{"id":195,"date":"2014-01-07T02:33:03","date_gmt":"2014-01-07T02:33:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/peanutsandpopcorn\/?p=195"},"modified":"2014-01-07T02:33:03","modified_gmt":"2014-01-07T02:33:03","slug":"independent-my-son-is-surprisingly-realistic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/peanutsandpopcorn\/2014\/01\/independent-my-son-is-surprisingly-realistic.html","title":{"rendered":"Independent ‘My Son’ is Surprisingly Realistic"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Jess<\/a>
Jess (Kate Randall) and Cadon (Restin Burk)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Not too long ago I received some flak from a promoter of a faith-based film that I gave a fairly negative review. As a fellow Christian, I want to be supportive of other believer\u2019s projects, but as a reviewer, I want to critique art for what it is. He tried to reason with me saying that film\u2019s production had a limited budget and that I shouldn\u2019t expect a Christian film to be Oscar-worthy. In response, I told him that I believe in doing the best you can with what you got. The film he presented me was not the best it could be. The writing was poor. The acting was poor. The music was poor. The film meant well, but it wasn\u2019t a well-made movie.<\/p>\n

Contrast that experience to one I just had watching the film, My Son<\/i>. It too featured actors who have never acted before and was put together on a shoe-string budget, but this film (and others like it) proves that low budget Christian films can be made well. Much can be done with a good story.<\/p>\n

\"Grandma<\/a>
Grandma Sharri (Paige Easterling) comforts little Austin.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Produced by Retta Vision Motion Pictures (a ministry of Retta Baptist Church in Rendon, TX.) and FlyRock Media, My Son<\/i> is unlike many Christian films before it. For one, it\u2019s rated \u201cR.\u201d This is due to scenes of violence and drug use, but probably should have a rating a PG or PG-13. Most of the violence is off-screen and isn\u2019t gratuitous.<\/p>\n

Jess (Kate Randall) is a single mother doing her best to care for her young son Austin. She lives with new boyfriend, Cadon (Restin Burk) who is barely making ends meet for just himself let alone a family. Their questionable living arrangement causes concern for Jess\u2019 parents James and Sharri Clarke (Chuck Kitchens and Paige Easterling) who fight for custody of Austin and win. Desperate to get their son back, Jess and Cadon go to extreme measures which lead to a shooting at a local church.<\/p>\n

\"333\"<\/a>
Two women flee the shooter.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

My Son<\/i> isn\u2019t a perfect movie, but it is a good film. With some additional editing and perhaps a few reshoots, it has the potential of becoming a great one. The story was written by Michelle Dietrich, Melanie Gardner and Matt Ward and is surprisingly good. The authors shy away from trite, tidy dialogue. It features characters that are not perfect which is something that is much-needed in Christian films. Jess\u2019 parents want nothing more than reconciliation with their daughter and to protect their grandson. Jess\u2019 mother says, \u201cI know that we are doing the right thing, but I\u2019m not sure if it is the best thing.\u201d However, it becomes obvious that she is to be part of the blame for the rift between her and her daughter. My Son<\/i> is directed by Jarod O\u2019 Flaherty whose cinematography is well done and the sets look very realistic.<\/p>\n

Watch the trailer below:<\/p>\n