Free in Deed

Very intriguing story that shows story telling in its greatest form. The actress Edwina Findley was dynamic in every emotional range shared in this film. The true story shared on filmed made me want to go and read a book if one is available. The actor David Harewood was able to really capture the role he was in. The Drama was so intense that I was glued to the screen to see what will happen next. I totally see why this project won "Best Film" at the Venice Film Review in 2015. I believe that anytime faith on the big screen can be displayed with so may ranges is amazing. You cry, you laugh, you wonder and then you say WOW!! so hats off to Jake Mahaffy and thanks for using Memphis to share your vision of this TRUE STORY.

Free in Deed was well-received at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, TX. It is a powerful haunting film that deserves to be widely seen. Fascinatingly, many of the scenes that were shot in Pentecostal churches in Memphis use real life people rather than professional actors to show the nature of religious devotion. In that sense the film is in some ways partially a documentary as well as a scripted feature film. The tale – loosely based on real events - shows a mother's desperate efforts to find help for her sick child who is clearly suffering from some of severe psychological disorder. She takes him to a young well-intentioned faith healer who attempts to exorcise the demons within him. While the film can be viewed as critical of the reliance on what most rational people would call the use of faith to cure medical problems, I saw it as just critical of the doctors and the health care system that failed to provide any serious health care options to a family with few resources. That failure left them to turn to desperate means. The acting by the two leads, David Harewood and Edwina Findley, is excellent. The story is haunting and disturbing. We have come to associate faith healers with charlatans. These individuals in this film may be misguided, but they are sincere in their efforts. They deeply believe and they turn to God when all other means have failed to help a disturbed child. This disturbing film draws the viewer in. I did find some of the faith healing scenes a bit repetitive and felt it could have used some more editing. Well worth seeing for those interested in nexus of faith and modernity.

Mental illness is a far cry from being demon possessed. Both are very real and frightening. This movie depicts the way man thinks Jesus healed and is a far cry from the truth.

Don't know why we think being over emotional will work any better, than just saying the words Jesus said, without "theatrics." Truthfully movies like this just give Jesus a bad name because this is not how He acted or healed people. Watch the series "The Chosen," if you want to see a more accurate depiction.