Saving Faith (2017)

★ 3.0 1h 45m IMDb

After years of struggle to keep the doors of the Ritz Theater open, Faith Scott and her Uncle Donny look to put together a big Christmas show as a last effort to keep the theater alive...in June.

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Cast

Victoria Jackson as Victoria Age 66 · Miami, Florida, USA Victoria Jackson (born August 2, 1959) is an American comedian, actress, and singer best known as a cast member of the NBC television sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live (SNL) from 1986 to 1992....

Jenn Gotzon Chandler as Faith Scott Age 46 · Northampton, Pennsylvania, USA Career break playing Pres. Nixon's daughter Tricia in 5-time Oscar Nominated "Frost/Nixon" launched Gotzon starring in many family films on Amazon winning awards for Doonby, God's Country, The Sacred...

Amy Grant as Amy Age 65 · Augusta, Georgia, United States Amy Lee Grant is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, media personality and actress. She is known for performing contemporary Christian music and for a successful crossover to pop music in...

Vince Gill as Vince Age 69 · Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA Vince Gill was born on April 12, 1957 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA. He is a music artist and actor, known for Maverick (1994), For Love of the Game (1999) and Borat (2006)..

Jim E. Chandler as Frank Hendell Age 46 · New York City, New York Jim is an American actor with a commanding screen and stage presence. His 6'3" frame contributes to him landing roles of an authoritative nature. Jim and his wife, Jenn Gotzon Chandler, have starred i...

Director Chip Rossetti

Cast Victoria Jackson, Jenn Gotzon Chandler, Amy Grant, Vince Gill, Jim E. Chandler, Jay DeMarcus, Michael W. Smith, Henry Cho, Doris Collier, Scott Hamilton

Wuchak 6/10 Nov 15, 2022

**_Likable micro-budget faith flick revolving around a theater in Tennessee_**

The manager of a struggling theater in a small Appalachian town (Jenn Gotzon) tries to keep it open despite the schemes of a venal businessman (Carey Jones). Her uncle (Donny Richmond) uses his secret celebrity contacts to get Vince Gill & Amy Grant to perform for a special Summer Christmas show while a friend of the family feebly romances her (Jim E. Chandler). Meanwhile a wannabe comedian helps with the preparations (Henry Cho).

“Saving Faith” (2017) is a small town drama that obviously didn’t cost much, but has a big heart if you give it a chance. While there are faith-based bits, they’re so low-key and natural I don’t see it sending non-Christians running away screaming, although the micro-budget acting might.

In short, if you can’t stomach really low-budget Independent flicks, don’t bother. However, if you appreciate them and don’t mind some Christian elements, “Saving Faith” is amiable and encouraging, carried by winsome Jenn Gotzon. She’s such an all-around beautiful woman and married costar, Jim E. Chandler (Frank), after shooting.

All five of the main characters (listed above) do a fine job, considering the budget constraints; it’s mostly when they interact with peripheral non-actors that it seems like the cast just learned their lines 10 minutes earlier. But perfecting dialogue and making it seem natural takes time and time means money in filmmaking, which this production didn’t have.

There are currently two reviews on IMDb with one giving it 10/10 and the other 1/10. This shows that you can go to one extreme or the other in appraising it. I’m somewhere in the middle. I recognize the flick’s glaring limitations, but I enjoyed it nevertheless. I love the people and love the message(s).

Vince Gill, Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith have brief cameos.

The movie runs 1 hour, 43 minutes, and was shot in Clinton, Tennessee, which is located a dozen miles northwest of Knoxville in the eastern part of the state.

GRADE: C+/B-