A Movie Review: The Identical

I recently signed on with a company who offers me free products in exchange for an honest review here on my blog.  The first product I agreed to review was a Christian film entitled The Identical.  The story follows the life of Ryan Wade, a young man who was separated from his parents and identical twin as a baby and raised as a P.K. (preacher's kid) in a small town in the middle of nowhere.  Despite his father's desire for him to follow in his footsteps and become a preacher, Ryan has his own dreams but struggles to find the balance between pursuing his personal goals and pleasing his father.  The story details Ryan's path from uncertainty in his calling to peace and contentment in finally discovering his true passion in life.

I truly enjoyed the movie.  It had a touch of everything:  romance, adventure, drama and much more.  There was even a touch of comedy thrown in here and there to keep the story upbeat.  While watching, I really felt for Ryan who wanted to pursue his musical career but felt trapped by his obligation to be what his father wanted him to be.  It broke my heart to see someone cut off from the very passion that drives him.  That being said, I was very happy with how everything turned out.  It was truly a good wholesome story.

Another thing about the movie that impacted me is the spiritual lessons sprinkled in throughout the story line.  If one is paying attention, he can glean some serious insight into the Christian walk.  Probably my favorite statement was where Reverend Wade told Ryan, "You have to stop trying to figure everything out.  That's God's job.  Your job is to just be what God made you to be."  I needed to hear that!

On the negative side, I hesitate to call this a Christian movie for two reasons.  First off, I feel some Christians would be offended by the music throughout the film.  Though raised in church, Ryan Wade's dream of music was not one of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.  The music was clean, and in that, it didn't bother me, but for others, it may cause offense.  Second, I can recall at least one cuss word in the film.  I don't remember if there were more or not, but I distinctly remember one toward the end because it caught me off guard.  Again, I have learned to mostly tune out such language, so while it bothered me that the cursing was there, it wouldn't keep me from watching the movie.  However, I feel it is imperative for me to mention this aspect of the movie, particularly for parents who may not want their children exposed to such language.  To be honest, I was disappointed that the film makers felt the cussing was a necessary part of the story.  It would have been just as good (or better, in my opinion) if they had left it out.

In summary, I would definitely recommend this movie as long as you keep in mind the two things I mentioned.  If you are not offended by some 50's music and at least one cuss word, I think you'll enjoy the message of the story. 

With that in mind, I am giving away one DVD copy of the movie The Identical.  To be included in the giveaway, simply e-mail me at Dana@DanaRongione.com with your name and address.  The winner will be selected this Friday, 1-9-15.