Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

All Saints Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman December 7, 2017

They say that God works in mysterious ways, but sometimes all it takes is a little faith, a helping hand, and some perseverance to see His miracles in action. All Saints tells the true story of the joining of a struggling Tennessee church and the Burmese Karen refugees who found in it a home. The film, from TV Director Steve Gomer and Writer Steve Armour, is a sweet and uplifting picture that recounts how several lost entities -- a financially broken church, a novice preacher, a disheartened church community, and wayward refugees -- came together in struggle and found community and grace together. The film was shot on location in Smyrna, Tennessee, where the real church is a visual centerpiece and narrative cornerstone but the greater heart on display comes from the affirming message on strength and faith through all challenges.

Pleading the case.

All Saints Episcopal Church in Smyrna, Tennessee is a building that is losing its body. Attendance has dried up and the decision from above and afar has been made to close its doors and sell off the building and the land. The stalwart attendees, what few of them remain, are obviously not thrilled about losing their church home. When a new priest, Michael Spurlock (John Corbett), fresh out of school, is assigned the post to oversee the sale and transition the members away, he is shunned and largely ignored; after all, people are going to barely know him before they'll have to go their separate ways. Things change when Spurlock meets Ye Win (Nelson Lee), a Burmese Karen Christian refugee who is facilitating the transition of a small group of people to life in rural America, away from the bloodshed and impossible conditions from which they have fled. Spurlock finds himself drawn to them and fights to stave off the church's pending sale. He and Win devise a plan to use the church's ample land to grow crops to sell to both pay off the church's debts and provide food for the families in need. But it will take a community-wide effort, and a little divine intervention, to get the project off the ground, never mind make it a success.

All Saints builds up an honest, straightforward, gentle-hearted narrative about, first, standing up for what is right and, later, struggling to make sense of the world and, finally, persevering through challenges. The picture gains substantial heart as the story unfolds, as its pieces come more into focus. It can be a little jumbled in its opening act, shifting about and introducing three unique groups -- the Spurlock family, the church congregation, and the Karens -- all in some state of transitional upheaval and uncertainty. The pastor and his family won't be there long, the church members are essentially being evicted from their longtime spiritual home, and the Karens are in search of a new place to call home. But once things get rolling, the film takes off thanks to its tender heart, moving developments, and efficient narrative and character construction. The film builds a story of faith even through crisis. It doesn't sugar-coat the realities or make divine intervention the saving grace; in fact, the story takes a literally dark and wet turn towards its end that puts into question God's providence over the church and its crop. Characters struggle to come to terms with various realities, whether acceptance, belief, or finances. It's very well done, tender but true, uncomfortable and harsh in places but honest to its story and the very tangible realities that drive it, both physically and spiritually alike.

The cast is always on top of things, with the primaries delivering convincing, spiritually grounded work and who get to the bottom of their arcs and evolutions but also the unseen driving forces that guide them, both the bonds they form amongst themselves and the greater hand leading them through thick and thin, and in this movie's case, mostly thin. John Corbett delights as the novice preacher who guides the church and the Karen from the brink of ruin to the precipice of something special. He brings a well-rounded combination of heart, passion, doubt, anger, and love to the role, evolving and struggling as every man does as challenges mount but the fruits of his labor bloom, literally and figuratively alike. Barry Corbin is wonderful as the hard-edged church member and Vietnam veteran who slowly warms to both the idea of the Karens in his church and community and the notion of farming the church land. The character is stubborn but practical, good hearted but guarded, and his evolution is probably the most enjoyable character bit from the film. Nelson Lee shines as Ye Win, the spiritual center of the movie, the man who is essentially the voice for his people and the man whose interactions with the church -- both with Spurlock and the Bishops -- sets the story in motion. His performance is sincere, tender, and seemingly faithful to the character's plight, his big heart, and determination to see the project succeed at any cost.

All Saints Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

All Saints was digitally photographed, and not at the high end of the digital spectrum. The 1080p transfer is adequate, inoffensive, but never does it really grab one's attention. Core basics are fine. Details are serviceably complex, particularly some of the brickwork outside the church, rusted and dirty old trucks and tractors, and some religious garb. Grasses and skin, with more potential for smaller and more intimate details, don't often find the sort of inherent sharpness and clarity and distinction as one would find from a higher-yield source. Colors run a touch drab, but core shades, whether clothes, green grasses, brick work, or other essentials, find enough basic saturation and accuracy to please. Black levels are a little wishy-washy, appearing a bit bland and bright in spots but firmer and more naturally dense in others. Flesh tones can push mildly pasty. A little bit of noise is visible in places, but other major source or encode problems are few and far between.

All Saints Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

All Saints features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack that reproduces core, essential elements with ease and satisfactory clarity. Music finds positive front-end extension and some gentle surround hints. Instrumental clarity is good and supportive bass lends a modest bottom. The track offers pleasant environmental elements, whether light reverberations inside the church or modest exterior ambience. A few good directional and individually positioned elements dot the track. Thunder rolls and heavy rains falls to satisfaction later in the movie. Dialogue propels most of the film, and it enjoys firm center placement, quality prioritization, and natural detail.

All Saints Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Sony's Blu-ray release of All Saints contains a handful of extras, including featurettes and deleted scenes. A UV digital copy code is included with purchase.

• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 2:14 total runtime): Here for a Reason, Taking on Debt, and Our Home Is Yours.
• Act of Faith (1080p, 5:22): A quick exploration of the role of faith in the real story and the positive outcome of trusting God. It also takes a quick look at the Karen people.
• All Saints: The Cast & Community (1080p, 5:06): This piece briefly explores the Karen's arrival at All Saints and how the solution to their problems and the church's problems was revealed in their joining. It also looks at getting the movie made and the filmmakers' purpose for it.
• On Location in Tennessee (1080p, 3:55): Shooting on location in Smyrna, Tennessee.
• Ye Win and the Karen (1080p, 4:36): A closer look at the real life history of the people depicted in the film, with emphasis on one of the film's main characters, Ye Win.
• The Pastors of All Saints (1080p, 5:31): This extra explores the real life of Michael Spurlock and his work and experiences and successes and failures at the church.
• Previews: Additional Sony titles.

All Saints Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

All Saints is a fine faith-based film, based on a true story, that covers a lot of ground -- divine providence, trust, friendship, hard work, dedication, belief -- but does so genuinely and efficiently. The film is a little slow to begin but once things are properly arranged it takes off and proves to be an accessible, enjoyable movie with a lot of positive messaging to offer. Performances are excellent and the film is well-paced in its purpose. Sony's Blu-ray offers good video and audio as well as a smattering of added bonus content. Recommended.