Echoes of Innocence

I came to this movie wanting to watch how young people today approach love and its meaning within the context of their preset religious and contextual environment but after watching the first 30 minutes realised that what I was actually watching was more akin to a public health announcement then a study of true love and its meaning to the youth of today.

The religious symbolism did not add to the movies message, if anything detracted from it, its constant moral pandering to the conservative "no sex before marriage" lobby skewed what could have been an insightful view into the life of a teenage women, torn between her ideals of true love and the real world.

For the most part this movie just did not chime with the reality of what its like to be a teenager or young person in our society today. Even though set in a modern high school the "kids" just did not seem to act as they do normally, rather it felt like we were in a time warp or alternate reality of how teens would act in the 1940's or 50's a very rigid, almost unreal feel to the action. Perhaps what annoyed me most about this movie was the cruel way in which it extolled its holier than thou attitude commending those enlightened enough to still be virgins while casting a dark devilish light upon those who lead a different perhaps less virtuous young persons life.

Perhaps to be fair I should add that the acting was above par for the main actors, however given the script and the heavy bias towards religious overtones without a smidgen of reality really just meant that it was an amazing achievement I actually sat through the entire movie instead of switching off and going to sleep.

Its truly refreshing to see a teen movie depict a teenager trying to hold sex as a sacred act instead of giving it all as a "right of passage..." I really enjoyed the story even though it was creepy and corny in parts...Matt Vodvarka is a little too believable as the possessed stocker kid. I really wonder if he needs therapy in real life. I love the chemistry between Sara Simmonds and Jake McDorman. I thought the music was a bit over the top and made the film seem a bit cornball. I am not sure that the last scene of the movie was necessary it should have been edited out---it was just strange BUT... This is a great alternative to all of the "casual sex" movies out there so shamelessly marketed to Teens...

This movie is great! As an independent film it stands out far from Hollywood pictures as one that actually has a moral standard! The great thing about the film though, is that morality is not the star of the show. The decision of the main character to remain a virgin until marriage (which, contrary to popular belief, is a GOOD thing) is of course discussed and is a part of her character, but she is by no means preaching from a soapbox, it's simply who she is.

It is a love story with a lot of mystery and action thrown in the mix, and the love story happens to center around a virgin. Yes, love stories can be told without sex! This is also a very refreshing portrayal, and a more realistic one, than that of movies like "A Walk to Remember" where social recluse Mandy Moore tip toes around her school in a floor-length overall dress and goes nuts when she gets a new cardigan. In Echoes of Innocence, Sarah has real problems to deal with and does so realistically. She makes mistakes and she struggles with her faith.

Considering the budget of this film, the quality of the final product is a modern-day miracle.

Go see it. If not in theaters, get it when it comes out on DVD!

Let's be clear on something from the start: this is not a "great" film, not something that is or deserves to be in the canon. Technically speaking, it is fairly amateurish, although for an early low-budget independent effort this crew is fairly competent and I would be happy to see them succeed. The cast is mostly bearable, and big kudos for using actors that actually looked like teenagers in a high school.

"Echoes of Innocence" is not a typical teenage flick along the lines of "Clueless," "10 Things I Hate About You," etc. ad infinitum, and be grateful for that. Our 17-year-old protagonist is a Goth girl saving herself for marriage and nursing an obsession with Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary and St. Joan of Arc. Most people call her "Virge," but she has the self-esteem to take it in stride and so we are spared some of the more agonising scenes of teenage angst.

On the other hand, that is part of the problem. This movie touches on but fails to explore the depth that seems to be underlying these characters and ultimately fails to weave religious and moral struggles into the fabric in a meaningful way. Sarah is an interesting character: she's not a Catholic but she has visions, she recites the prayers, she appears to study the Faith, she apparently believes in the Sacraments (attempting to take Confession, Absolution and Penance) and seeks the counsel of a Catholic priest. So why had she not she attempted conversion? We never get any hint, and so we are never really drawn into her personal journey.

But this is just one example of the film failing to draw out its potential. So many of the characters look like they could be more than stereotypes and our suspicions are just never confirmed. I wonder if perhaps this story reflects an obsession on the part of the scriptwriter and a literary immaturity that hampers its full expression. (I also suspect part of the problem is that this film fails to conceive of the world outside teenybopper suburban America, which is definitely not--proliferation of Young Life ministries aside--a good breeding ground for a deep Faith or culture.) As for the ending... ugh, the completely cheesy and pointless villain sub-plot, the Deux ex Machina.

Kudos for attempting to be uplifting, but shame for taking good, solid literary elements and totally smashing them on the floor. This isn't bad if you've got an extra evening off and want to make it a popcorn-and-Pepsi night, but if you're looking for a good Christian-themed film about the struggle of Faith of a young person who's actually a real human being, you're definitely better off looking at Robert Bresson's "Le journal d'un Curé de campagne"--just be warned that if you're the type who goes for cheap thrillers like "Echoes of Innocence," you'll find the former far too slow for your tastes.

I saw this movie at the premier in Dallas. I can't wait for it to go to theaters everywhere. The lead actors did a great job of captivating the audience. Their on-screen charisma just lit up the screen. Sara Simmonds who plays a sort of Gothic-type teenager named Sarah was perfect for this part. This girl can act! Jake McDorman who is also in the Fox's Quintuplets show is a must-see. Jake is an incredible actor and is definitely on his way up! He displays strength and confidence, but is incredibly real and approachable at the same time. It was a wonderful experience to meet both of these two young actors at the premier. The directing was incredible. The music was so very well done, along with the cinematography and costume designing. If this movie opens during the summer, it will do great! Our nations teenagers will flock to see this movie several times and when they do, they will be getting a positive message. There just isn't enough of this type of movie anymore. Congratulations to New World Pictures for producing Echoes of Innocence.