"...a twist on the prodigal son story. It follows a wayward pastor's daughter, Jesse Brown, as she returns from a life as an exotic dancer to make amends with her family and teen son and eventually lead her father's parish, becoming Pastor Brown."
The indie-film is being produced by Rock Capital Films, produced, directed and staring Rockmond Dunbar (pictured left, of Prison Break, Dirty Laundry). It is also being produced by Shaun Livingston of the LA Clippers and former NBA player Charles Oakley.
The role of Pastor/Exotic Dancer Jesse Brown will be played by Salli Richardson Whitfield (pictured left, her biggest credit yet, I Am Legend).
The film will also feature appearances by R& B singers Monica, Angie Stone and India.Arie, as well as Olympic track star Carl Lewis.
Rockmond Dunbar will play the part of Amir, the Muslim love interest.
I have three different knee jerk reactions to this project, I encourage you to share yours...
(1) This movie sounds like it definitely has rooms for a very fluffy bunny, feel good, pluralistic religious perspective: "Sure you were an exotic dancer, but that was just a season, and now you want to change. Sure you have a Muslim love interest, it's not a big deal, whatever works for you, God understands and love you and is ultimately concerned with your happiness, blah, blah, blah."
(2) Or maybe this movie has a positive message about God's grace, mercy, and unfailing love. Maybe there is true life change and "Pastor Brown" stands up on her new found convictions and experiences the true life transforming forgiveness of Christ?
(3) Or maybe this movies going to be lame and it really doesn't matter what the message is because no one's going to see it.
What are your knee-jerk Pastor Brown thoughts?
8 comments:
Knee-jerk reaction: chance to show a lot of sleazy stripper shots to bring in the audience.
She couldn't have been a CEO of some oppressive, unaccountable corporation? No, she has to be a stripper. Pffft.
a bunch of college kids will go and a bunch of underage kids will sneak in to see the nudity. That's the only draw.
Otherwise...tank.
I think they'll miss the point of the prodigal story, but then a lot of folks do.
My knee-jerk reaction: is Carl Lewis going to sing
? Oh please, oh please, oh please let him sing.
Knee jerk reaction is that this won't include the gospel at all. Like that movie about CS Lewis that showed him losing faith, but never really gaining it back again.
I'm involved in a ministry toward exotic dancers in my community, so my knee-jerk reaction is to be interested in this because I'd love for any of the women I know to be transformed by Christ and become ministers themselves. But with the Muslim love interest, either they're going to take a fluffy pluralistic approach, or she'll be dramatically forced to choose between her love and her faith, and make the hard choice to stick with her faith.
I didn't think about their being nudity in this film, but that is a possibility. It's likely that her "redemption" in becoming a pastor will center around her helping the community, ala Sister Act, and have very little to do with a relationship with Christ.
no nudity. i really doubt it. just some pg-13 scenes though, i'll bet.
but other knee-jerk reaction:
i already saw this crappy adaptation of the prodigal son story. it was called "The Gospel" last time, but it was about a pop singer.
it. was. wretched.
Not a knee jerk reaction, but a reaction from actually seeing the movie.
I attended a screening a couple of days ago here in Denver and all i can say is that it was very well done.
For my taste it is one of the best that i've seen in this genre.
Kudos to the writer/producer/director and all of the actors involved.
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