God Bless the Broken Road

Last updated
God Bless the Broken Road
GodBlessBrokenRoad.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Harold Cronk
Screenplay by
  • Jennifer Dornbush
  • Harold Cronk
Based on"Bless the Broken Road"
by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Produced by
  • Harold Cronk
  • Andy Fraser
  • Dustin Solomon
  • Edgar Struble
Starring
CinematographyPhilip Roy
Edited byJesse Daniel
Music byWill Musser
Production
companies
Distributed by Freestyle Releasing
Release date
  • September 7, 2018 (2018-09-07)
Running time
111 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$3.4 million [1]
Box office$2.8 million [2]

God Bless the Broken Road is a 2018 American Christian drama film directed by Harold Cronk. A loose interpretation of the 1994 song "Bless the Broken Road," the plot follows a mother who loses her husband in the War in Afghanistan and must cope with the loss. The film stars Lindsay Pulsipher, Makenzie Moss, Andrew Walker, Kim Delaney, Robin Givens, Gary Grubbs, Arthur Cartwright, LaDainian Tomlinson, Madeline Carroll, Ian Van Houten, and Jordin Sparks. It was released in the United States on September 7, 2018, by Freestyle Releasing.

Contents

Plot summary

The film tells the story of a young mother named Amber Hill who loses her husband in Afghanistan and struggles to raise their young daughter Bree in his absence. She meets a race car driver named Cody Jackson who helps to restore her faith.

Amber was living a happy life with her daughter even while her husband was deployed and they are excited that he is returning home soon. While Amber is directing her choir practice at church, 2 soldiers interrupt their song to bring her the news that her husband was killed and Amber immediately breaks down and cries.

After the death of her husband in Afghanistan, his surviving spouse loses her faith and puts his last unopened letter in her Bible. 2 years later, Amber Hill continues to send her daughter Bree to church. The mother and daughter struggle as Amber is a waitress at a Kentucky diner called "Rosie's". Amber rejects help from her mother-in-law Patti and many others. The bills pile up and she receives a foreclosure notice on her home. Her daughter gets a mustard seed in Sunday school and plants it and even names it Matt.

Cody Jackson, a race car driver, takes interest in Amber and helps her daughter build a go-cart. The Pastor, the choir ladies, and disabled Mike all try to encourage her to come back to church. The seed of faith remains in her heart. Amber wants to raise her daughter on her own. Patti the mother-in-law sees Amber's wedding rings are missing. While babysitting, she finds a stack of bills. Amber assures Patti things are under control (presumably she is terrified of losing custody of Bree due to her poor salary).

Amber starts to date Cody and her daughter really likes him. Her mother never likes to talk about her dead dad. Bree feels all alone while her Mom copes with her own grief and low paying job, she wants to become a manager but Rosie refuses to promote her due to her constant tardiness. They go to one of Cody's races and he gets in an accident. Cody's accident is too much for Amber and she forbids Bree to see him. When Bree disobeys her Mom and continues to see Cody, Amber pulls Bree to the van and goes home and Bree angrily tells Amber that she hates her and wishes she had died instead of her Dad. Bree throws her plant and breaks it then she runs away and when found says she wants to live with her grandmother. Amber prays for an answer.

Mike Nelson tells Amber about how her husband saved his life. His last words were: "You are loved more than you will ever know." Mike gives her a cross that Darren had made from IED scraps. Amber, Bree and Patti go to Darren's grave and read his last letter together. Bree wins the go kart race. Cody wins a race at Berlin Raceway. Amber returns to church and is singing Bless the Broken Road . A new mustard seed labeled "Faith" is seen growing in the window.

Cast

Production

Much of the cast, including Kim Delaney and Jordin Sparks, signed on in May 2016. [3] Principal photography on the film began in the Spring of 2016 in West Michigan, and it received a state tax credit of $2.7 million. [1] [4] LaDainian Tomlinson joined the cast in January 2017. [5] Some racing scenes for the movie were recorded at Berlin Raceway. [4]

Reception

Box office

In the United States and Canada, God Bless the Broken Road was released on September 7, 2018 alongside The Nun and Peppermint , and was projected to gross $2–4 million from 1,235 theaters in its opening weekend. [6] However, it ended up debuting to just $1.4 million, finishing 11th at the box office. [7]

Critical response

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 17% based on 12 reviews, and an average rating of 4/10. [8] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 31 out of 100, based on six critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". [9] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anne Bancroft</span> American actress (1931–2005)

Anne Bancroft was an American actress and director. Respected for her acting prowess and versatility, Bancroft received an Academy Award, three BAFTA Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, two Tony Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Cannes Film Festival Award. She is one of only 24 thespians to achieve the Triple Crown of Acting.

Sweep is a series of young adult fantasy novels written by Cate Tiernan, the first of which, Book of Shadows, was published in 2001. The series follows a teenage girl, Morgan Rowlands, who discovers she is the descendant of a long line of witches, and possesses powerful magic of her own.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kim Delaney</span> American actress (born 1961)

Kim Delaney is an American actress known for her starring role as Detective Diane Russell on the ABC drama television series NYPD Blue, for which she won an Emmy Award. Early in her career, she played the role of Jenny Gardner in the ABC daytime television drama All My Children. She later had leading roles in the short lived TV drama Philly, part of the first season of CSI: Miami, and the first six seasons of Army Wives. She also appeared in Tour of Duty, Season 2 and the first two episodes of Season 3, as reporter Alex Devlin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patti Davis</span> Actress, author, and daughter of Ronald Reagan and Nancy Davis

Patricia Ann Davis is an American actress and author. She is the daughter of U.S. president Ronald Reagan and his second wife, Nancy Reagan.

<i>Bless the Child</i> 2000 film by Chuck Russell

Bless the Child is a 2000 supernatural horror film directed by Chuck Russell and starring Kim Basinger, Jimmy Smits, Angela Bettis, Rufus Sewell, Christina Ricci, and Holliston Coleman. It follows a woman who discovers that her niece, whom she has adopted, is being sought by a Satanic cult seeking to use her supernatural abilities. It is based on the 1993 novel of the same name by Cathy Cash Spellman. The film is a co-production between the United States, Canada and Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patrika Darbo</span> American actress

Patrika Darbo is an American actress. She made her big screen debut appearing in the 1988 romantic comedy film It Takes Two and later appeared in The 'Burbs (1989), Daddy's Dyin': Who's Got the Will? (1990), Spaced Invaders (1990), Leaving Normal (1992), In the Line of Fire (1993) and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997). Darbo played Roseanne Barr in the 1994 biographical television film Roseanne & Tom: Behind the Scenes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jordin Sparks</span> American singer and actress (born 1989)

Jordin Sparks is an American singer and actress. She rose to fame in 2007 after winning the sixth season of American Idol at age 17, becoming the youngest winner in the series' history. Her self-titled debut studio album (2007) was met with critical and commercial success; it peaked at number ten on the Billboard 200, received platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and sold over two million copies worldwide. The album was supported by the Billboard Hot 100-top ten singles "Tattoo" and "No Air" —the latter received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals and remains the third highest-selling song by an American Idol contestant—with three million digital copies sold in the United States.

VH1 debuted the first annual VH1 Divas concert in 1998. VH1 Divas Live was created to support the channel's Save The Music Foundation and subsequent concerts in the series have also benefited that foundation. The VH1 Divas concerts were a follow-up to the channel's annual VH1 Honors benefit concert that ran from 1994 to 1997, airing annually from 1998 to 2004. After a five-year hiatus, the series returned in 2009 with a younger-skewed revamp. In 2010 the concert saluted the troops and in 2011 it celebrated soul music, doubling the previous year's ratings. After a dance music-focused 2012 edition aired live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on December 16, 2012, the show took another hiatus before being revived on December 5, 2016, at the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, New York with a holiday theme and achieved its highest ratings in over a decade.

"Bless the Broken Road" is a song that has been recorded by several American country music artists. Co-written by Marcus Hummon, Bobby Boyd, and Jeff Hanna in 1994, it tells how the journey through relationship heartbreak and disappointment was an important series of lessons along the broken road to finding one’s true love. It was first recorded by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1994, followed by Hummon on his 1995 album All in Good Time.

Naomi Levy is an American rabbi, author and speaker.

<i>Leprechaun 2</i> 1994 film by Rodman Flender

Leprechaun 2 is a 1994 American fantasy comedy horror film directed by Rodman Flender and written by Turi Meyer and Al Septien. The sequel to Mark Jones' Leprechaun (1993) and the second entry in the Leprechaun series, the plot centers on the psychopathic leprechaun Lubdan as he hunts for a bride and for his gold.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madeline Carroll</span> American actress (born 1996)

Madeline Carroll is an American actress known for starring as Juli Baker in Flipped, as Molly Johnson in Swing Vote, as Farren in The Spy Next Door, and as Willow O'Neil in The Magic of Belle Isle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Idols Live! Tour 2007</span> 2007 summer concert tour

American Idols Live! Tour 2007 was a summer concert tour in the United States and Canada featuring the top 10 contestants of the sixth season of American Idol, which aired in 2007. It was sponsored by Kellogg's Pop-Tarts. The 59-date tour started on July 6 and ended on September 23.

<i>American Idol Season 6: Greatest Hits</i>

American Idol: Greatest Hits was released on iTunes on June 12, 2007. The album was finally released almost a month after the May finale. The album contains 11 cover songs, by the finalists and Jordin Sparks' winning single. The Collector's Edition contains 76 songs and includes cover songs by top 12 and, again, Jordin Sparks' winning single. Neither collection of songs was released as an actual CD but both are available exclusively through the iTunes Store.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forrester family</span> Fictional family from The Bold and the Beautiful

The Forrester family is a family in the CBS Daytime soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. The Forresters own and run the Los Angeles-based fashion house Forrester Creations.

The Logan family is a fictional family in the CBS Daytime soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. The family debuted in the soap opera's first episode, and were a central family in the show's early years, but by the early 1990s, most of the family had departed. Between 1991 and 2006, the family was solely represented by Brooke Logan and her children, with her other family members making occasional guest appearances, usually at one of Brooke's weddings. Between 2006 and 2008, Brooke's parents, Stephen Logan and Elizabeth Logan, Brooke's sisters, Donna Logan and Katie Logan, and Brooke's brother Storm Logan, were all recast and reintroduced. The family is currently represented by Brooke, her daughter Hope Logan, Hope's daughter Beth Spencer, Brooke's sisters, Donna and Katie, Katie's son Will Spencer, and Storm's daughter Flo Fulton. This is a list of all known members of the Logan family, both past and present, deceased and living.

<i>Another Cinderella Story</i> 2008 film by Damon Santostefano

Another Cinderella Story is a 2008 American teen musical comedy film directed by Damon Santostefano and written by Erik Patterson and Jessica Scott. The film stars Selena Gomez, Drew Seeley, and Jane Lynch. It is a stand-alone sequel to A Cinderella Story (2004) and the second installment in the A Cinderella Story series. Like the first film, it is a retelling of the Cinderella fairy tale in a modern setting. The film was released on DVD on September 16, 2008, and premiered on ABC Family on January 18, 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lindsay Pulsipher</span> American actress

Lindsay Pulsipher is an American actress. She has had several roles in film and television and is known for her series regular role as Rose Lawrence on A&E Network's The Beast (2009). She joined the third season of HBO's True Blood (2010), playing were-panther Crystal Norris and love interest to Jason Stackhouse. She has a recurring role as Detective Amanda Rollins’ troubled sister, Kim, on NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

<i>Sparkle</i> (2012 film) 2012 American film

Sparkle is a 2012 American musical film directed by Salim Akil and produced by Stage 6 Films. It was released on August 17, 2012, by TriStar Pictures. Inspired by The Supremes, Sparkle is a remake of the 1976 film of the same title, which centered on three singing teenage sisters who form a girl group in the late 1950s. The remake takes place in Detroit, Michigan in 1968 during the Motown era.

<i>Home Again</i> (2017 film) 2017 American film

Home Again is a 2017 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Hallie Meyers-Shyer, in her directorial debut. It stars Reese Witherspoon, Nat Wolff, Jon Rudnitsky, Pico Alexander, Michael Sheen and Candice Bergen, and follows a 40-year-old single mother who allows three young aspiring filmmakers to live with her in her Los Angeles home. The film was released on September 8, 2017, by Open Road Films and grossed $37 million worldwide.

References

  1. 1 2 Harger, Jim (May 10, 2016). "Faith-based film qualifies for $2.7M in state incentives, set at Berlin Raceway". M Live. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
  2. ↑ "God Bless the Broken Road (2018)". Box Office Mojo . IMDb . Retrieved September 29, 2018.
  3. ↑ Busch, Anita (May 16, 2016). "Kim Delaney, Jordin Sparks Join 'God Bless The Broken Road'". Deadline. Retrieved September 7, 2018.
  4. 1 2 Brenzing, Bob (10 May 2016). "Berlin Raceway among locations for new faith-based film". WXMI . Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  5. ↑ "NFL Great LaDainian Tomlinson to Star in Movie Based on Country Song". The Hollywood Reporter. January 3, 2017. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
  6. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (September 4, 2018). "'The Nun' To Fly To $40M+, Eyes Record Opening For 'Conjuring' Franchise – Box Office Preview". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Business Media . Retrieved September 6, 2018.
  7. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (September 9, 2018). "'The Nun' Hits The Hallelujah With $54M Opening, Best Ever In 'Conjuring' Universe – Sunday AM Update". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Business Media . Retrieved September 9, 2018.
  8. ↑ "God Bless the Broken Road (2018)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango . Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  9. ↑ "God Bless the Broken Road reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved September 8, 2018.
  10. ↑ @gbbrmovie (September 15, 2018). "godblesstheroad on Twitter" (Tweet). Retrieved September 17, 2018– via Twitter.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.