I Am

As some one who does not go to or belong to a church I was mostly watching this movie as a movie and not for some kind of message confirmation. That said the movie is OK. There are no special effects, CG, nudity, graphic violence, satanic rituals, gore or glorification of illegal drugs. So anyone wanting a regular studio movie is bound to be disappointed.

That said the acting, camera work, soundtrack and script are a step above a made for TV or two steps above a S2V production, surprisingly good really. I admit my expectations were exceedingly low so any show of promise was rewarding. Was the acting high quality? No. Was it good quality? Yes. Better than most movies coming out these days really. The same could go for most of the rest. The soundtrack while I think nearly all Christian Rock (not really familiar) was actually very good and the producers should be commended for that.

As some have noted the movie is packed full of clichés. Not quite American Pie III clichés but the movie is based on the Ten Commandments and they have been around for a while so this should not come as a surprise to anyone. The Morgan Freeman cliché character was over the top disappointing in that he was such a direct theft that were movie a hit I would wonder about infringements.

I did find it disappointing that many people would likely find the characters not genuine. I tend to agree to a point. Not because such people do not exist but because they are so rare. It is difficult to find people anywhere who decide to turn their lives around in a meaningful way and take large apparently sincere steps to go about it. Having so many in one film is badly overdone. The movie would likely have been much more believable had some of the characters had more likely outcomes in their story lines.

All in all middle of the road movie with a few good points.

Having seen some really awful Christian films somehow along the way, I was extremely wary to even give this one a look, but got talked into it nevertheless, and was very surprised.

For once, a solid, interesting story that actually might appeal to someone outside of a church audience. As a matter of fact, it really strayed from the usual modus operandi of Christian films, which is to really push the bible rather than to just tell a story.

It seemed very mature in storytelling, as the plot lines were all different, but somehow intersected and worked with each-other and in the end, though all got resolved in a somewhat typical Hollywood fashion, the story itself kept me pretty involved and I found it to be, for the most part, compelling, which I can't say for any of the other Christian films I've seen.

The cinematography was done fairly well, and though the lighting did seem a little forced, the camera work was solid and the editing was cohesive and focused. The acting, for the most part, was natural, though some came off better than others.

All in all, this is not going to score anyone a whole lot of mainstream buzz or come out the other side with any real awards, but I found it to be, by far, the best of this genre I've seen, and I would recommend it as a rental for sure.

Released in 2010 and written/directed by John Ward, "I AM" is an inspirational drama centering around a several interconnecting people in the Los Angeles area who violate the Ten Commandments one way or another.

While "I AM" starts out convoluted and confusing with too many characters -- too many of them unlikable -- and not enough focus on any one of them, around the midway point I GOT it. I GOT what the writer/director was doing and my initial irritation morphed into respect. I was struck by the uniqueness of the film, particularly a movie with Christian themes. The quality actors, albeit no-name, pull off the difficult material, especially Tomas Boykin's monumentally challenging role as the titular character. Sure, the idea was taken from 2003's "Bruce Almighty," but that was a comedy. It's much harder to pull off such a role in a serious drama. In addition, the cinematography, editing, poignant script and choice songs on the soundtrack worked together to produce a unique and moving film with gems to mine on future viewings.

On that note, "I AM" ain't' just another Christian drama. The non-linear story is told in a gritty, kinetic manner and offers fascinating insights into the nature of God, dismantling the damaging stereotypes thereof. The conversations with the LORD you observe the characters participate in are obviously not literal, but they're well done and absolutely relatable to real life. We all have such "conversations," whether we are willing to admit it or not. These dialogues are more typically inward, where you converse with your higher nature -- your spirit, conscious or (as Freud called it) the super-ego. We either defend our negative, destructive thoughts & actions or we change for the positive in response to the voice of God via our spirit or conscience. Here's an example from my own life: Several years ago I was stuck in a dead-end job that I had for a dozen years and I'd walk down the halls hearing a 'voice' within telling me over and over: "You're wasting time!" I just KNEW I was supposed to get out and take a leap of faith in order to fulfill my true calling. So that's what I did and I've been exponentially blessed because of it, which is not to say that everything's been peaches 'n' cream; far from it, in fact.

When the movie came to the part about keeping the Sabbath I was expecting the writer to espouse the same old eye-rolling religious clichés, but I was pleasantly surprised that he got it right. Excellent job on this front.

Three of the standout songs on the aforementioned soundtrack are "I Am" by Jesica Specht and "Facedown" and "Save Yourself" by Sandfrog. Check 'em out on Youtube.

If you watched this movie and didn't like it I encourage you to give it another try.

The film runs 89 minutes and was shot in the Los Angeles area.

GRADE: B

To anyone saying that this movie is a "Christian advertisement"... it's a Christian movie. Don't you think there is going to be a glorification of God in this movie? Just a thought. I think this movie does an amazing job of capturing the story of Exodus through a modern lense in order to help the audience better understand scripture. Truly genius thought behind the writing of this movie. I think this movie could be very helpful to people who anre newer to faith or anre still trying to comprehend the Bible due to it's relatable setting for many people. Overall great film with amazing storytelling and message.

I AM is a movie that follows the Ten Commandments, one by one, in a non-linear storytelling like the movie "Crash" or something from Tarantino. Its cutting edge, cool, and plays before you like a puzzle keeping you from getting bored with the Commandments as they are subtly revealed through the plot.

If you're like me, you're tired of the sub-par standards in "Christian Film". In many ways, filmmakers have used the term as an excuse for a cheesy movie with a lame story, lack of artistry, and non-professional acting. I AM literally blows its predecessors away with a cool visual style (the opening scene is underwater!), a non-linear story, and a pure creativity.

I recommend it to anyone!