This review is brought to you by Kathy Kaiser

 

I STILL BELIEVE – Rated PG – 1 hour 55 minutes

DIRECTORS:  Andrew and Jon Erwin

WRITERS:  Jon Erwin, Jon Gunn

STARRING:  Britt Robertson, K.J. Apa, Shania Twain, Gary Sinise, Nathan Parsons, and Abigail Cowen

From Directors Andrew and Jon Erwin, who brought us another moving film, 2018’s I Can Only Imagine – comes the real-life story of young college student and song writer Jeremy Camp (K.J. Apa), as he finds himself drawn to a beautiful women in the audience one night named Melissa (Britt Robertson), and he sets his sights on finding out who she is…

As fate would have it, Melissa is in a relationship with another musician about campus, John Luke (Nathan Parsons), as she struggles with the fact that she is falling for Jeremy, but really doesn’t want to hurt John Luke in the process…

As Melissa tries to fight off her feelings for Jeremy, it isn’t long before John Luke finds out “the real deal”, causing everyone involved pain and anguish.  But as Jeremy professes his love for Melissa, they both must face where they belong.

But their joyous union is short lived, when Melissa is diagnosed with Cancer, and an unsettling, unknown future.  With their futures hanging in limbo, Jeremy makes the courageous decision to stand by his girl, as he asks for her hand in marriage.  Wishing and hoping for a miracle, Jeremy learns to walk in Melissa’s faith, that God has a plan for them both, although no one really quite knows where their path is headed…and if they will ever truly get their “happily ever after” …

I give I STILL BELIEVE a rating between MUST SEE ON THE BIG SCREEN and WAIT AND CATCH THIS FILM ON DVD!  This true story of singer/songwriter Jeremy Camp’s life is a true testament of Faith, and of undying love and commitment, no matter what God places before you.  K.J. Apa is superb as Jeremy, and the chemistry between him and Britt Robertson throughout this film is totally palatable.  Talk about a tearjerker that just keeps at it, I STILL BELIEVE is emotionally captivating, and draining the whole way through.  And even though their parts aren’t very significant throughout, Shania Twain and Gary Sinise are perfectly cast too, as the mother and father that allow their son to choose his own path in life, although wishing that he may have made a less painful choice along the way too.  I was also impressed by Nathan Parsons performance on screen, as the love scorned “other guy”.  Know going in too, that this film is as much about God and Faith, as it is about Love and Loss, making it an emotional rollercoaster, no matter how hard you fight getting sucked in by its Christian undertones throughout.  And even though its rather sappy and cheesy at the start, as this film progresses, you will find yourself moved more and more by the real love story, that is evolving on screen.  Take my word for it, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house when I viewed this film, including that of my 19 year old daughter who joined me, as she stated she was in need of some definite “emotional therapy”, once we left the theater after seeing this film…so make sure to bring along a few Kleenex to this tear-jerker, as you are definitely going to need them.