‘Breakthrough’: Movie review

Breakthrough, a new Christian movie on the circuit, is a testimony to what God does when we stand firm on His Word.

It tells the story of a mother’s deep love her son and how, when tragedy struck, she stood firm on God’s promise that He had a purpose for her son’s life, even when doctors declared him dead.

What makes the movie powerful is that it is a true testimony about overcoming adversity and then surrendering to God the things we can’t control.

It leads the audience through a serious of events that took place in Missouri in 2015 in a small town where the drowning of a teenager, John Smith, united the town in prayer.

First Responders retrieved his lifeless body and transported him to nearby St Joseph Hospital West where CPR was performed for an additional 43 minutes to no avail.

They were about ready to declare him dead when his mother, Joyce Smith arrived. The doctors gave her time alone with John to say goodbye. They heard her cry, but then the unthinkable happened. She started to pray earnestly and John’s heart started beating!

The series of events unfolding after that is heart-wrenching, as the audience is confronted with those hard questions devout Christians ask when their faith is put to the test.

The movie delves deep into these issues by simply showing Joyce’s journey of faith. The tragic event became more than a story, it lit a fire within the town’s people and gave them an opportunity to unite in prayer and support the family through the hardest time of their life.

This movie will be a treat for any mother or someone who has lost hope. It shows us that God has a purpose with every trial in our lives; we just have to surrender to his will.

Joyce’s determination to believe in God for a miracle, even knowing that what she is asking from Him was scientifically impossible, is truly inspiring and challenges us to evaluate the level of faith we have in God’s promises.

The movie was adapted for the screen by writer Grant Nieporte who is known for creating the screenplay of Seven Pounds. He used Joyce’s own book Breakthrough, to adapt the story for the big screen.

Devon Franklin, who also produced Miracles from Heaven, took on the task of producing the movie. Roxann Dawson is the director while Christy Metz, from This is Us, plays Joyce. Her performance is so heartfelt; one cannot resist being swept away by what Joyce must have felt during this time.

Breakthrough tells the story of a modern day miracle, but is also a portrait of what true faith and love of a mother looks like.

The movie is being screened at the following cinemas:

Ster Kinekor
Blue Route
Brooklyn Commercial
Cradlestone Mall
Cresta Mall
Eastgate Mall
Irene Mall
Kolonnade
Maerua Park Mall
Mall at Carnival
Somerset Mall
Tyger Valley Shopping Centre
Sam Levy Hararee)

Numetro
Canal Walk
Clearwater Mall
Menlyn Park
Mountain Mill
Parkview Mall
Pavilion

Indie sites
New Capitol Riverwalk