RECONCILIATION

RECONCILIATION has a worthwhile Christian purpose but does not fully overcome its slow opening. The story centers on forgiveness, reconciliation, prayer, Bible reading, and God’s love for people who sin and hurt themselves or others. Jack Maxwell gives an amazing performance as a father living with regret, and the emotional encounter between Grant and his father is moving once it begins.

The film also asks you to spend much of its running time with a divisive subject. Homosexuality is discussed throughout, and the filmmakers repeatedly describe it as sin without condoning it. That approach may open useful conversations, but it can also make the experience difficult for some viewers.

You may find more value in discussing this drama at home than in seeking it out as a family event. Wait for home, especially if you want time for thoughtful conversation afterward.

Grant has spent more than twenty years estranged from his father, who came out when Grant was ten. Grant changed his last name and told people his father was dead.

Now Grant is about to become a father himself. When he learns that his father is terminally ill in a hospice and asking for him, his wife encourages him to go. Grant must face the relationship he buried and begin a long road toward reconciliation.

Two stars means this is a limited but worthwhile drama. The first third is slow, yet the film becomes an emotional and moving encounter after Grant meets his father. Jack Maxwell gives an amazing performance as a man living with regret.

The movie’s strongest qualities are its emotional focus and its willingness to explore difficult questions about forgiveness, faith, and family. Its deliberate opening keeps it from being consistently engaging.

RECONCILIATION presents a very strong Christian and biblical worldview centered on forgiveness, reconciliation, and God’s love. Grant must learn that God loves everyone, even when they sin and hurt themselves and others. The film includes frequent discussion of God, prayer, Bible reading, and homosexuality.

The filmmakers do not condone homosexuality and repeatedly describe it as sin. At the same time, the story pursues a healed relationship in the context of a divisive issue. The hospice chaplain’s story includes an encounter with Jesus and a departure from a homosexual lifestyle. The film’s central movement is toward forgiveness and reconciliation rather than continued bitterness and unforgiveness.

The film’s longing for restored relationship points toward the Christian truth that God’s love reaches sinners. “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

RECONCILIATION is slow to begin but becomes a moving drama about forgiveness, faith, and restored relationship. Its difficult subject matter makes thoughtful conversation important. For most families, WAIT FOR HOME is the wiser choice.