Common Sense Media Review
By Brian Costello
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Predictable faith-based movie is heavy-handed and trite.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
What If...
What's the Story?
Fifteen years ago, Ben Walker (Kevin Sorbo) left his girlfriend Wendy (Kristy Swanson) and a career in the ministry to become an investment banker. Since that time, he has become successful and quite wealthy, with an equally materialistic fiancée and a brand-new black Mercedes Benz. But this changes when his Mercedes inexplicably breaks down on a country road and he meets Mike (John Ratzenberger), a tow truck driver who claims to be an angel sent to show Ben the error of his ways and what he missed out on when he left Wendy and the ministry behind. Ben is now given a glimpse as to what might have been, waking up as a new minister in a small rural town, with his wife Wendy and two kids. At first, he deeply resents the drastic change from his money-driven lifestyle, but he gradually begins to see just how unhappy he was despite all his wealth and success. With the help of Mike and a certain higher power, Ben must find a way to get back to what God had intended for him all along.
Is It Any Good?
WHAT IF... is an amateurish and heavy-handed faith-based movie. It contains a predictable storyline that borrows heavily from both The Family Man and It's a Wonderful Life. While devout Christians seeking entertainment that validates their belief system may enjoy the tale, those who are not particularly religious will have a difficult time getting through such a poorly made movie with cheesy dialogue, obnoxiously sappy background music, and excessive preachiness.
This film lacks the overall quality to reach anyone beyond the deeply religious, and the awful storytelling and screenwriting flaws negate any and all efforts at conversion, assuming that is part of the filmmakers' and studio's intentions.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about faith-based movies. Are these movies intended to convert those who don't believe in the religious views being espoused, entertain those who already live according to the religious views espoused in the movie, or a bit of both?
What are the ways in which Christian values and scripture are presented in this movie?
In more conventional "Hollywood" movies, how are religion and the practitioners of religions represented, if at all?
Movie Details
- In theaters : June 2, 2010
- On DVD or streaming : February 1, 2016
- Cast : Kevin Sorbo , Kristy Swanson , John Ratzenberger
- Director : Dallas Jenkins
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Universal Studios Home Entertainment
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 118 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : Some mild thematic elements.
- Last updated : September 20, 2019
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