I Can Only Imagine

I can only imagine that potential audience members for this excellent film will pooh-pooh it and pick another film to watch because ... dadadadum ... it's a "faith-based" movie, which is a great reason to give it a pass. However, for those viewers who see the film, the story takes over the backdrop wash of religion and the movie is great. It's the story of a young boy who is horribly abused by his father, but he discovers singing in public while in high school, and that talent becomes the driving force of his journey to adulthood. Along the way, there are flashbacks to his abusive childhood, just enough to remind the viewer that this is the story of a journey that many make and some don't survive.

And, the boy's faith becomes stronger as he transitions from the young boy who is abused to the young adult who is on a remarkable journey to adulthood. He keeps searching for answers to the "why" of his childhood, but he doesn't get his answer until he finally returns home and learns that his father is not just dying from cancer, but has also turned his life around. It isn't easy for the young man to trust his father, but together they find a way to reconnect and build a relationship that benefits both of them. After his father's passing, the son returns to performing with his band, Mercy Me, which leads to a pivotal moment that changes his life, as well as his career.

The title of the film and the song it is about is "I Can Only Imagine," and it's worth a visit to the web to hear the song performed by the man who wrote it, Bart Millard, performed it with his band Mercy Me, and changed his life forever with 4 little words.