Where Hope Grows

Christian cinephiles have long skirted the admonishment of Philippians 4:8 (to focus on matters virtuous and beautiful) in order to engage movies that are challenging and entertaining, but not necessarily wholesome.

Perhaps these acolytes no longer have to resign themselves to watching Netflix dreck or classics 60 years stale. Maybe “Christian” movies are finally ready to shine.

Where Hope Grows is the story of Calvin, an ex-Detroit Tiger languishing in a stupor of unemployment, alcoholism, and lassitude. His disaffected 17-year-old daughter Katie (convincingly played by McKaley Miller) devotes her attention to a lout with a Jeep, named Colt, who is determined to wrest away her virginity. Calvin, oblivious to his daughter’s needs, is frightened by an offer to manage a minor league baseball club; he could fail again, just as he did in the majors.

He meets a supermarket employee nicknamed Produce who has Down syndrome but is the happiest guy around. We discover he’s also a Christian, with important lessons to impart about striving for excellence and protecting Katie. The purpose of other, seemingly extraneous, characters becomes clear as the tension ramps up near the film’s climax. This story is gripping and should be commended for its unflinching portrayal of liquor as a community’s relentless scourge, the ruin of all.

But it’s also laugh-out-loud funny, heartwarming, and a little surprising, especially when the characters behave in ways we don’t expect. The film (rated PG-13) is bracing for its frank dialogue, and the shocking talk demonstrates Colt’s brutal objectification of women and Katie’s cold disillusionment. But as a bonus it sounds real—as real as teenagers can talk without veering into obscenity. Indeed, while low-budget films invariably have to make compromises, the script is still paramount. The script is the one element that doesn’t require money—just talent, dedication, and time.

Where Hope Grows brings truth to bear in subtle ways.