On the last day of June, three months to the day before the official theater release, Matt & I had the fantastic opportunity to pre-screen the movie “Courageous.” (Thank you (in)courage and Dayspring!) In all honesty, I was skeptical. I happen to be pretty critical of most Christian movies, since they seem to be known mostly for cheesy over-acting and predictable story lines. But I figured it was a free date night with hubs, so what was the worst that could happen?
Background on the movie from their website: From the creators of “Fireproof,” Courageous is a movie about – Four men, one calling: To serve and protect. As law enforcement officers, Adam Mitchell, Nathan Hayes, David Thomson, and Shane Fuller are confident and focused. Yet at the end of the day, they face a challenge that none of them are truly prepared to tackle: fatherhood.
The Movie Trailer:
The movie started off with one of the most dramatic opening scenes I think I’ve ever seen in a movie. And while there were certainly some cheesy acting moments and a few awkward scene transitions, I was hooked. I was shocked, I laughed, I cried (um…a lot…seriously, see this movie but take tissues), I laughed UNTIL I cried, I cheered & clapped, then I cried some more. There was action, drama, humor, and some incredibly touching story lines. Oh and guys? Take the tissues. It wasn’t just the ladies in the audience that were emotional 😉
Some of my favorite things about “Courageous:”
– The characters speak the Gospel and exemplify what it’s like to be a man of God
– You don’t have to be a guy who is a father to relate to this movie – I walked away with a huge respect for what it takes for my husband to be a man of God, and an appreciation for the strength it takes to be the woman of God he needs to support him
– It’s family friendly but doesn’t avoid difficult situations or subjects
– This movie is about the choices we make and how they affect others – specifically children. The courageous choice isn’t always an easy choice, but it’s worth it.
– The Duggars make a cameo in one scene
– The theme verse for the movie is Joshua 24:15 “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
With our first child on the way, this was the perfect time for Matt & I to see this movie. I pray that as we welcome our daughter into this family, she would grow up to know in her heart, beyond all else, that her parents love God and God loves her.
People who should see this movie when it comes to theaters on September 30th:
– Parents
– Men
– Women
– People who don’t have biological children but know children
– Aunts
– Uncles
– Grandparents
– Pastors
– Sunday School teachers
– Bloggers
– You! (seriously. Everyone should see this.)
If you’ve seen “Fireproof” then you’re familiar with the “Love Dare” book/Bible study that went with the movie (side note: if you’ve seen “Fireproof” you’ll recognize one of the main actors in “Courageous” – Ken Bevel – or as I put it, “hey isn’t that the guy who glued the salt & pepper together in “Fireproof”…yep…it’s him). Well, to add some icing to a cake I already love, “Courageous” also has the “Courageous Living Bible Study,” “The Resolution for Men,” “The Resolution for Women” (written by Priscilla Shirer!), and “Courageous Living” a book that focuses on biblical characters who display great courage. All of these and some other resources, I believe are already available through Lifeway for purchase. It’s a movie, it’s a book, it’s a Bible study, it’s…..not as cheesy or predictable as I thought it would be. Sometimes, I’m ok being wrong!
(PS Make sure to come back in September when the movie comes out, I’m hoping to do a post with some giveaways, courtesy of (in)courage!)
*An affiliate link is included in this post for Dayspring.
