The Heart of Man

This is a movie that takes a hard and honest look at the roots of shame. It examines why so many feel unworthy to be loved and why these feelings create destructive behaviors. It addresses how many use pornography as an extension of their imagination in an attempt to find fulfillment - with interviews of top thought-leaders, William Paul Young ("The Shack"), Dr. Dan Allender (Professor of Counseling Psychology), John Lynch (co-author, "The Cure) and Jackie Hill Perry (spoken word artist), on brokenness, identity and shame. It's a movie about unfailing love and hope.

It features a small part from Serena Karnagy (from the Hawaii Five-O series) and it has an amazing music score and cinematography. It's uniquely done and admirably so, as the retelling of the ancient prodigal son story is intertwined with real life testimonies.

This movie is a piece of art. I have every intention of watching it several more times. There's a lot to take in - a lot to chew on. It moves you. It's about our human nature and it's a confirmation of a spiritual journey that we are all on - one that ultimately yields great reward.

"Shame hates it when we reach out and tell our story. It hates having words wrapped around it - it can't survive being shared. Shame loves secrecy. When we bury our story, the shame metastasizes." - Brené Brown

This movie couldn't have come along at a better time for me. I just started going to church a few months ago, after avoiding it my entire adult life, but I was struggling to find what I was looking for. I was getting discouraged because I wasn't "feeling" it but I desperately want to have a relationship with God before it's too late. I'm 57 and I've made a LOT of mistakes in my life so I need a lot of forgiveness and reassurance. After watching this movie, I have a whole new outlook on my life and my faith. I'm excited and relieved to know that I am worthy of forgiveness. I'm actually looking forward to going to church this week! Thank you for making this amazing movie. I appreciate it more than I can say.

This film has been masterfully produced and of all the films I saw in 2018 it was the most impactful on me personally. One I will watch again. this is a christian movie without the cringe factor that to often is apart of such films. you know what I mean! one thing i would say is be prepared to reevaluate where your view of yourself and where your view of God as Father has come from. This film has truly honoured the spirit of Elijah.

One thing, I would have not have added was the fireside chat after the film. It was ok, but I found it better to just sit with the gravity of what I just saw without it being explained to me.

At first I went into this thinking, "another Christian movie.. sure sure".

Then, I relaxed a bit, started to listen to the testimony, the stories, and realized, this was about so much more that the prodigal son, and Gods unconditional love. It was about men/women/people being able to testify to their pain, the suffering that the have been through, the scars and wounds that they carry. It's about knowing it has impact, and doesn't go away when you buy a shiny car, new house, or find "love" in all the wrong place. It's that real acceptance to your pain, and wounds, and being open and real in the love that God has for you. It's admitting brokenness, and trauma... and letting the Father be there for you.

I was really hit by the strength and courage that each person had in confessing, giving testimony to the world the sin and shame they carried, and realized, if we could all do better in this, what a different place we could live in. Shame is a weight so great, it crushes you through your whole life, and must be shed to live free, and in Gods love.

Seconds of sin, lead to a lifetime of Shame... Give this video a chance, take from it what you will, but I feel it is well worth the watch, and discussion. I am 100% confident you have spent 120 min watching something that has no value and were ok with that. :)

How can I describe a movie that is incredibly visually stimulating when using mere words to describe it? But I will try... The mix of the dramatic presentation juxtaposed by the raw and honest interviews made this rendition of the parable of the prodigal son come alive! The acting was superb and the cinematography was was done with such excellence that if there were no words, you would get the idea clearly by watching all the breathtaking scenes. I went with 5 friends, 3 men and 3 women total. Each of us was moved by the story and felt it applied quite personally to each of us in different ways. It was a story that spoke of tragic results of good desires gone wild. It was a story of our struggle to set ourselves free from the bondage of guilt and shame. It was a story of the heart of our Father, God, and His desire for our best, even when we are at our worst. "Intense" is too light a word to describe the weight of this theme. It is a universal human theme...to desire something more than God Himself. "Prone to wander" could have been the theme song. But it doesn't end there, thankfully. Restoration is the longing of our God for each of us and the transformation that occurs when we begin to understand who we are and Whose we are brings us closer to His heart. His love heals and restores, and as the movie sweetly depicts, brings us back into harmony with our God. I would strongly recommend this movie to men and women of all ages because it speaks to male issues and female issues of lust and desire in ALL aspects of life (not only sexual). Also, there is a discussion at the end of the movie that will help the viewer to understand some of the symbolism and the heart of the director. Some of the characters are part of the discussion as well as some of those being interviewed. This important time wrapped up the theme and intent of the movie nicely, and it was well worth the extra time spent at the end. This flick was done with as much excellence (if not more) than any Hollywood made movie I have ever seen. Ask your local theaters to show it again! When it comes out on DVD, I will be sure to own it and share it with as many as I can!