Finding Hope (2015)

Please don't spend money on this.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

Led by powerful and thoughtful performances, and guided by restrained and appropriate direction, Finding Hope finds the tone that fans of this genre want and expect. The film stayed focused on its message and the actors stayed focused on their characters. Julian Grant wrote a simple yet effective story, pulling together familiar elements and combining them in a way that didn't feel too mundane or pedestrian. The pacing is leisurely which may have become a problem if the characters were not as engaging as they were. Shannon Brown, Sean Patrick Leonard, Robyn Coffin and the rest of the cast gave solid performances, but I would single out Suzette Brown for special recognition because her role was the most difficult and required more subtle and emotional attention to detail. I found it inspiring in message and execution.

This movie reminded me of three of my favorite films. It was like "City of Angels" meets "Ghost" and "Hearts and Souls". I absolutely was blown away by this movie. I laughed, I cried. It was an emotional film that struck home with me on so many different levels.The cinematography was beautifully done. The direction and writing were spot on. The characters pulled you into to the story and made you start to take stock in your own life.The acting was top tier. Suzette Brown's performance as Hope was nothing short of award worthy. She plays the character beautifully. Shannon Brown is amazing as Andrew. You can feel the raw emotion he is feeling. Craig James Jr. reminded me of a young Treat Williams. The character he plays, Jacob, is someone we have all encountered at some point in our lives, yet you can relate to what he is dealing with.I am not one to watch a movie on the computer. But I watched this one from start to finish and wish I could see it on the big screen. If you have free time and want to see a really well made, well acted, and well written movie. Watch "Finding Hope". I promise you it will stop and make you think about your life. I know it changed mine.

I was invited by a friend to attend a screening of Finding Hope in Chicago. I almost didn't go because I am not a big fan of faith based films, but I'm so glad I did. This film featured wonderful performances and a beautiful message. I did not feel like I was watching a faith based film, but rather just a great story that certainly highlighted family, faith and values. There was a realness, almost a rawness to the film that most indie film buffs, like myself, will really appreciate. There is love, loss, tragedy, gut wrenching decisions and a couple of pretty well disguised twists that make this film a must see for all indie lovers. The performances are wonderful. The leads, Shannon and Suzette Brown, are very powerful. They are both very honest and daring with their choices and it plays brilliantly. Both of them play very challenging roles and these two pull it off seemingly effortlessly. Shannon Brown has become a trailblazer in the indie scene and I believe his star will continue to shine and he'll ultimately be a household name. I have since seen him play multiple types of roles in multiple genres and his performances are always very strong. Robyn Coffin and Sean Leonard do a nice job as strong supporting roles, you can't help but love Robyn's whimsical character, Edith. Walt Sloan, a personal favorite of mine, is nothing short of spectacular as the final member of the principal cast. As a huge indie film buff, I've seen Mr. Sloan in a variety of films, he simply never disappoints. Overall, the film is executed wonderfully. The only thing stopping me from giving it a 10 is that the lighting in some of the scenes fall short. Also, there are a few moments when the Simon character plays a little too preachy and holier than thou, not sure if that has to do with performance or direction. All in all, this truly a great indie piece and I highly recommend it!

I found myself engulfed in the story from the beginning. I loved the cinematography and the scenery is inspiring. I loved the themes present: how people can change, the power of love, the importance of forgiveness, and being willing to reach out to God for understanding and love. Simon is a character that's easy to love and admire. Hope is outstanding. Andrew, although flawed like all of us, is someone we should be able to relate to as none of us is perfect. If you enjoy inspiring love stories, I highly recommend it. Well-done!I hope those who have interest faith based films and good family entertainment will see this movie!