God's Country

I'll say this for God's Country, it takes a certain amount of chutzpah to make as blatant an anti-feminist film as this one in this day and age. But I get the feeling that Jenn Gotzon wouldn't mind having our current president in the White House if it was for a good cause like spreading the faith.

When we first meet Gotzon she's a hard driving banking and real estate executive who has an assignment from boss Daniel Hugh-Kelly. Get Michael Toland off a piece of property he owns and owes on so that the brothers Yakamoto brothers can build a casino. Who needs the Christian camp that Toland has there now.

I hope a lot of you recognize the plot of You Can't Take It With You because if you've seen the Kaufman&Hart classic than you know exactly how it goes. Her business and banking skills will now go to work for the Lord and she's got a man now in Toland's son Gib Gerard which is as things should be.

Actually in real life how this would have gone is this property would be owned by one of those televangelists and if it needed to be moved his facility would be so moved with a sweet offer that would leave all parties satisfied.

Kaufman&Hart would have much to say here and would say it with far more wit than this film has.

Apart from reasonable PD, this movie has a ridiculous plot.., and Meghan's representation of the character fails on every count to portray a business-like reality. Likewise the camp leader comes off more like a kidnapper than a Christian.

Overall, it's uncomfortable to watch.

While a lot of faith-based films are truly cringe-worthy to watch, Director Chris Armstrong has done an amazing job elevating this film far above its budget and source material. The direction, editing, sound and cinematography are all exceptional. Strong performances all around from the excellent ensemble cast but it is Jenn Gotzen who shines as Meghan Doherty, an ambitious real estate executive sent to oversee the foreclosure of "God's Country." She arrives at the Christian retreat, tucked away in the Mohave Desert, with the intent to seal the deal and move on but the owner refuses to sign her offer sheet until she has experienced life on the retreat. What follows is a great, fun fish-out-of-water story the entire family can enjoy as Meghan Doherty tries to navigate her way through six days in God's Country. A well-crafted movie that is fun to watch.

This family friendly film was a delight. It kept my interest all the way through. It has a good blend of humor and message. The desert was as much a part of the movie as the actors. Jenn Gotzon did a great job portraying an ambitious, money and power hungry broker. The directing by Chris Armstrong was excellent. He was able to take a predictable story and turn it into something that captures your interest throughout the entire movie. He expertly guided the filmography. The scenes of the desert become an integral part of the story. I thoroughly enjoyed watching this film. I would highly recommend this movie for a family movie night.

Looking for an uplifting, family-friendly film with a great lesson we can all learn from? Then look no further than God's Country! Director, Chris Armstrong, has truly "Hit it out of the Park" in his film directorial debut here! Chris' eye for capturing true emotion within any given moment is incredible! The locations and cinematography are just amazing and just plain beautiful to look at and enjoy! The entire cast featured are very talented and engaging throughout. Truly, the standout performance for me and our family, was by Jenn Gotzon! She has a strong, incredibly natural and relatable delivery throughout! It is very emotionally rewarding to see her character transition from being a highly self-focused woman to one who then finds the greatest value in putting other's needs before her own. God's Country is a breath of fresh air, reminding us that independent Christian films can be made with superior excellence and they certainly have incredibly inspiring stories to tell. God's Country is a must see film and one that every person should definitely have as a integral part of their personal family collection!