I challenge you to find a millennial who doesn't clutch their heart at the mention of the 2002 hit "A Walk to Remember." Starring Shane West and Mandy Moore, the geared-to-teens film told the tragic love story of a girl who made a boy promise her not to fall in love with her, because she knew her medical condition wouldn't let their relationship last. Of course, he doesn't listen. In 2020, movie critics think they've found its tearjerker successor.
"I Still Believe" is the latest film from the screenwriting, directorial duo the Erwin Brothers. For their latest project they tell the redeeming story of Christian singer-songwriter Jeremy Camp and his first wife Melissa Lynn Henning-Camp. The couple met and fell in love in college and shared a love in Christ. Before they wed, Melissa was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. They were married for less than a year before she lost her battle with the disease, but never lost her childlike faith in God. His late wife's story encouraged Jeremy to write powerful and inspiring Christian ballads.
The movie could have easily been a preachy Jesus film. But the Erwins had something else in mind. There's romance, there's conflict, there's worldly music, there's even a love triangle. It's a tearjerker. So now come the "A Walk to Remember" comparisons. And, somewhat surprisingly, it was named "the most romantic movie of the year" by Seventeen Magazine.
Jon and Andy have fine tuned the art of making faith-based films that are attractive to secular audiences. Their last film, "I Can Only Imagine," which told the back story of MercyMe’s famous song, was produced on just a $7 million budget, yet drew over $83 million at the box office. I asked the siblings to share a few of the key ingredients in their winning formula.
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"Our goal is to serve the audience that we love, an audience of faith," Andy explained. "But our desire is to broaden to a mainstream appeal. We look for stories that can connect on an entry level. You can do both. We look for a story that’s entertaining first."
Jeremy and Melissa's story met all their criteria.
Jon noted how "funny" it was that we were discussing "A Walk to Remember" because the young actress who plays Melissa, Britt Robertson, told the directors that was her favorite film as a child.
One other key ingredient of a faith-based film with secular appeal is one that can offer a multigenerational experience, Andy added. "I Still Believe," the Erwins explained, is a film you can watch with your entire family.
The star-studded cast helps too. KJ Apa, who stars as Jeremy, is currently the lead of one of the hottest teen dramas on television, the CW's "Riverdale." The Erwins joked that they were "late" to the "Riverdale" fandom and picked Apa because of his passion and talent. His parents in the film are played by Gary Sinise and Shania Twain, legends in their own right.
While "I Still Believe" shares several features of your typical Hollywood film, that doesn't mean it doesn't have some faith-based message. One of the biggest questions Christians face is, "Why does God allow suffering?" The Erwins say that question was one of the reasons they took on the movie.
"We all wrestle with it," the brothers said. "It’s so disorienting and yet sometimes the most difficult things we walk through end up giving our lives the most meaning. And give us the most powerful voice to other people. It gave Jeremy the chance to give hope to millions of people. We wanted to make a movie that could comfort in the pain."
"I Still Believe" is in theaters now. The film opened at No. 2 at the box office this weekend.
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