Have You Seen the Film, October Baby?

Just saw it . . . what an unexpectedly moving movie experience! I didn't know it was a faith-based film, but 10 or 20 minutes in I realized the story on screen was unashamed about promoting basic Christian values. An adopted 19-year-old, sheltered because of medical problems, raised in a Christian home, decides to experience some of what life has to offer and takes off with a group of college friends primarily to find her birth mother. Their first stop in a motel, they don't share rooms--girls with girls, boys with boys. Later, Hannah takes off on her own, but her good friend, going all the way back to childhood, Jason, finds her and they continue Hannah's quest together.



In another motel room scene, Hannah explains to Jason that she's a virgin and hasn't had much dating experience. She's in the bed, Jason's on the floor and there's no implied sex or even kissing. Later in the film, Hannah's father asks her to come home with him, and asks Jason to stay away. Displaying the Christian value to Honor Thy Mother and Thy Father, they both comply. The soul of the film, however, uses the plot to inspire the viewer to avoid abortion at all costs.

Although I was moved to shed a few tears at several points in the film, along the way I couldn't help feel the film wasn't representing the cold reality of the problems and issues people face during life. The film also implied that if your faith was strong enough, you just might get through life without doing anything bad or having anything bad happen to you. Of course, we all know that isn't how things are, but all in all I applaud the Erwin Brothers who wrote, directed, and produced the film for their well-crafted, well-acted, inspirational movie, a refreshing change from the relatively mindless CGI drivel that seems to dominate the big secular screen these days!