Breakthrough (2019)

This is a great family film that we thoroughly enjoyed. There is just not enough of these types of uplifting, positive, moving films!!! I laughed, I cried, I had a blast and felt so happy when we left the theatre. Solid performances by all the cast, my kids loved it too. Go see it, you won't regret it!!!

Fmovies: I think my thoughts on this film are right there where the critics are, on both this site and the other (Tomatoes) site. I don't praise it like our people of faith do, but I don't ridicule it like my fellow nonbelievers. It's a good film, with exceptional actors. Chrissy Metz is always good! Yes, this is also a good family story. But of course some things need to be explained more thoroughly if credulous children are watching. Because they sometimes have trouble distinguishing what's real and what isn't. They will dismiss the obvious (monsters) of course, but can get caught up in the not so clear. Yes, it's faith based, but the supernatural can be very entertaining at times. As long as they don't attempt to convince you it's truth and not sci-fi. After all, if truth was present, faith would be unnecessary. I recommend it!!

Alas, another outlandish religious drama based on a true story. Although this one has no connection to Pure Flix, the leading distributor in "wholesome" Christian entertainment (it's hard to consider anything wholesome after Unplanned), it feels enough like one that it can be easily misconstrued as one. Based on Joyce Smith's 2017 non-fiction novel, The Impossible, about her son John's miraculous recovery following slipping through an icy Missouri lake and having no pulse for nearly 45 minutes, Breakthrough is another notch in the low-cost and highly profitable Christian film industry.

John (Marcel Ruiz) is the 14-year-old adopted son of the highly religious Joyce (Chrissy Metz) and Brian Smith (Josh Lucas). Joyce had given up her biological child years ago and, during a mission trip to Guatemala, brought John home when he was an infant. There is a glaring hole in their relationship, as Joyce sees him as her little boy and John knows that his biological mother didn't want him. He is a relatively typical teenage boy, with basketball prowess (dropping enough product placement with NBA stars' names, including Steph Curry, who executive produced the film, and LeBron James) and lack of care for his studies.

After spending the night with his friends Josh and Reiger, the boys venture out onto a frozen lake, where, after being reprimanded, they fall through the ice. Josh and Reiger manage to find their way back up, but John doesn't. First responders are called; Tommy Shine (Mike Colter) searches for John and, hearing a voice telling him to "go back", successfully pulls the boy from the water. It is discovered that he has no pulse and is rushed to the hospital where he is about to be declared dead when Joyce arrives and, left alone in the room with him, pleads with God to save her son. After a few minutes of this, John suddenly revives with a heartbeat.

What follows is at least an hour of Joyce lashing out at anyone who has even a doubt that John will pull through, her battle of wills with contemporary pastor Jason Noble (Topher Grace) and lots and lots of tears. I never watched This Is Us, nor do I plan to, but Metz's performance is simply one in a million portrayals of a grieving mother who won't take no for an answer. Every scene with her caterwauling made the movie near unbearable to sit through.

While it does have fine performances from the rest of the cast, Breakthrough is loaded down with pathetic attempts at humor and enough schmaltz to carry an entire soap opera over a couple decades. Not once did I feel any sympathy for anyone on screen. Quite frankly, I'd hoped that someone would keel over and end the movie. That feeling of the film deliberately straining to invoke some kind of tearful reaction physically pained me. I haven't felt this wounded since Holmes & Watson. 0.5/5.

Breakthrough fmovies. If you are a parent or a guardian of children; you will love this movie. If you are a believer in the power of prayer; you will love this movie. Also, Roxann Dowson, directed the appropriate emotions to make it a major tear jerker. I loved this movie. By the reaction of the audience, I realized that I wasn't the only one who felt this way. Make sure to bring plenty of tissue paper.

It cracks me up to read reviews of people complaining about the religious parts in movie. The whole thing was...it was advertised that way! If you don't like religion....don't go see a religious movie!!! Too funny! It was a great movie about faith and the power of it! Great to see a movie like this out there be a big hit!!

This movie was a pleasant surprise. Ending up watching it on a whim with my sister who loves any movie based on a true story. And, yes, while the film is very heavy-handed with the religious propaganda, it's understandable given the film's circumstances. Truly a very emotionally gripping story led by a truly outstanding performance by Chrissy Metz. Seriously, she carries the film and acts her butt off. The rest of the surprisingly all-star cast play their role well. Would definitely recommend for believers and non-believers alike.