'The Grace Card' - movie review

Independent film has come a long way.  Especially independent Christian film.

You know that disinterested feeling that comes over most of us when we hear the words "It's an independent Christian film"?  You start thinking about things like bad acting, lousy sound, a fuzzy, shaking camera, a preachy, slap-in-your-face script, and the Hallelujah Chores played over and over from a bad recording in the background.

Well, The Grace Card is a far cry from all that.  Yes, it's independent. But the quality is so much better than most of us would ever dare to expect.  And it's well worth watching.

The Grace Card follows Memphis Policeman 'Mac' McDonald, who's angry with just about everyone he comes in contact with, including his newly assigned partner, Sam Wright.  Sam has just started to pastor a small church and tries to reach out to Mac —who proves very unreachable.



Mac lost his oldest son to a freak accident he blames both himself and others for, and in 17 years the bitterness has only gotten worse.  In focusing constantly on the son he lost, Mac pushes everyone else far away, daily hurting his wife Sarah and their remaining son, Blake, who hates everything about living under his dead brother's oppressive shadow and goes into rebellion.



Mac's life, carrier, and family are falling apart due to his bitterness, but he refuses to change anything.  Or to forgive anyone.



Meanwhile, Sam Wright struggles to forgive Mac for his angry words and attitude, and his prejudice regarding skin color.  Sam tries to take on the Grace Card challenge for the person he's finding it hardest to forgive:

'I promise to pray for you every day, ask your forgiveness, grant you the same, and be your friend always.'

Then a unforeseen and heartbreaking turn of events (while on the job) shakes Mac's world, and he starts to wonder —about a lot of things.
"Why would this God you talk so much let an innocent little boy [his first son] die, and let a person like me live?"

While there were still a few places where the script could have been stronger, and a few technical things that could've been fixed, The Grace Card is a credit to the strengthening independent film industry.  I would recommend it to anyone as a very powerful and moving film. (though it's a bit too intense for anyone under about age 11 or 12, due to the whole father/son struggle and some other heavy police-work scenes)

So, all that to say I really enjoyed The Grace Card, (it had me close to tears a few times :P)  and if you get a chance to, you should go see it.  Witness the power of grace.