Monday, September 19, 2011

I've Got a Date With "Machine Gun Preacher"

Starring Gerard Butler (you remember him from 300 don't you? I do.).

Directed by Marc Forster (who directed Monster's Ball and The Kite Runner).

I'd seen those two items and gotten interested because those aren't two names I usually associate with faith-based movies (and let's face it ... those are the only sort that I am invited to ... not that there's anything wrong with that).

Dipping into the plot pushed the interest higher.

Then I read Hell Burns' review and got intensely interested. (Much more at the link.)
Sounds like a badass film, doesn’t it? Only the irresistible (and accurate) title is badass. Otherwise, this is a story about a badass guy (NOT portrayed as attractive or without consequences) who becomes a goodass and begins saving children in Sudan from becoming child-soldiers in the vicious LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army)—and worse.

Sam Childers (a thoroughly winning and Sam-Childers-approved Gerard Butler) was a violent drug dealer and biker in hillbilly Pennsylvania in his younger life. He got saved, became a Reverend and went to the Sudan to do volunteer construction work. But in Africa, he saw way more than he bargained for and wound up taking up arms to save children and innocent villagers from kidnapping, maiming, atrocities and slaughter.
One of the things that interested me about Sister Helena Burns' review (or maybe it was the letter to Sam Childers which she includes) is that the movie helped her gain an appreciation that "there is a vocation/call to be a warrior for just causes." As my brother is long-time warrior for our country, I have long been grateful for that vocation. It is nice to see that this movie helps foster that appreciation.

Finally, last night they had the screening sign-up info ready and I'm scheduled to see this interesting looking film next Monday. Sam Childers, whose story it is, is supposed to be there and I hear that they're seeing if they can work it out so that Gerard Butler is there.

6 comments:

  1. ah! I am so excited for this movie. I mean, I don't know anything about the guy, but! Gerard Butler! Doing good things much of the time! And still being bad/good-ass! YES!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Did you notice that Michelle Monaghan is also in it? She was in "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang," too, which is on your list of Movies You Might Have Missed. Coincidence?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Rose pointed that out. It should be interesting to see her in an "unquirky" role.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I actually went to Uganda to help them with that LRA problem but lacked the resources to really make much of a difference at the time. Crazy.

    JR

    ReplyDelete
  5. We watched the trailer to this on a lark because we thought the title was ludicrous and I'm glad we did because I'm keen to see it. If you ever want to see a very understated, very good film that Gerard Butler is in, rent 'Dear Frankie'....one of my favorites.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I haven't heard of that but will look for it! Thanks for the suggestion! :-)

    ReplyDelete