The best movies about forgiveness explore the idea of second chances and offer compelling depictions of mercy, from real-life inspirational films to fictional dramas focusing on forgiving one another and setting aside grievances.
This film addresses the sensitive subject of child abuse with a powerful narrative of healing and forgiveness – making it an essential watch for anyone interested in child welfare issues.
The End of the Spear
This riveting film depicts an accurate account of five missionaries who attempted to reach out to Ecuador’s Waodani tribe in 1956 due to miscommunication; however, they were speared. Following this tragedy, widows and children of these missionaries moved into their village in order to teach the tribe about Christianity using simple parables inspired by earthy elements found throughout Ecuador’s jungle – all the while testifying to God’s power of forgiveness and healing. This unforgettable tale proves it!
While The End of the Spear is a Christian movie, it does not preach or become tedious. Instead, its focus lies on universal themes of peace, hope, family, and love, with incredible acting from top-notch actors and stellar cinematography – making this a must-see film!
Although this film doesn’t shy away from depicting the near-nakedness and violent actions of the Waodani tribe, it remains an emotional yet poignant film about forgiveness. The narrative centers on a boy raised to believe all foreigners are evil and that only violent action will work until he meets a group of missionaries who show him otherwise.
What makes this movie particularly moving is the Waodani tribe’s agreement to allow this story to be told on screen. Such collaboration is rare in Hollywood films, especially one so central and with such an essential message about forgiveness.
Anyone who has struggled with forgiveness must watch this movie. It tells an incredible tale of how one boy who was raised to believe all foreigners are sinful and only violent solutions will resolve matters finds ways to forgive those responsible for his death. Families will also find this an excellent way to discuss forgiveness as something that can change lives forever.
The Fight Within
Faith-based films should communicate their message effectively through compelling storytelling, memorable characters, and at least some degree of subtlety. Unfortunately, The Fight Within falls far short in this regard. While initially promising an entertaining MMA drama, Logan and Emma quickly transition into engaging in lengthy religious discourse; when the story resumes, it becomes all about fighting (albeit done admirably considering script constraints).
In The Fight Within, John Major Davis stars as Logan Chandler, an unemployed mixed martial artist attempting to turn his life around through prayer and God. But when his brother and other fighters at his gym try to coax him back into competitive MMA fighting, Logan must decide if his new life is worth fighting for or whether his old one should come first. Lelia Symington and Matt Leddo also co-star.
The Fight Within is an impressive mixed martial arts movie with a gripping narrative and some solid action sequences, yet it also boasts one of the more preachy films out there. However, unless you attend fundamentalist churches regularly and want an infusion of spiritual energy, then this might not be for you.
Unbroken
Unbroken is an inspiring tale about suffering and endurance on an epic scale, inspired by Laura Hillenbrand’s biography of Louis Zamperini, who won gold at the Berlin Olympic as a runner before going on to serve in World War II on an Australian life raft in the Pacific, then spending two years as a Japanese prisoner of war camp – all without succumbing to despair or death himself. This movie stands as a testament to the human spirit and heart.
The film is an enjoyable piece of entertainment, yet fails to explore the spiritual side of Zamperini’s life entirely. However, it does an admirable job of recreating his period, and the cast is outstanding – particularly Jack O’Connell as Louis. Additionally, its screenplay is engaging, using flashbacks effectively in order to show character arcs, but it could have been even greater had there been more time allotted to exploring all facets of Zamperini’s journey and life journey.
While the film does a decent job of depicting Louis’ natural grit and showing how much his mother and brother cherished him, it fails to capture fully why Louis managed to endure so much suffering. Additionally, its portrayal of his conversion to Christianity, as well as any attempts at moral reconciliation with his captors, are inadequately depicted.
Angelina Jolie’s skillful direction was not enough to overcome the limitations imposed by the two-and-a-half-hour format. While the book likely took several days to read, it would be impossible for the film version of Zamperini’s life to cover all aspects of his story in depth as its source material could. Instead, Jolie settled for producing a pedestrian, glorified biopic instead of realizing its potential.
The Fisherman
As its name implies, this film explores forgiveness. It tells the tale of a group of fishermen who face tragedy before finding their place again in society. It’s a stunning, moving film and worth seeing!
Though Fisherman’s Friends 2 does not possess the same feel-good factor as its predecessor, it still manages to provide enough charm to be enjoyable. Many elements that made its predecessor successful remain, including sea shanty music and likable characters; additionally, it includes unexpected twists like Jim’s confrontation with Abe.
Danny (Mays), on a stag weekend with some shallow London music PR professionals, is tricked into signing the Fisherman’s Friends band in Cornish town. Though initially disdainful of them due to their rural roots, Danny soon falls for single mum daughter Alwyn and makes it his mission to spread their music around.
Soon enough, this group finds themselves embroiled in a dramatic tale filled with cultural clashes and humiliations. When their record label asks them to change their names and drop accents for their new record deal, which they refuse to do, questions of authenticity begin arising as the dialogue and scenarios become more apparent.
Family Friendly While this film may contain some offensive language and scenes, it should still be family-friendly. Families can discuss how some characters behaved and what changes could have been made, as well as discuss how alcohol use impacts these characters’ actions; they could also discuss forgiveness as a tool to heal.
