Showing Forgiveness (Christian Movie Review)

Show forgiveness is an honest, emotionally raw and challenging exploration of trauma and the spiritual freedom that can only be found on the other side of forgiveness.

About the film

“Some things cannot be worked out on a canvas.“For imperfect people living in a broken world, pain and suffering are an inevitable part of the human experience. Art may not heal all of our real-world hurts, but Show forgiveness shows the important role it can play in our journey to healing. This film offers an honest, emotionally raw and challenging exploration of trauma and the spiritual freedom that can only be found on the other side of forgiveness.

Show forgiveness is the directorial debut of American artist Titus Kaphar. It tells a semi-autobiographical story of his strained relationship with his father. The title of the film is apt as the film is presented to the audience with the same basic philosophy as an art exhibition. Kaphar paints a complicated story on the canvas and then invites the audience to ponder its meaning. Several clear themes emerge (namely forgiveness), but the film avoids didactic messages. What the audience “takes away” from the story may depend on how patiently and deeply they are willing to think about it.

The film is not only a very personal story, but also a deeply spiritual story. The film is “faith-based” in that God, the Bible and spirituality play a central role, but it has more poignancy – emotional honesty and harsher language – than many of the more “churchy” films in the genre. narrative, Show forgiveness has some similarities to the Kendrick Brothers’ latest film, The Blacksmiths. Both films explore the experiences of young black men as they struggle to overcome childhood trauma and forgive their fathers. But the films navigate this healing journey in completely different ways.

The Blacksmiths offers a direct and encouraging message: “Healing is just a short prayer away.” It emphasizes the freedom that comes from forgiveness, but largely glosses over the challenges that must be overcome along the way. Show forgiveness also affirms that forgiveness is the necessary path to spiritual healing, but paints a much more nuanced picture of this process. Even when forgiveness is offered, broken relationships are not easily repaired. Kaphar may not offer the immediate comfort that the Kendrick Brothers offer, but the film’s honest complexity offers a different kind of encouragement. We must forgive those who have hurt us, but this is rarely easy. If it were so, forgiveness would never be withheld.

The film’s rich themes are highlighted by a talented cast. Andra Day and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor both give stirring performances as the two most prominent women in history, but the heart of the film is the relationship dynamic between father and son. André Holland excels in the central role of Tarrell (the narrative portrayal of Titus Kaphar himself), delivering a nuanced performance that captures the emotional struggle within him between the love and joy he feels for his wife and child and the repressed fear and brokenness raging caused by his relationship with his father. John Earl Jelks is also great as the estranged father, a broken man transformed by Jesus.

Show forgiveness is a meaningful, but not necessarily “entertaining” film. The story struggles with pacing at times, and there is little levity to lighten the weighty story. It seems like the filmmaker is using the film primarily to address deeply personal issues rather than to entertain the audience. It lacks an audience-friendly resolution or ease of application, eschewing glossy Hollywoodization in favor of a story that’s more authentic than many films are willing to tell.

In total, Show forgiveness is an interesting film that has something meaningful to say. At one point, an overwhelmed character exclaims, “Relationships are hard. That’s them hard.” Life can be difficult, and Show forgiveness does not sugarcoat this reality. But it also doesn’t shy away from pointing out the light at the end of the tunnel to the viewer. Yes, forgiveness is hard. But there is freedom in forgiving others as God has forgiven us. Titus Kaphar may bring his own journey to the canvas, but like all great art, the end result reflects universal human truths that resonate in personal ways with each viewer.

On the surface

For consideration

Beneath the surface

Engage the film

Why we forgive

*Spoilers below*

Tarrell is tormented by his past, haunted by frequent nightmares, and filled with anger toward his father. He does not believe that his father deserves forgiveness, and he does not realize that he has become the victim of his own unforgiveness. His bitterness tears him apart and damages his relationships with his wife and child.

His mother encourages him: “The Bible says: If you do not forgive others for their past sins, you cannot be forgiven either. That’s the Bible, son.” He replies, “I don’t care what the Bible says. I want to know what You “From a purely human perspective, forgiveness makes no sense. It is undeserved and Tarrell has a hard time understanding how his mother continues to love and forgive his father despite how he has treated her.

Finally his father tells him: “It is not good to live with all this inside you. You have to forgive so God can take that away. You have to pray.” Tarrell finally understands why his mother could forgive when he couldn’t: “I think I understand it now. It wasn’t about you… I have to move on…. I forgive you for what you did to me. But I’ll never forget what you did to my mom.”

Biblically, we are to forgive because we have been forgiven (Ephesians 4:32). We cannot undo the past. Tarrell makes it clear that he is not ready for a relationship with his father: “The future belongs [my family] …. You accepted the past and I forgave you…. But the future is mine.”

Yet we can be freed from the bitterness of unforgiveness. At the end of the film, Tarrell tells his father, “Don’t stop praying for me.” Forgiveness is a difficult journey, but by the end of the film he has taken the first important step.