EXHIBIT FORGIVENESS – Movie Guide | Movie Reviews for Families | EXHIBIT FORGIVENESS – Movie Guide

EXHIBITING FORGIVENESS is a heartfelt, poignant story. Tarrell is a successful black painter. Despite growing up with an abusive, drug-addicted father, Tarrell is a loving husband and father. But his childhood trauma haunts him. So he incorporates his experiences into his art. This provides for his family in a way he never thought possible. His mother is now a strong Christian. She encourages Tarrell to pray and look to the Bible. Suddenly his estranged father shows up, claiming a newfound faith and desperately seeking reconciliation. Tarrell has a hard time forgiving his father. Despite his mother’s pleas, his fights begin to break out.

EXHIBITING FORGIVENESS is a beautiful, artfully told story about the struggles of past trauma, forgiveness, family, fatherhood and faith. It has a strong Christian, biblical worldview, but doesn’t shy away from depicting Tarell’s efforts to forgive his father. The abuse Tarrell endured at the hands of his father is raw and authentic, but not graphic or exaggerated. The film explores these themes in a compassionate way. However, EXHIBITING FORGIVENESS contains a lot of strong swear words and references to drug abuse. MOVIEGUIDE® therefore advises extreme caution.

(CC, BB, H, Ab, LLL, VV, AA, DD, M):

Dominant worldview and other content/elements of the worldview:

A strong Christian, biblical, and moral worldview emphasizes the importance of a good father and the power of forgiveness. The film also contains many Christian elements such as Bibles and prayers, as well as many conversations about Christian ideas such as grace and God’s goodness (although not). each character affirms the truths of Scripture, they are discussed openly and honestly), but the man resists the Christian faith of his holy mother and the examples of his worried father’s new Christian faith, but gives in somewhat towards the end;

swear words:

Heavy profanity in some scenes, including a robbery scene with over five “f” words (there are 20 “f” words total), several “s” words, several GD curse words, five OMG curse words, and a character who urges Another option is not to blaspheme the name of God. Additionally, the “n” word is used multiple times due to the cultural context of the film.

Force:

A man robs a liquor store but is knocked unconscious by a baseball bat, a man injures the store owner, kicks a customer and breaks his ribs, a boy steps on a nail, the boy later takes off his socks and shoes and reveals that he pierces his foot (some blood is seen), there are several scenes in the hospital, a woman dies of high blood pressure, and some flashbacks depict physical and verbal domestic abuse;

Sex:

No sex;

Nudity:

No nudity; Alcohol Abuse/Abuse: There is talk of alcohol abuse, but nothing is depicted, and several characters drink at an art exhibition;

Smoking and/or drug use and abuse:

Some smoke cigarettes and the man’s father is addicted to drugs, particularly crack cocaine. While he is largely in recovery in the film, there are a few scenes where he buys the drugs and abuses his family while under the influence, and there are many conversations about his drug abuse; And,

Other immorality:

The boy and his mother argue about grace and the Bible. There is a brief heated discussion and misinterpretation of the story in which Abraham sacrificed his son out of obedience to God.

EXHIBITING FORGIVENESS is a new feature-length drama from debut director Titus Kaphar, an acclaimed painter and sculptor who has directed two short documentaries and a TV episode.

The film begins with Tarrell, a successful painter, waking up violently after childhood post-traumatic stress disorder causes him to have a panic attack. His outlet is his family, which includes his wife Aisha and their son Jermaine, as well as his artwork, through which he expresses his thoughts about his traumatic past.

Despite his past, Tarrell has built a great life for his family and sold his artwork for a lot of money. However, Tarrell is torn and struggles with the idea that other people might buy artwork that stems from the abuse he suffered as a child from his drug-addict father.

The film then introduces viewers to the current state of Tarrell’s father, La’Ron, as he struggles with drugs. Although La’Ron struggles with addiction and homelessness, his brother takes him in one night. Apparently this isn’t the first time La’Ron has relapsed.

Tarrell and his family agree to help move out his mother, Joyce, who is struggling with her health. Unbeknownst to Tarrell, his estranged father shows up at his mother’s house. Tarrell lashes out angrily.

Despite his mother’s pleas to reconcile the two men, Tarrell isn’t ready yet. However, as Tarrell continues to talk to his mother, reflect on his past, and come to terms with his father, he embarks on the long, difficult path to forgiveness.

Despite what the title suggests, EXHIBITING FORGIVENESS is a master class in subtle, fast-paced storytelling that shows rather than tells how Tarrell struggles to forgive his father. This reflects the art that Tarrell makes and is a refreshing form of storytelling that draws the viewer into Tarrell’s life in a very powerful way.

The acting is excellent, particularly from André Holland, John Earle Jelks and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as Tarrell, Tarrell’s father and Tarrell’s mother, respectively. The dynamic between these three characters is fascinating, and their interactions reveal more about each character’s attitude toward forgiveness, fatherhood, marriage, family, and hardship. EXHIBITING FORGIVENESS doesn’t shy away from showing Tarrell’s struggle for forgiveness. Additionally, many scenes show the severe abuse he suffered at the hands of his father.

In contrast to Tarrell, his mother, Joyce, is a Bible-reading, praying woman who quickly forgives her husband and encourages Tarrell to do the same. Both Joyce and her son, who passionately distances himself from her mother’s faith, are portrayed by the director in an honest and fair manner, which serves the story well.

Ultimately, EXHIBITING FORGIVENESS is a subtle but powerful and ultimately positive depiction of forgiveness. It also honestly shows the reality that forgiveness is not always easy.

As such, it has a strong Christian, biblical worldview that emphasizes the importance of a good father and the power of forgiveness. EXHIBITING FORGIVENESS also contains many Christian elements such as Bibles, prayers and many conversations about Christian ideas such as grace and God’s goodness. [SPOILER ALERT] Although the son finds it difficult to accept his mother’s Christian faith and his father’s newfound faith, he does begin to give in by the end of the film.

EXHIBITING FORGIVENESS is a beautiful, artfully told story about the struggle for past trauma, forgiveness, family, fatherhood and perseverance. However, it contains just over 25 strong profanities and profanities, as well as references to drug abuse. MOVIEGUIDE® therefore advises extreme caution.