I'm in Love with a Church Girl

Last updated

I'm in Love with a Church Girl
I'm in Love with a Church Girl.jpg
Film poster
Directed bySteve Race
Screenplay byGalley Molina
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyKeith J. Duggan
Edited byTaichi Erskine
Music by Bruce Fowler
Production
company
Reverence Gospel Media
Distributed by High Top Releasing
Release date
  • October 18, 2013 (2013-10-18)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$3 million [1]
Box office$2.5 million [2]

I'm in Love with a Church Girl is a 2013 American Christian drama film directed by Steve Race. It stars Jeff "Ja Rule" Atkins, Adrienne Bailon, Stephen Baldwin, Vincent Pastore, Toby Mac, T-Bone and Michael Madsen. The film was released in theaters on October 18, 2013. Reviews from mainstream media were negative while the response from Christian media was more positive.

Contents

Plot

Wealthy drug dealer Miles Montego meets a nice Christian girl, Vanessa Leon, at a mutual friend's house, and the two hit it off and start a relationship. Miles tells Vanessa that he used to be a drug dealer, but now wants to change his life. At first she is reluctant, but accepts it, assuming that he will start having faith in God. However, unknown to Miles, a few DEA agents are watching him and his friends and plan on taking them down.

Miles' mother dies from an illness, and he proposes to Vanessa on an airplane. After a car accident, Vanessa enters a coma. As he waits in the hospital, Miles starts to restore his faith in God, praying to him to make Vanessa wake up and saying that she shouldn't have to pay for his sins. Vanessa recovers and the two marry. He writes to his friends, who are now in jail, and tells them that he misses them. He also sends them Bibles and tells them that they better stay out of trouble since they're going to be uncles.

The film ends with a look at three years later, showing Vanessa, her family, Miles' dad and their daughter in church, where Miles is now the pastor.

Cast

Production

The film, which was written by Galley Molina is based on his own experience. Molina wrote it during his time in prison. He initially wanted to tell his story in a book but it was eventually developed into a film. He chose Bailon and Baldwin for the film because of their "strong Christian backgrounds and for their talents". [3] Molina sought financing on his own for the project so that he could retain more creative control. He refused an offer of a major studio because they wanted to glamorize his drug-dealing days. [4] Singer Israel Houghton, who Co-Executive produced the film, contributed four original songs to the soundtrack. [5]

The film was produced by Sean Dinwoodie, Galley Molina, Michael K. Race, & Steve Race. [6]

The film was shot in San Jose, California [4] and was completed in November 2010. [7]

Release

The trailer for the film was released on July 15, 2013. The film opened on October 18, 2013. [8]

Critical reception

The film has been panned by critics; it holds a 10% approval rating on aggregate review site Rotten Tomatoes with an average score of 3.10/10, based on 21 reviews. [9] On Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the film received an average score of 23, based on 13 reviews, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". [10] In 2013, Matt Barone of complex.com, shared his thoughts on the film in article titled "The Most Unintentionally Hilarious Movie Scene of 2013 Stars Ja Rule (Yes, That Ja Rule)", referring to a scene near the end of the film in which an angry Miles enters a church and delivers a vitriolic monologue. [11]

Christian response

The film had a slightly more positive reception among Christian publications. Christianity Today gave the film 2 out of 4 stars, saying: "Church Girl tries to pack too many messages (about conversion, about faith, about drugs, about romance, about tragedy, about church, and more) into a movie that just isn't wide enough to hold it all." The magazine gave positive marks to Ja Rule's acting, calling it "good" and "believable". [12] Movieguide praised the production and the performances, which they described as "convincing, despite the mediocre script". It concluded stating the film "has a heartfelt Christian message that many will enjoy". [13] The Dove Foundation summarized the film as "the story of a man that falls in love with a woman and one of a man realizing that God loves him. This movie is timely, contemporary, yet shares a wonderful old message: God can change people’s lives! It features fine actors and a terrific theme centering on God's forgiveness and love as well as the love between a man and a woman." [14] Ryan Duncan of Crosswalk.com wrote: "Though the movie still suffers from a few trademark flaws that mar faith-based films, it succeeds in telling a story that will resonate with Christian and secular audiences alike." Duncan further applauded the actors' performances describing them as "powerful" and highlighting the chemistry between the two main characters. However, Duncan also noted that the story at times can be tedious and boring. "As for the Christian message, viewers will be happy to know it is delivered with authenticity and respect." [15]

Box office

In its first weekend, the film opened in 457 locations in North America. It finished the weekend at fifteenth place and earned $1,025,000, with a per screen average of $2,243. [16] [17] The film performed above expectations, as it was forecast that "it would be surprising if this averaged above $1,000 per theater." [18]

Home media

Cinedigm Entertainment released the film to Google Play Store, iTunes Store, DVD and Blu-ray on January 14, 2014. [19]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Sorbo</span> American actor (born 1958)

Kevin David Sorbo is an American actor and producer. He has had starring roles in two television series: as Hercules in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (1995–1999) and as Captain Dylan Hunt in Andromeda (2000–2005).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joshua Harris (author)</span> American writer, former pastor

Joshua Eugene Harris is an American former Evangelical Christian pastor. Harris' 1997 book I Kissed Dating Goodbye, in which he laid out his ideas concerning a Biblically based Christian approach to dating and relationships, helped shape purity culture for many Christian millennials. Harris was lead pastor of Covenant Life Church, the founding church of Sovereign Grace Ministries, in Gaithersburg, Maryland from 2004 until 2015. In 2018, Harris disavowed I Kissed Dating Goodbye and discontinued its publication. The following year, Harris announced that he was separating from his wife, had "undergone a massive shift in regard to my faith in Jesus" and had given up on his Christian faith.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ted Baehr</span> American Christian film critic

Millard Robert E. Theodore Baehr is an American media critic and chairman of the Christian Film and Television Commission, a division of Good News Communications, Inc. He is publisher and editor-in-chief of Movieguide, a website and biweekly journal that evaluates motion pictures and other entertainment products from a fundamentalist Christian perspective on suitability for family consumption. He also hosts nationally and internationally syndicated Movieguide radio and television programs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adrienne Bailon-Houghton</span> American singer, actress, and television personality

Adrienne Eliza Bailon-Houghton ; born October 24, 1983) is an American television personality, singer, and actress. She is a former member of the girl groups 3LW and The Cheetah Girls. From 2013 to 2022, Bailon was a co-host of the daytime talk show The Real; for which she has since won a Daytime Emmy Award. Since 2022, Bailon-Houghton has been co-anchor of the entertainment news show, E! News

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vanessa Hudgens</span> American actress and singer (born 1988)

Vanessa Anne Hudgens is an American actress and singer. After making her feature film debut in Thirteen (2003), Hudgens rose to fame portraying Gabriella Montez in the High School Musical film series (2006–2008), which brought her significant mainstream media success. The success of the first film led Hudgens to acquire a recording contract with Hollywood Records, with whom she released two studio albums, V (2006) and Identified (2008).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Kendrick</span> American actor

Alexander Kendrick is an American pastor, film writer, producer, director and actor, best known for directing and starring in notable faith-based films, including Facing The Giants, War Room, Overcomer, Courageous, and Fireproof. He is one of only two film directors to have three different films receive an "A+" grade on CinemaScore.

<i>The Cheetah Girls: One World</i> American TV series or program

The Cheetah Girls: One World is a 2008 Disney Channel Original Movie which premiered on Disney Channel on August 22, 2008. It is the third and final film of The Cheetah Girls trilogy, and the only film not to feature Raven-Symoné.

<i>Fireproof</i> (film) 2008 American film

Fireproof is a 2008 American Christian drama film released by Samuel Goldwyn Films and Affirm Films, directed by Alex Kendrick, who co-wrote and co-produced it with Stephen Kendrick. The film stars Kirk Cameron, Erin Bethea, and Ken Bevel.

Catherine Rosales Garcia-Sampana is a Filipino film and television director best known for directing romantic comedy and family drama films produced and distributed by Star Cinema. She has also directed a few TV series, which aired on ABS-CBN, where she is one of the resident directors. Her films have frequently become some of the highest-grossing films in the Philippines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian film industry</span> Aspect of Christian media

The Christian film industry is an aspect of Christian media for films containing a Christian-themed message or moral. They are often interdenominational films, but can also be films targeting a specific denomination of Christianity.

<i>Letters to God</i> 2010 American film

Letters to God is a 2010 American Christian drama film directed by David Nixon and starring Robyn Lively, Jeffrey Johnson, Tanner Maguire, Michael Bolten and Bailee Madison. The story was written by Patrick Doughtie about his son Tyler, with the screenplay penned by Doughtie, Art D'Alessandro, Sandra Thrift and Cullen Douglas. The story took place in Nashville, Tennessee, but the movie was filmed in the Orlando, Florida area.

<i>To Save a Life</i> 2009 American film

To Save a Life is a 2009 American Christian drama film directed by Brian Baugh and starring Randy Wayne, Deja Kreutzberg, Robert Bailey Jr., Steven Crowder and Sean Michael Afable. The film was released theatrically in the United States on January 22, 2010, and was written by Jim Britts. The United States rights were acquired by Samuel Goldwyn Films from New Song Pictures.

<i>Soul Surfer</i> (film) 2011 American film

Soul Surfer is a 2011 American biographical drama film directed by Sean McNamara, based on the 2004 autobiography Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board by Bethany Hamilton about her life as a surfer after losing her left arm in a horrific shark attack and her recovery. The film stars AnnaSophia Robb, Helen Hunt, Dennis Quaid, and Lorraine Nicholson with Carrie Underwood, Kevin Sorbo, Sonya Balmores, Branscombe Richmond, and Craig T. Nelson.

<i>Spring Breakers</i> 2013 film directed by Harmony Korine

Spring Breakers is a 2012 American comedy crime film written and directed by Harmony Korine and starring James Franco, Vanessa Hudgens, Selena Gomez, Ashley Benson, Rachel Korine, and Gucci Mane. Gomez, Hudgens, Benson and Korine portray four college-aged girls who go on spring break in St. Petersburg, Florida and meet an eccentric local drug dealer (Franco) who helps them in a time of desperation, and their eventual descent into a world of drugs, crime, and violence.

<i>Left Behind</i> (2014 film) 2014 film directed by Vic Armstrong

Left Behind is a 2014 American apocalyptic thriller film directed by Vic Armstrong and written by Paul LaLonde and John Patus. Based on the 1995 novel of the same name written by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, the film stars Nicolas Cage, Chad Michael Murray, Cassi Thomson, Nicky Whelan, Jordin Sparks, and Lea Thompson. The second film adaptation of the first Left Behind novel but not following the book's chronology, it centers on a worldwide disaster, which is shown from the perspective of one family, a husband and wife facing marital difficulties, and their two children.

<i>The Boss Baby</i> 2017 animated film by Tom McGrath

The Boss Baby is a 2017 American animated comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by 20th Century Fox. Loosely based on the 2010 picture book of the same name by Marla Frazee, it was directed by Tom McGrath from a screenplay by Michael McCullers, and stars the voices of Alec Baldwin as the title character, along with Steve Buscemi, Jimmy Kimmel, Lisa Kudrow, Miles Bakshi, and Tobey Maguire. The first installment in The Boss Baby franchise, the plot follows a boy helping his baby brother who is a secret agent in the war for adults' love between babies and puppies.

<i>Do You Believe?</i> (film) 2015 American film

Do You Believe? is a 2015 American Christian drama film directed by Jon Gunn and stars an ensemble cast featuring Ted McGinley, Mira Sorvino, Andrea Logan White, Lee Majors, Alexa PenaVega, Sean Astin, Madison Pettis, Cybill Shepherd, and Brian Bosworth. The film is distributed by Pure Flix, who released it on March 20, 2015.

The Movieguide Awards is an annual award ceremony for Christian entertainment held every year in Hollywood and broadcast on the Hallmark Channel around the same time as the Academy Awards. The awards are commonly described as "The Christian Oscars" in industry circles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pinnacle Peak Pictures</span> American film production and distribution company

Pinnacle Peak Pictures is an American evangelical Christian film production and distribution studio founded by David A. R. White and Russell Wolfe. Pinnacle Peak produces Christian films, including God's Not Dead (2014), Do You Believe? (2015), Woodlawn (2015), The Case for Christ (2017), and Unplanned (2019). Since 2014, films produced and distributed by Pure Flix have collectively grossed over $195 million at the worldwide box office. The company has headquarters in Scottsdale, Arizona.

References

  1. ↑ "Has Anyone Seen 'I'm In Love With A Church Girl' Starring Ja Rule, Which Opens This Weekend?". IndieWire . October 19, 2013. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  2. ↑ "I'm In Love With a Church Girl (2013)". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Ja Rule Stars in Youth Pastor's Upcoming Film". Christianpost.com. November 15, 2010. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
  4. 1 2 John W. Kennedy (July 27, 2011). "How Galley Molina's love of a church girl turned his life around – and led to a movie celebrating the positive power of faith - Faith, Media & Culture". Blog.beliefnet.com. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Israel Houghton, Galley Molina on 'I'm In Love With a Church Girl'". Christianpost.com. August 13, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
  6. ↑ "'I'M IN LOVE WITH A CHURCH GIRL': True Change Starts with the Heart". Christianpost.com. October 10, 2014. Retrieved October 31, 2014.
  7. ↑ Mark Moring (November 11, 2010). "Christianity Today Entertainment Blog: Ja Rule Takes Lead in Faith-Based Film". Blog.christianitytoday.com. Archived from the original on October 24, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
  8. ↑ "'I'm In Love With A Church Girl' Trailer Stars Ja Rule, Stephen Baldwin, Adrienne Bailon". Huffingtonpost.com. July 15, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
  9. ↑ "I'm In Love With A Church Girl (2013)". Rotten Tomatoes . Flixster . Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  10. ↑ "I'm in Love with a Church Girl". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  11. ↑ Matt Barone. "The Most Unintentionally Hilarious Movie Scene of 2013 Stars Ja Rule (Yes, That Ja Rule)". Complex. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
  12. ↑ Lindsay, Taylor (October 18, 2013). "I'm In Love With a Church Girl". Christianity Today . Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  13. ↑ Movieguide, I’M IN LOVE WITH A CHURCH GIRL, movieguide.org, USA, retrieved November 2, 2023
  14. ↑ "Im in Love with a Church Girl". Dove. org. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  15. ↑ Duncan, Ryan (October 18, 2013). "Powerful Testimony Delivers Church Girl". Crosswalk.com . Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  16. ↑ Jackson, Cheryl (October 21, 2013). ""I'm In Love With A Church Girl" Scores High With Viewers This Weekend (video)". Praisedc.com. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  17. ↑ Obenson, Tambay A. (October 20, 2013). "Box Office 10/18-20: A Weekend For A 'Slave,' An 'American Promise' & Love For 'A Church Girl'". IndieWire . Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  18. ↑ Subers, Ray (October 17, 2013). "Forecast: 'Carrie' Unlikely to Scare Off 'Gravity'". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  19. ↑ Sergio (December 6, 2013). "'I'm In Love With A Church Girl' w/ Ja Rule Coming To Blu-Ray, DVD In Jan". IndieWire . Archived from the original on August 10, 2014. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
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.