Movie Review - Courageous

 

A surprise to mainstream press was the debut of Sherwood Pictures’ latest faith-based film Courageous. CinemaScore gave a rare A+ to the film and Variety quotes, “Time and again, the pic effectively emphasizes how the deputies are reminded on a daily basis what eventually can happen to at-risk children who don’t have fathers involved in their lives.”

Directed by filmmaker and screenwriter, Alex Kendrick worked alongside of his brother Stephen Kendrick, Executive producers Dr. Michael Catt and Jim McBride and many volunteers to bring to the big screen the a gut-wrenching narrative on the topic of Fatherhood—those heroes who desire to make a lifelong impact on their children.

Nathan Hayes (Ken Bevel) transfers to the Albany, Georgia police department and makes a lasting impression on his new colleagues the weekend prior to his first day on the job. Hayes is minding his car at the local gas station. He finishes the fill-up and gets in his car to leave, turns on the engine and sees that his windshield needs a heavy cleaning. He gets out of the car and goes to get the windshield washer located two islands over. The car is running and unattended. Hmm! Yep, the truck is hijacked. The thief must whip Hayes’s vehicle doing a 180 degree wheelie for the quick get-away and to avoid oncoming traffic headed for the gas pumps. Hayes is following the action in a state of frenzy. In his attempt to stop the driver, he leaps toward the vehicle to grab onto the steering wheel as the truck is in hurried motion. The thief tries to push him off the car but to no avail. The scuttle continues as they head onto the main road dodging one car after another. Hayes does everything in his power to derail the thief. The thief loses control of the vehicle throwing Hayes off into the ditch and he drives the truck into a tree. A partner in crime following close behind the action rescues the thief and the two escape the scene. Eyewitnesses call police and attempt to tend to Hayes as he is painfully moving toward his truck. He swings the back door of the vehicle open to see his baby was still alive and secured in his car seat. Hayes act of courage to save his little baby was just the beginning of events that would transpire to challenge his conviction to be a man of courage.

Nathan and his fellow law enforcement partners, Adam Mitchell (Alex Kendrick), David Thomson (Ben Davies) and Shane Fuller (Kevin Downies) had one calling: to serve and protect their community. The slogan represented their daily acts of valor on the job but when their police uniform came off a transformation took place. The courageous father and husband uniform did not transpire. Why? Too much ego and not enough love; but, when tragedy hits the ego mask seems to slowly disintegrate and the need for love is exposed. On the lighter side you’ll enjoy delightful real people humor and a few editing glitches; and, I finally know why police officers rarely pull people over for cell phone infractions.

Courageous is the journey of a group of tough guys in hot pursuit to serve and protect; but, along the way they learn that courage has to do with being men of integrity and to confess that honor begins at home.

Karen Pecota

24/7 MOMS film journalist

Movie release in theaters: September 30, 2011