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
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