Oh boy. This movie portrays Jewish fathers as harsh, rigid, angry, and unreasonable. I think the ripping the shirt open and screaming in Hebrew scene really took the cake. Then we have the Jewish's father's overwhelming relief to learn that his son isn't gay. Then we have the disabled cousin being used as a plot device and romantic interest and nothing more. Plus the Dana Carvey looking uncle who is supposed to be super Jewish in order to convert Paul back, not even wearing a yarmulke! Also the "dream" of Paul's father essentially murdering Jesus on an altar? It's basically straight from a Nazi propaganda ad.
10 Reviews
Do we start with the antisemitism, the ableism, or the homophobia?
chef-213423 August 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Shockingly Anti-Semetic
dharper-2488326 July 2015
As a Jew, I was so offended that I had to laugh. But after thinking about this film's message I found myself compelled to write a review. If you are an evangelical Christian who wants to hear what you want to hear, by all means you will enjoy this very much and give it a 8+ (but you'll have to admit some of the acting is pretty bad especially the overacting of the Jewish father). If you are Jewish, steer clear! This is propaganda made to encourage evangelical missionaries. The film stereotypes Jews, using Jewish symbols in offensive ways, and promotes anti-Semitic thinking. If such a film were made about any other minority, people would demand its removal: think Disney's Song of the South. I give it a 2 because its only redeeming value is that it might serve as an example to Jews and others that anti-Semitism is alive and well.
Could be worth watching with the right frame of mind.
storytellerzack2 September 2015
Despite the title and the appearance of being about Jewish/Messianic issues, the movie really is more of a treatise on charismatic/Pentecostal doctrines (tongues, healing, etc.). Approaching it with that in mind, it could be informative, especially if you're not familiar with what exactly those beliefs entail. Production-wise, the movie is over-long and the acting can be hit and miss throughout, and the multiple (and often unrelated) messages are heavy handed at times. However, there were definitely some good moments throughout, and several moments of good humor. I'd say it's definitely worth watching, again especially if you're curious about charismatic doctrines.
To Quote the GAM Cast...
CecinestpasuneLOL10 May 2020
This whole movie is basically "Friends don't let friends be Jewish."
These people would have happily worked in Hitler's propaganda department making films about how burning them is actually saving Jews from themselves.
These people would have happily worked in Hitler's propaganda department making films about how burning them is actually saving Jews from themselves.
The most anti-semetic mess to be released in this century!
CountVladDracula26 December 2016
Warning: Spoilers
I don't know how to keep polite in this review so I'll try to keep my language clean...
The self aggrandizing writer says "Jewish people don't have to desert their Jewishness to accept Jesus" That's literally what becoming Christian is because in accepting Christ you are embracing Christianity in place of "jewishness". This truly is antisemetic, self-absorbed and creepy.
Also don't get me started on the warped, ill-conceived and misguided nature of having the protagonist codemn a book series (Harry Potter) just because it has the use of magic in it. You can't preach "keep an open mind" while telling people to burn a book series. That's literally the opposite of open mindedness!
The self aggrandizing writer says "Jewish people don't have to desert their Jewishness to accept Jesus" That's literally what becoming Christian is because in accepting Christ you are embracing Christianity in place of "jewishness". This truly is antisemetic, self-absorbed and creepy.
Also don't get me started on the warped, ill-conceived and misguided nature of having the protagonist codemn a book series (Harry Potter) just because it has the use of magic in it. You can't preach "keep an open mind" while telling people to burn a book series. That's literally the opposite of open mindedness!
Hateful garbage.
paul-yearley3 February 2018
I'm an atheist, and I find this offensive and antisemitic.
Seriously, the only way this movie could be more condescending to the Jewish people would be if Skrewdriver composed the score. This is so bad, it's not even amusing-bad; I feel awful watching it.
Seriously, the only way this movie could be more condescending to the Jewish people would be if Skrewdriver composed the score. This is so bad, it's not even amusing-bad; I feel awful watching it.
Anti-Semitism framed as love
bulgerpaul2 December 2021
"Can I be friends with Paul? He's really nice."
"Nice Christians are the most dangerous to Jews, Abraham."
Woah this one came out guns blazing with the anti Semitism less than five minutes in, framed under the purview of love and concern that Donald James Parker wraps all of his hatred within. We're given a setup where a Christian boy talks to his father after watching a football game and they marvel at what a wonderful witness for Jesus Tim Tebow is. Then, we immediately jump to another boy in a Jewish family who tells his dad (who is wearing a kippah in his own home) that Tim Tebow on TV told him about Jesus, then that boy is immediately verbally berated by his father, he's grounded from TV, and his father forces him to read a book that will "protect you from religious predators." I mean holy woah, has Parker ever met a Jew? Jews don't generally act like this when their children get exposed to new religious ideas, and they certainly aren't this jumpy over anybody mentioning Jesus around them. That is what evangelicals do. Parker is projecting the way he thinks kids in the Christian faith should be raised onto Jews, but framing it as evil authoritarianism when the Jews do it. In In Gramp's Shoes, there's a scene where a character talks about gramps as a controlling father who just loved her too much to let her be lead astray by non-Christian influences, only in that film gramps is framed heroically as if he was righteous to kick his daughter out of his home for listening to rock music and having a boyfriend, whereas here, a Jewish man not wanting his son to be lead away from the Jewish faith is framed as unreasonable, over reactive, and authoritarian. There is literally no difference in the parenting styles between these two groups, yet each respective film seems to think there is. Parker does not have an ounce of self awareness in his poorly aging body.
Just two minutes later, we see the Jewish kid at the table reading and his dad walks in and he says "hey dad I'm almost finished reading that Holocaust book you gave me." Seriously Donald, you couldn't name literally one book about the Holocaust for this kid to read, so you just wrote him saying "that Holocaust book?" This is low effort even by your standards. And you really think a Jewish parent would reflexively punish their kids by making them read about the Holocaust to protect them from Tim Tebow and Jesus? Just, what?
Also worth mentioning, all of these Christian movies have a low understanding of how dialogue and normal human interactions work, but this one is on a whole new level even by Donald James Parker standards. For example, there's a scene where a kid goes to his best friend's house, but he brings a book about the Holocaust with him (still don't know which book), and he reads this book during the game, at his best friend's house. His friend gets mad at him for reading during the game and understandably asks him "what's up with you," to which he responds "it's just so hard to get fired up about sports now after reading about the Holocaust." Please just try to imagine literally any scenario in which a 12 year old kid would go all the way to his friend's house to watch sports, but bring an unspecified book about the Holocaust with him, and read it in front of the tv at his friend's house during the game. A real kid more interested in reading than watching a game would've just stayed home to read, right? My brain broke trying to imagine any real life scenario in which this would occur. The contrivances employed to make the ridiculous dialogue in this movie work is beyond the moon.
I will give credit where credit is due though, I don't see many anti-Semitic movies where the leading Jewish family is struggling with money and behind on their mortgage, a twist I didn't see coming since I was initially expecting this Jewish father with a son named Abraham to end up being a money grubbing banker. So, way to smash the stereotype, I guess?
Two more post script notes: 1) This is the third time a boy was lead into Christianity by a cute girl he had a crush on from a local church. I don't know exactly what this says about Parker's views on women in the church, but it sure as hell says something.
2) Seriously I thought the Harry Potter culture war in the evangelical church was dead but Parker repeatedly harps on it.
Woah this one came out guns blazing with the anti Semitism less than five minutes in, framed under the purview of love and concern that Donald James Parker wraps all of his hatred within. We're given a setup where a Christian boy talks to his father after watching a football game and they marvel at what a wonderful witness for Jesus Tim Tebow is. Then, we immediately jump to another boy in a Jewish family who tells his dad (who is wearing a kippah in his own home) that Tim Tebow on TV told him about Jesus, then that boy is immediately verbally berated by his father, he's grounded from TV, and his father forces him to read a book that will "protect you from religious predators." I mean holy woah, has Parker ever met a Jew? Jews don't generally act like this when their children get exposed to new religious ideas, and they certainly aren't this jumpy over anybody mentioning Jesus around them. That is what evangelicals do. Parker is projecting the way he thinks kids in the Christian faith should be raised onto Jews, but framing it as evil authoritarianism when the Jews do it. In In Gramp's Shoes, there's a scene where a character talks about gramps as a controlling father who just loved her too much to let her be lead astray by non-Christian influences, only in that film gramps is framed heroically as if he was righteous to kick his daughter out of his home for listening to rock music and having a boyfriend, whereas here, a Jewish man not wanting his son to be lead away from the Jewish faith is framed as unreasonable, over reactive, and authoritarian. There is literally no difference in the parenting styles between these two groups, yet each respective film seems to think there is. Parker does not have an ounce of self awareness in his poorly aging body.
Just two minutes later, we see the Jewish kid at the table reading and his dad walks in and he says "hey dad I'm almost finished reading that Holocaust book you gave me." Seriously Donald, you couldn't name literally one book about the Holocaust for this kid to read, so you just wrote him saying "that Holocaust book?" This is low effort even by your standards. And you really think a Jewish parent would reflexively punish their kids by making them read about the Holocaust to protect them from Tim Tebow and Jesus? Just, what?
Also worth mentioning, all of these Christian movies have a low understanding of how dialogue and normal human interactions work, but this one is on a whole new level even by Donald James Parker standards. For example, there's a scene where a kid goes to his best friend's house, but he brings a book about the Holocaust with him (still don't know which book), and he reads this book during the game, at his best friend's house. His friend gets mad at him for reading during the game and understandably asks him "what's up with you," to which he responds "it's just so hard to get fired up about sports now after reading about the Holocaust." Please just try to imagine literally any scenario in which a 12 year old kid would go all the way to his friend's house to watch sports, but bring an unspecified book about the Holocaust with him, and read it in front of the tv at his friend's house during the game. A real kid more interested in reading than watching a game would've just stayed home to read, right? My brain broke trying to imagine any real life scenario in which this would occur. The contrivances employed to make the ridiculous dialogue in this movie work is beyond the moon.
I will give credit where credit is due though, I don't see many anti-Semitic movies where the leading Jewish family is struggling with money and behind on their mortgage, a twist I didn't see coming since I was initially expecting this Jewish father with a son named Abraham to end up being a money grubbing banker. So, way to smash the stereotype, I guess?
Two more post script notes: 1) This is the third time a boy was lead into Christianity by a cute girl he had a crush on from a local church. I don't know exactly what this says about Parker's views on women in the church, but it sure as hell says something.
2) Seriously I thought the Harry Potter culture war in the evangelical church was dead but Parker repeatedly harps on it.
Coexistence by consumption
floraposteschild5 December 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Two boys cross the religious divide through the worship of the only true God, Tim Tebow, and the hate of Harry Potter. Judging from the cast names, not a single adult Jew, and certainly not a practicing one, was involved in making of this story of the toleration Semites in a small town via the novel method of (SPOILER, but what did you expect?) making them convert. Well, so what you say. Why can't a film made by a small, Evangelical production company in Georgia be a nuanced examination of interfaith relations? Let's go down the checklist: Christians are tolerant and understanding, and perfect in every way? Check. Jews are loud, pushy, hairy men? Check. The Holocaust their constant concern and study? Check. Who menace and threaten to throw their children out of the house when they think of converting? Check. Emergency trip to "Jew" York? Coincidental (OR IS IT?) meeting with a Jew for Jesus? Check. Pathetic crippled girl? Check. Miraculous intervention? Check. Jewishness purged, let us say, out of a whole family a happy ending? Check. Unless you want to deliberately offend and insult someone, this is a bad movie.
Beautiful movie of mutual love and respect for two great religions.
jonsaboe1 October 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I ordered this movie knowing in advance it was a simple, low-budget, indie film. However, I was pleasantly surprised that the content and filming were, for the most part, well done and professional. Any weakness in acting was overcome by the story line itself, and my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The movie itself displays the most loving and compassionate portrayal of a Jewish family that finds themselves in the middle of the Midwest (South Dakota), nervous and surrounded by Christians.
The main character, a young boy named Paul, has been given a special love for Jewish people from G-d, and seeks to become friends with the young Jewish boy of this family who, coincidentally, has moved in next door. The father, desperate for work, has relocated there, and is genuinely concerned at their friendship.
There is the obligatory harassment by two kids who hurl anti-Semitic taunts and threats, but they seemed to belong more in the hills of the deep south than in a small town in South Dakota.
The conflict is between the Jewish father's fear of Christians (Christendom in general) and his son, Abraham, who quickly becomes fast friends with Paul.
Great consideration is given to the concerns and feeling of Abraham's father, who quite rightly has fears stemming from the Holocaust--in addition to centuries of historical anti-Semitism. (Warning: there is some graphic stock footage). I was initially upset with his loss of temper on occasions – but became equally impressed as he lovingly asked his son (and wife) for forgiveness.
There is some minor (and not so minor) distractions on the definition of "Baptism of the Holy Spirit" as the author attempts to create an analogous wedge between Paul and HIS father. Since I believe that a person is instantly and automatically baptized by the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation – regardless of outward manifestations – it seemed a bit contrived. However, the emphasis that G-d's gifts are without repentance—and for today—were welcome and well established.
The beauty of the movie is the realization, ultimately, that they worship the same G-d, seek the same Messiah, and ultimately (with the help of a few dreams and miracles) find beautiful reconciliation.
SERIOUS SPOILER ALERT: If someone is concerned that this is movie is about making Jews give up their identity and become Christians, they will be pleasantly surprised as young Paul is able to join Abraham in his Bar Mitzvah and the close of the movie, which, of course, is where the movie gets its title.
Watch this movie and enjoy the beauty of how G-d unites and reconciles, as opposed to the world which does nothing but divide and alienate.
The movie itself displays the most loving and compassionate portrayal of a Jewish family that finds themselves in the middle of the Midwest (South Dakota), nervous and surrounded by Christians.
The main character, a young boy named Paul, has been given a special love for Jewish people from G-d, and seeks to become friends with the young Jewish boy of this family who, coincidentally, has moved in next door. The father, desperate for work, has relocated there, and is genuinely concerned at their friendship.
There is the obligatory harassment by two kids who hurl anti-Semitic taunts and threats, but they seemed to belong more in the hills of the deep south than in a small town in South Dakota.
The conflict is between the Jewish father's fear of Christians (Christendom in general) and his son, Abraham, who quickly becomes fast friends with Paul.
Great consideration is given to the concerns and feeling of Abraham's father, who quite rightly has fears stemming from the Holocaust--in addition to centuries of historical anti-Semitism. (Warning: there is some graphic stock footage). I was initially upset with his loss of temper on occasions – but became equally impressed as he lovingly asked his son (and wife) for forgiveness.
There is some minor (and not so minor) distractions on the definition of "Baptism of the Holy Spirit" as the author attempts to create an analogous wedge between Paul and HIS father. Since I believe that a person is instantly and automatically baptized by the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation – regardless of outward manifestations – it seemed a bit contrived. However, the emphasis that G-d's gifts are without repentance—and for today—were welcome and well established.
The beauty of the movie is the realization, ultimately, that they worship the same G-d, seek the same Messiah, and ultimately (with the help of a few dreams and miracles) find beautiful reconciliation.
SERIOUS SPOILER ALERT: If someone is concerned that this is movie is about making Jews give up their identity and become Christians, they will be pleasantly surprised as young Paul is able to join Abraham in his Bar Mitzvah and the close of the movie, which, of course, is where the movie gets its title.
Watch this movie and enjoy the beauty of how G-d unites and reconciles, as opposed to the world which does nothing but divide and alienate.
See also
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