had died. We loved Solomon greatly. We had great plans for our life together when he arrived in the states, but more importantly God had other plans. My continuing prayer for our lives and those of this sweet couple, is that God will use our stories to encourage other families to love their children, to turn their hearts to their children and to be fruitful and multiply. Children are a blessing, to often parents don't realize until they are gone.

Movies and Children

As a mom with small children, it is often difficult to know what Christian movies are appropriate for my small children to see. Just because a movie is okay for my teenagers doesn’t mean it is prudent for my toddlers to watch. I am going to attempt to tell you enough about the movie for you to make a decision as to what age child in your home this movie is appropriate for, without giving away the whole movie. If you have specific questions, feel free to email me. I would be happy to tell you more in order to help you make the best decision for your family.

Movie Themes

Car Theft – gang related

Struggle between car thief and car owner – violent altercation

Teenage rebellion toward parents

Fight scene – gang initiation; you don’t see the gang member being kicked but you know that is what is happening. Not typical Hollywood violence, tastefully done, but could be frightening for a child.

Death of a child, hospital scene and funeral – no medical type scenes shown; parents and family members grieving.

Police Chase – officers chase gang members, more than once in the movie. One scene ends in a gun fight. Very tastefully done, but could be frightening to a small child.

Drug Dealings – buying, selling and stealing of drugs

Jail Scene – officer speaks with inmate through the glass at the jailhouse

Movie Synopsis

Four men, one calling: To serve and protect.

As law enforcement officers, Adam Mitchell, Nathan Hayes, and their partners are confident and focused. They willingly stand up to the worst the streets have to offer. Yet at the end of the day, they face a challenge that none of them are truly prepared to tackle: fatherhood.

While they consistently give their best on the job, good enough seems to be all they can muster as dads. But they’re quickly discovering that their standard is missing the mark.

They know that God desires to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, but their children are beginning to drift further and further away from them. Will they be able to find a way to serve and protect those that are most dear to them?

When tragedy hits home, these men are left wrestling with their hopes, their fears, their faith, and their fathering. Can a newfound urgency help these dads draw closer to God … and to their children?

COURAGEOUS is the fourth release of Sherwood Pictures, the moviemaking ministry of Sherwood Church in Albany, Georgia. Their first release since FIREPROOF, the No. 1 independent film of 2008, COURAGEOUS joins FACING THE GIANTS and FLYWHEEL in touching and impacting lives through heartfelt stories of faith and hope.

Moviegoers will again find themselves crying, laughing, and cheering—sometimes simultaneously—as they are inspired by everyday heroes who long to be the kinds of dads that make a lifelong impact on their children.

Protecting the streets is second nature to these law enforcement officers. Raising their children? That will take courage.

Courageous … honor begins at home.

Continued in Part 4 tomorrow….

Related Posts:

Courageous: The Movie Review Part 2

Courageous: The Movie Review Part 1

Guess Where I am Going Friday Night?