Echoes of Innocence

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!

What I found amazing in this first effort from director/writer Nathan Todd Simms, is that this small budgeted film packs a powerful punch. It is a brave and creative story. I don't think I have ever seen a film that took on such a controversial subject and told a story that was so engaging and imaginative. When I say controversial, I mean to say most filmmakers shy away from the sexual subject most teens struggle with. Many filmmakers take the traditional route we have all grown tired of seeing on the screen. This is a fresh approach. No, it is not a perfect film, there are some glitches – but the messages and extraordinary overall presentation make it an incredible project that succeeds on many levels. It doesn't just speak to the physical struggle within us but the spiritual forces that pull at us. I was impressed with the talent in ECHOES. In addition, the visual composition of the film is colorful and magical. Sometimes lingering a bit too long on a subject, yet it is full of color and grace. ECHOES challenges the viewer to see deeper, to feel deeper... don't attend this film expecting traditional storytelling. It is a unique combination of light and dark. It doesn't hide the dark yet it also offers a hope most films just don't seem to provide. I challenge the viewer to see beyond what is on the screen and see the true power of this little film. I predict most "religious" Christians will have some issues while the cynic will scoff at its approach, but in the end, it is a pioneering work that will hopefully open the door for more.

I just returned home from having seen this movie, and I am completely and utterly speechless! I literally feel not only dumber, but downright insulted! This movie does NOT live up to critical standards on ANY ONE level: writing, pacing, directing, acting, music - NOTHING! And please do NOT misunderstand me: I am a Christian. Thus said however, I have to admit I didn't really see anything Christian in this movie - DESPITE the extent to which Christian radio stations have been toting its praises... What are you guys thinking?! Just because you are/become a Christian doesn't mean you entirely turn off your brains, people!! Watching this movie was truly a painful experience: the characters are the EPITOME of one-dimensional, the dialog is horrendous (it sounds as though it were written by a high school freshman), the pacing is disjointed (to the extent that one actually gets annoyed, sitting there trying to follow this thoroughly insipid mess)... And the plot? Seriously, don't even get me started; I'll be sitting here bellyaching for two hours (and thus would STILL be time better spent than watching this "movie" - believe me). "Echoes of Innocence" feels like something that a bunch of high-schoolers threw together for a class project... That is, high-schoolers who were instructed to color within the lines of Catholic dogma.

To sum up, this movie was not Christian, not entertaining, NOT good. I wouldn't recommend that ANYONE waste their precious time on it. Go see "The Passion," or the Visual Bible Project's "Gospel of John"... Hell, go anywhere other than to a theater or video store to see "Echoes of IMPRUDENCE!" There goes my $10. I'll miss you, my friend.

Well, that's the best I can do right now. The movie deserves much worse, but I am tired and SPENT! Time for bed

Echoes of Innocence is one of the worse movies I've seen in a long time. Not as bad as Broken Flowers (don't go see it), but still bad. Where to begin... Let's start with the good elements. That won't take long. First off, the two lead actors, Sara Simmonds and Jake McDormand, are pretty good. They do a good job of conveying emotions and making the characters sympathetic, despite the completely unrealistic characters they're given to work with. Also, the technical film-making was decent, and there were no major cinematography problems. The soundtrack was good for the movie--it's not too intrusive, but it helps to set the mood.

Now for the bad parts. The acting of every other character in the movie is simply terrible. Sometimes it's so bad it's funny. Alec, the main villain, is horrible. He's so over-the-top evil that you can't take him seriously. Every time he appears, the movie becomes downright laughable. You can't blame the actor entirely, though. The writing was awful, too, so he didn't have a lot to work with. Another example is the overly psychotic mother, who seems to belong in a mental hospital rather than a trailer. Also, the grandmother is unbelievably complacent and mindless. She sits and watches T.V. at all times. Yet, from what the mother says, she's very industrious when it comes to cover-ups.

Beyond the characters, there's also the awful story. I can't say much without spoiling the movie, but there are many horrible flaws in the plot. One major thread is ignored at the end, and the explanations for the entire movie are just stupid. The idea of two twelve-year-olds making this oath is just wrong. Getting married as soon as you possibly can so that you can lose your virginity isn't something the church should support. Saving your virginity may be a good thing--that's not my moral position, but I may be wrong--but pledging to wait only 'til you're 18, and then get married to the first guy you ever liked isn't the right thing to do.

The beginning is awful. The ending is awful. But, there's a good chunk in the middle where you think things might end up OK, and for that, which made it bearable to sit through this movie, I give it a 4 instead of a 1. After all, it couldn't possibly be as bad as Broken Flowers.

High school films are the kind of thing that I tend to be in to. I'm not entirely sure where that comes from, I didn't have the best high school experience and that probably has something to do with it. I must like watching people navigate through the experience with what is often more complicated a time then I had. All the drama on screen makes my own seem less terrible. But at a certain point you have to realize that these on screen experiences are just actors playing a role and what ends up being watchable is not necessarily reality. Still, there's an element of comfort in it and that can't be discounted. More than likely because good drama is usually based on some element of truth. In that way the emotional elements take on a universal feel that everyone can relate to for anyone who has gone through the experience of the last 50 years of education where the modern high school experience originated in Western cultures.

Circumstances and technology will change over time, but high school is always just... well... high school. No one likes it, and if you ask some people no one ever really leaves it as you can look at the world and see elements of it in every day life. While watching Echoes of Innocence, I get the impression that the circumstances of today's high school student seems to be ideology. What is belief's place in the high school experience of today? Is there a place for religion and faith in the modern public system? Most people would be turned off by such an idea, but those questions in a lot of ways are more like themes to the film that are creeping around the sides of the film's main plot, much like the background scenery of the visuals or the setting of high school itself. The real story is driven by the character of Sara, a young girl who feels out of place and somewhat ostracized from her classmates. Reasons why are pretty clearly defined through a series of flashbacks which lay out who she is and why she acts the way she does. That coupled with a number of voice overs from Sara herself make her the most interesting character of the bunch, which include her best friend who is both supportive and critical, various classmates who are both put off and intrigued by her, and the new kid in school who joined the local paper and wants to do a story about Sara.

They all play a part in Sara's story but the characters themselves don't necessarily get clearly defined. More often then not they are inserted into Sara's story when necessary to give her someone to interact with. Her own journey is very much a solitary one, defined by her own actions and her own ideas about the world and what she wants from it rather then how she relates to others. This drags down the story somewhat but Sara's progression is defined clearly enough that she manages power through the weak bits. It gives her story the necessary elements not to be bored by it. Obvious parallels to Biblical elements are present but the filmmakers clearly pulled back enough so as not to come off like a preachy film. I'm honestly not sure whether that causes a problem for the film or whether it helps. I suppose it's 50/50 in that department. Still, I think the film is worth watching for anyone who wants to look back and remember the way they saw the world when they were that age. Perhaps give you a new perspective on the vision you have of the world today. I say check it out.

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