Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.0

God Bless the Broken Road Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman December 7, 2018

With the recent news that Kino Lorber will be releasing Bob Fosse’s film version of Sweet Charity, that ticks off at least one more 1969 musical film “behemoth” (if you’re prone toward disparagement, anyway) that high definition fans will be able to add to their collections. Some may already have Hello, Dolly! in their collections, but two other “big” movie musicals from that year have yet to see the Blu- ray light of day. Goodbye, Mr. Chips was “Part 2” of Leslie Bricusse’s sometimes derided trifecta of movie musicals which I discussed at some length in both my Scrooge Blu-ray review and Doctor Dolittle Blu-ray review (the two other films in that particular Bricusse triptych). The last remaining “big” musical of 1969 was Paint Your Wagon, a film which perhaps arguably was the most successful of any of the musicals released that year in terms of return on investment, even if that’s a decidedly relative term in this case. And what does all of this have to do with God Bless the Broken Road, you may well be asking at this point? Well, there’s a certain through line from Paint Your Wagon to this cliché ridden but undeniably emotional enterprise about trauma and ultimately restored faith, and that through line is the perhaps unexpected aggregation known as the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Perhaps aiming for a bit of the “youth market”, Paint Your Wagon included a cameo sequence for the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, who romped through a tune called “Hand Me Down That Can Of Beans” (remarkably, it did not go Top 40, and, yes, that’s a joke). And while Rascal Flatts recorded what is arguably the best known version of the song (one that is utilized in this very film), the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band were also responsible for the song called “Bless the Broken Road”, which is an obvious source of inspiration for not just the title, but the underlying content, of God Bless the Broken Road.

The closing credits for the film single out Michigan for special thanks, since it seems like the bulk of the movie was shot there, but the IMDb also lists Santa Clarita, California, but one way or the other, a not very convincing “Afghanistan” begins the film, with a quick vignette introducing a gaggle of American soldiers on some kind of mission in the back country. That almost instantly segues to “Kentucky” (Michigan?), where Amber Hill (Lindsay Pulsipher) and her daughter Bree (Makenzie Moss) are counting the days until the return of Amber’s husband and Bree’s Dad from combat duty, and so it’s not hard to put two and two together in terms of the brief scene opening the film. Amber and Bree head off to church, a sure cinematic sign that these are “good people”, but at a choir rehearsal where Amber is obviously the leader, two dour faced soldiers arrive and announce that Sergeant Hill has been killed in action. (Now I understand granting leeway for dramatic purposes, but as someone who grew up in a military family, I have to say it’s patently ridiculous that a detail like one announcing the death of a family member would come to a church and interrupt a rehearsal to deliver this devastating news.)

A year later, Amber is in the throes of several struggles. Her relationship with Bree is troubled since Amber is forced to work nonstop to try to pay the bills, though at least Amber is still insisting Bree goes to church (more of that “good people” stuff, in case it wasn’t clear). Amber is also in a bit of a standoff with her mother-in-law Patti (Kim Delaney), who seems intent on taking Bree and raising her herself. The film is already tipping precariously into melodrama, an aspect that may strike some viewers as being particularly manipulative, given the fact that it’s more than obvious heartstrings are not being merely tugged, they’re virtually being yanked. When hotshot NASCAR driver Cody Jackson (Andrew W. Walker) shows up in town with a troubled past of his own, the trajectory of these characters is all but a foregone conclusion, something else that makes all the interstitial overheated drama perhaps a bit frustrating on occasion.

The fact that God Bless the Broken Road manages to combine Christianity, Country Music and NASCAR might be evidence enough of the demographic this film is aiming for, and in that regard, it's probably a complete bullseye. Those who like to see troubled characters finally reconnect with their faith, with a perceived "happily ever after" waiting conveniently at the end of all the trials and tribulations, will no doubt get their fill of grace and salvation here. But a lot of this film feels awfully mechanical, with roiling dysfunctions simply tossed by the wayside once "true faith" is found. It perhaps slights the very real pain that families who experience this kind of horrifying news experience, but the film does tap into an emotional well that's quite deep, to the point that even curmudgeonly critic types (ahem) may find a rather large lump in their throats as the story unfolds.

God Bless the Broken Road Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

God Bless the Broken Road is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Lionsgate Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.40:1. The closing credits for the film have the "Red" logo, and this another sharp and appealingly detailed presentation that has been digitally captured by that brand of camera. There's not a lot of "wow" to the visuals here, with much of the film concentrating on the hard working, everyday life of Amber, but perhaps appropriately given that character's first name, there's a kind of buttery yellow suffused light that often informs some of the material here. Outdoor scenes pop nicely, with good detail levels across the board, and even most interior scenes offer good fine detail levels. There were a couple of very brief flirtations with banding in the bookending sequences supposedly taking place in Afghanistan, but otherwise this is a problem free presentation.

God Bless the Broken Road Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The soundstage of God Bless the Broken Road opens up the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track pretty significantly when either music plays or the NASCAR element sneaks in, but otherwise this is a fairly relentlessly talky, small scale drama where quite a bit of the surround activity is fairly subtle placement of ambient environmental noises. That said, the film has a glut of outdoor material, and that does provide opportunities for at least sporadic immersion. The musical elements, both source cues, and a few performances actually on screen, sound clear and inviting (the closing credits seem to suggest that Pulsipher is lip synching to someone else's voice, in case anyone cares). Dialogue is always rendered cleanly and clearly on this problem free track.

God Bless the Broken Road Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Delivering God's Message: Casting God Bless the Broken Road (1080p; 14:57) is standard issue EPK fare, with various cast members waxing poetic about the other performers and/or the roles they themselves are playing.


• Restoring Faith: Mending the Broken Road (1080p; 7:12) is more of the same, this time focused on literally "keeping the faith".


• Pedals and Prayers: Racing Alongside God (1080p; 7:04) looks at what might be called the NASCAR element of the film.


• Keeping the Promise (1080p; 3:38) is a PSA promoting DAV.org.


• Victories: Bobby, Mike and Carmen (1080p; 1:03) is another brief DAV PSA featuring wounded vets.

God Bless the Broken Road Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

If the non-Bricusse trifecta of Christianity, Country Music and NASCAR gets your heart pumping, God Bless the Broken Road will almost certainly meet your expectations. Those with a more jaded world view may find this film awfully calculating, with a few bumps in the road itself in terms of its character unfolding and general track (racecar or otherwise) of the storyline. Performances can be a little wobbly here at times, but the underlying message is certainly worthwhile, especially with regard to wounded vets who manage to get back stateside, if sometimes in pretty bad shape. Technical merits are solid for those considering a purchase.