By Melissa Antoinette Garza
Who is hyped for GOD’S NOT DEAD 2? I’m on pins and needles waiting for this. Until then, I’m going through my Pure Flix collection and am so happy I found this gem.
When I was younger, feel good movies were an easy find. Sure, there were films with gross-out humor, nudity and sex. I’m not against any of those things. I love horror movies, I despise gross-out humor, but to each their own.
That said, as a kid there were a bunch of family movies. I’m not talking about cartoons or PG chick flicks. I’m talking about movies the entire family could watch, enjoy and feel good afterwards. Of course, now we have DISNEY, PIXAR and DREAMWORKS that try and throw in a few adult jokes that go over the kids’ heads, but that’s not what I’m talking about.
I’m talking about those movies that leave you smiling and feeling good. Films that one can relate to and that end exactly the way you know and want it to end. Those have sort of died out, except in one place. PURE FLIX has a bunch of modernized family movies and I love them.
ME AGAIN is about a middle-aged pastor named Rich (David A.R. White). He wonders what it would be like to live a different life and is in a current depression and slump. His view on life is one of self-pity and complete discontent with being a pastor. His wife (Ali Landry) has all but given up. Despite being together since childhood and having three children together now, she doesn’t know what else to do and files for a separation.
Even more depressed, Rich calls his best friend Tony (Tommy Blaze) to bring some films over to watch. While waiting, Rich prays for another life and sure enough when he opens his eyes, he’s Tony’s old, crotchety, rich boss. He convinces Tony that it is him and then quickly shifts into a model’s body. Chloe (Andrea Logan White) models for a perfume named Obnoxious. Despite her great looks, she has zero self-esteem and is actually starving herself. She has notes all around the house saying extremely harsh and untrue things like, ‘you’re fat’ and ‘you’re ugly.’
He jumps from body to body going from his eldest daughter’s boyfriend to a fish, to Tony’s manager’s maid, to an infant and even his wife.
When he’s Chloe he witnesses how harsh the model is judged and how tortured her soul is. In one of the funniest scenes despite Tony knowing it’s Rich on the inside, he can’t help but hit on her. Seeing David A.R. White in heels and full make-up is hysterical.
As his daughter’s boyfriend, he finds out that they are considering sex and porno magazines are scattered under the boyfriend’s bed. As the maid, he finds a huge part of his faith again when she is surrounded by her family for her birthday. He learns more and more as he jumps from body to body, finding out that there’s no one he’d rather be than himself and no one he’d rather be with than his wife.
Overall this is just a feel-good movie with a bunch of hilarious jokes and something that the entire family can enjoy. I certainly suggest it and it’s definitely one more reason I love Pure Flix.
David A.R. White and Tommy Blaze are hilarious together and have great chemistry. They’ve been in several productions side-by-side and I look forward to more.
One topic, I’d love to see White take on is that of false prophets like Jim Bakker. Whether it’s a redemption story about a pastor who rips off the poor or one that differentiates those who live to spread what they believe from those who live to make money on what others believe. I truly believe David A.R. White lives to spread Christianity and though I don’t share his faith, I admire his dedication and method of treating everyone with dignity and respect in his productions.
I think many people frown upon Christianity because they see the ones on TV who tell people to throw away their medication and send in money to be in the good graces of God. Rarely is the flip side shown on TV. The pure and real side of many Christians where they aim to be good and spread good. That’s honorable.
In ME AGAIN, the film opens and closes with my favorite parable. The Prodigal Son is about two sons. One son stands by the side of his father, works diligently, and shows eternal loyalty. The second son leaves home and does whatever he wants to only fail and come back home. Rather than push him away, the father embraces him and celebrates his arrival. The other son is upset and doesn’t understand why the one who ran away is getting all the attention. The father points out that rather than being filled with self-pity and self-aggrandizing his own actions, he should see how far his brother has fallen and be there for him with sympathy and love. I’ve always loved this parable because it’s so relatable. There are always siblings who think they do more for the parent than the other. There are always those who think a parent shows favoritism to one who doesn’t deserve it.
In the beginning, Rich relays THE PRODIGAL SON to his congregation in a very sarcastic and selfish manner basically relaying that life is unfair. In the end, when he finds redemption and gains a better understanding of the parable, he relays it once again but in the manner it is supposed to be read.
More and more, I realize if David A.R. White’s name is on it, then it’s good. I can’t wait for GOD’S NOT DEAD 2 and I am hoping that there is a bunch more. I’d love for it to be something weekly like the Law & Order series. I’d tune in every week! For those who don’t have PURE FLIX yet, get it. It’s definitely worth every dime, Christian or not.
Scared Stiff Rating: 8/10
