• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Effie Caldarola
          • John Garvey
          • Father Ed Dougherty, M.M.
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Joel Courtney and Anna Grace Barlow star in a scene from the movie “Jesus Revolution.” The OSV News classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. (OSV News photo/Dan Anderson, Lionsgate)

Movie Review: ‘Jesus Revolution’

March 2, 2023
By John Mulderig
OSV News
Filed Under: Movie & Television Reviews

NEW YORK (OSV News) – The Woodstock generation gets religion in the warmhearted fact-based drama “Jesus Revolution” (Lionsgate). Refreshingly free of the usual objectionable ingredients, this generally appealing Evangelically flavored look back at a somewhat surprising chapter in Baby Boomer history is doctrinally dodgy but ethically uplifting.

This is the poster from the movie “Jesus Revolution.” The OSV News classification is A-II — adults and adolescents. (OSV News photo/Lionsgate)

The plot initially concentrates on the unlikely collaboration between Lonnie Frisbee (Jonathan Roumie), a believing hippy, and Pastor Chuck Smith (Kelsey Grammer), a previously starchy California minister. After the two are brought together by Chuck’s daughter, Janette (Ally Ioannides), Lonnie convinces Chuck that the Flower Children are ripe for conversion.

As the duo’s expanding mission leads to mass baptisms, the focus shifts to two of their eventual converts. Greg Laurie (Joel Courtney) is a troubled teen with a complicated family background, including the alcoholism of his barfly mom, Charlene (Kimberly Williams-Paisley). Cathe (Anna Grace Barlow) is Greg’s emotionally steadier true love.

Christian viewers of all stripes will likely agree with the movie’s message that the hedonism and narcotics abuse into which many young adults fell in the 1960s was at least as misguided as the consumption-driven materialism against which they were rebelling. In that respect, the script penned by Jon Erwin (who co-directed with Brent McCorkle) and Jon Gunn is spot-on.

But the sacramental theology briefly referenced in the script is askew from a Catholic perspective. Both baptism and the Eucharist are portrayed as merely symbolic, with Chuck even altering Jesus’ words of institution to reflect this viewpoint.

Provided they’re sufficiently well-catechized to be proof against such a defect, older kids as well as grown-ups can safely take this stroll down psychedelic-era memory lane. Along with its momentary divergence from sound teaching, however, the movie includes a scene in which a character overdoses that’s probably too frightening for younger children.

Mature viewers will sense echoes of the great St. Augustine of Hippo’s long search for the “beauty ever ancient, ever new” in this retrospective of a mass spiritual journey undertaken far closer to our own time. Yet they may also wonder how lasting or ephemeral the widespread embrace of the Gospel that resulted from it ultimately turned out to be.

The film contains negatively depicted drug use and a potentially upsetting medical situation. The OSV News classification is A-II — adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

John Mulderig is media reviewer for OSV News. Follow him on Twitter @JohnMulderig1.

Read More Movie & Television Reviews

Movie Review: ‘Padre Pio’

Movie Review: ‘The Boogeyman’

Videogame Review: ‘The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’

Shia LaBeouf: ‘I fell in love with Christ’ to portray Padre Pio on screen

Movie Review: ‘The Little Mermaid’

TV Review: ‘Mrs. Davis’

Copyright © 2023 OSV News

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

John Mulderig

John Mulderig is media reviewer for OSV News.

View all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Assault outside Planned Parenthood office leaves pregnancy center employees shaken
  • Missionary of mercy priest: ‘Be Christ to all people’ in a world ‘hungry for the Word’
  • ‘God’s Scribe’: Father Breighner retires popular column after more than 50 years
  • Movie Review: ‘Padre Pio’
  • Bishop Victor Galeone, former Archdiocese of Baltimore priest and bishop of St. Augustine, dies at 87

| CURRENT EDITION |

| 2023 Attorney General’s Report |

Abuse survivor reflects on John Merzbacher’s death

Archbishop Lori affirms support for transparency in addressing sexual abuse

Believe us: Survivors express anger, hope following release of attorney general’s report

‘Good is stronger than evil,’ Archbishop Lori proclaims at Easter Mass

Maryland attorney general acknowledges that church has changed response

| Crisis in Ukraine |

After visit to Ukraine, Swedish cardinal says he hopes for ‘just peace’

Ukrainian church leaders cite lack of information on Vatican initiatives

Cardinal Zuppi, pope’s peace envoy, talks about war in Ukraine

Vatican secretary of state calls for ‘creative’ peace efforts in Ukraine

US Ukrainian Catholics greet Zelenskyy-Pope Francis meeting with elation, concern

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

| Movie & Television Reviews |

Movie Review: ‘Padre Pio’

Movie Review: ‘The Boogeyman’

Videogame Review: ‘The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’

Shia LaBeouf: ‘I fell in love with Christ’ to portray Padre Pio on screen

Movie Review: ‘The Little Mermaid’

| En español |

Expertos esperan avances en salud, discapacidad y ministerio hispano en la reunión de junio de los obispos de EE.UU.

La comunidad católica de Uvalde marca doloroso aniversario con Misa y oración

Una encuesta revela que la mayoría de los estadounidenses ‘rara vez’ o ‘nunca’ asiste a servicios religiosos

Defensores católicos de la migración piden una política justa al expirar el Título 42

¿Qué se espera con el fin del Título 42?

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Nevada’s Catholic governor who campaigned as ‘pro-life’ signs some abortion protections into law
  • Pope names Cardinal Farrell next head of Vatican City high court
  • Senate approves House-passed debt ceiling deal, avoiding default
  • Profit-at-all-costs is not a good business model, pope says
  • Farewell and thank you
  • ‘God’s Scribe’: Father Breighner retires popular column after more than 50 years
  • Expertos esperan avances en salud, discapacidad y ministerio hispano en la reunión de junio de los obispos de EE.UU.
  • Experts hope for progress on health care, disability ministry and Hispanic Catholics at U.S. bishops’ June meeting
  • Movie Review: ‘Padre Pio’

Search

Membership

Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2023 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED