REVIEW: "Take"

As I sat in Charles Oliver's "Take" on Friday night, one thought continued to run through my mind: "This is the type of movie Church members should be making." The script never mentioned the LDS Church and the characters were obviously not LDS but seldom have I seen a greater representation of true doctrine on the big screen. I was perhaps more deeply touched and more spiritually strengthened by this film than by "Legacy," "The Testaments," or many other church-produced films. Audience members may have been uncomfortable with the violence, gore, language, or subject matter in the film (I wasn't) but there is no denying that this was a powerful film.
The subject matter largely centered on the healing power of the Atonement as Minnie Driver's character travelled to see the execution of Jeremy Renner's character, the man who had been responsible for the death of her son. The film comments on the importance of "walking a mile in someone's shoes" in order to understand those around you. The climactic scene near the end placed the grieving mother and the hopeless criminal together in a room and, in an extremely powerful moment, showed the change that occurred in both as the mother finally decides to forgive.
While not overtly so, the film is deeply religious in nature. I really cannot say enough about how deeply the narrative affected me (and those with whom I watched the film). I was blown away by the scenes with the preacher when difficult theological questions were addressed. I was breathless as the tragic fates of the central characters was made clear. Tears came to my eyes when the two finally met. And I sat in awe at then end of the film as the convict's conversion was depicted.
The movie dealt with real life issues but the content was tastefully tame. Without making it feel watered down the film was clearly appropriate for LDS audiences of all walk of life (with the exception of small children). This is a film I believe everyone should see. It's a testimony of the power of conversion and the all-encompassing effects of the atonement. Not only is this film far and away better than anything I expected to see at the LDS Film Festival but it is one of the best films I have seen for a long time. I would recommend this film without reservation to anyone.