Jesus Revolution

Most Christian movies are usually predictable, mediocre and shallow. The premise is often good, but real moviemaking talent is apparently not interested in producing a Christian-themed story that draws the watcher in and sustains interest until the end.

“Jesus Revolution” is a refreshing change, a masterfully-made drama exploring the beginning of the “Jesus Freak” revival of the 60s and 70s. Thought to be one of the biggest revivals of the modern era, the phenomena which began in a small California town had such deep influence that it formed the foundation for current evangelical Christianity in the United States. As with most other revivals in history, its beginnings were seemingly small and random, involving ordinary people who would go on to do extraordinary things.

The Story

The story begins with a glimpse into the life of Greg, a seventeen year old teenage boy struggling to make his way through police academy while caring for his alcoholic mother and becoming attracted to the hippie teens gathering in a nearby park. Engaging in conversation with a beautiful blond girl he has been admiring, he makes it clear he’s looking for truth and an understanding of what is real and meaningful in life. She invites him to a Janis Joplin concert, explaining that “all the best truth tellers will be there.” He resigns from the academy to attend and is captivated by the music, the rebellious attitude of the speakers, the psychedelic drugs rained down on the crowd by plane, and the lovely Cathe. This begins a wild series of events in which he tries to drug himself into a state of being able to achieve a higher understanding of hidden truth and embarks on a wild foray into hippie culture.

In parallel, the story brings in a middle-aged pastor named Chuck struggling to make sense of the burgeoning hippie movement and trying to preach relevant messages to his dwindling church of mostly elderly parishioners. His daughter Jeanette is on the verge of leaving the church and is sharply critical of what she sees as his close-minded approach to the points the hippie youth are bringing to society’s attention. He says that if a hippie shows up in his house, he’ll sit down and ask him what the whole movement is about but until then he believes it’s evil and most likely a sign the end of the world is near. When his daughter Cathe finds a colorful hippie with a strong resemblance to the traditional image of Jesus walking the side of the California highway, she brings him home to meet her father so Chuck can make good on his promise to hear why the hippies are rebelling against traditional philosophies.

The resulting events turn the sleepy little church of Calvary Chapel, Chuck’s life and eventually the entire town upside-down. Greg’s life intersects with that of Chuck and the charismatic hippie preacher Lonnie Frisbee, producing a very moving baptism. The burgeoning attendance at Calvary Chapel draws national attention and causes Chuck, Lonnie and Greg to face their personal character flaws, including the ego that comes with fame and success. The portrayal of the characters and their successes and mistakes takes several surprising turns and culminates with the appearance of all that was good falling apart. But what comes through in the end is that when God intends to do something, he does it in his way and in his time. As Chuck’s wife reassures him when he feels he cannot live up to the expectations of the people waiting for him to speak, “this was always about God, not you.”

Conclusion

“Jesus Revolution” was direct without being preachy, visually lovely, and brought to a satisfying and hopeful conclusion. The truthful portrayal of the characters was done with great respect and while there were some unsettling portrayals of drug use, it is a surprisingly clean film. The frantic search for truth followed by the euphoria of salvation and then the process of learning to live a new life is compellingly told. Great care went into recreating the appearance and details of life during the mid-60s and even non-Christian viewers can appreciate the storytelling and cinematography. It is an excellent and thought-provoking movie well worth the time to watch.

ARTICLE WRITTEN BY @LTURNER
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Benjamin Turner: God fearer. Rooted in Messiah. Husband of @lturner. Father of SIX wonderful children. The guy behind the camera. Blockchain enthusiast.

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