My Son

Restin Burk and Kate Randall have a real problem. They've lost custody of her son, Burk is not the father but he treats the kid as if he was his own. These two are barely getting by and probably the best thing for the kid is to stay with her parents until they can get on their feet. Burk doesn't want to hear that. Nor does he want Randall out getting five finger discounts to get by.

So what do they do? One Sunday when mom and dad and Randall's sister take the kid to church and she stays with him at their day care center and Burk, Randall, and Burk's not too tightly wrapped friend Michael Wilbanks come in to claim the kid. Only Wilbanks has brought himself along an automatic rifle, the kind the NRA says that folks like him really shouldn't be prevented from having and shoots a few people, robs the church and holds a lot of hostages. One of the dead is the county sheriff.

I think the chance of custody is really gone if it ever existed. But the chance to set folks on the right path is demonstrated in this amateur production made by a local Baptist Church and shot in Texas.

The cast is admittedly amateurs and it shows. The direction is non existent and the message is somewhat suspect. Getting saved might help your soul, but being part of a killing of a sheriff in Texas will not help you on this mortal coil.

Above all the story line itself makes no sense.

I wouldn't even show this in church audiences.

My Son is a film that is part of a growing number of faith based movies that have begun to flood the market. Some of these films are very strong in their messages yet lack the quality of a cinematic masterpiece. Jarod O'Flaherty's film comes pretty close and definitely is worth taking a look at despite it's "R" rating from the MPAA.

My Son is a story about a family that was torn apart when a court ordered their son to be taken away. Devastated by the decision, Cadon, the boy's father, takes drastic measures to reunite the family that he cherished dearly.

As part of the growing movement of Christian films, My Son stands out due to it's realistic feel and grittiness that brings modern interpretations to life. Although it still contains many teachings of the Christian faith, it does not paint them in a pretty picture that is easily spoon-fed to audiences. You will experience the hurtful emotions, drug use, and violence that encapsulates this family and their world. It is not "perfect" as most films seem to be and the light at the end of the tunnel is not so easily obtained. The cinematography is raw; although filmed with a skilled hand, there are places where certain effects like the shaky hand camera, work for this film. The acting is above average for films of this genre; Restin Burke reminds me of a young Casper Van Dien (Starship Troopers). There is a considerable amount of action in this film and nothing is left to chance. Even the antagonist played by Micheal Willbanks added to the chemistry of this not so ordinary film.

One of the great things about this film is that it tries to look like a mainstream action film and you would believe that this would be shown in indie theaters. Also the R rating is not deserved compared to such films as Passion of the Christ, My Son does not achieve such horrific violence or shock value. My Son is a movie worth watching from this independent production company.