Preacher's Kid Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.0

Preacher's Kid Blu-ray Movie Review

A watery but well-intentioned modern parable earns a solid AV presentation...

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown April 27, 2010

The problem with films billed as inspirational is that they tend to sacrifice honesty and realism in favor of heartstrings and feel-good simplicity. Ironically, religious filmmakers are often the culprits, reducing the intricacies of sin and redemption, as well as the dark reaches of the human heart, to a palpable series of message points fit for mass consumption. Preacher's Kid isn't complicated by any means and, PG-13 rating aside, doesn't drift too far from the beaten family-friendly path. In it, Destiny's Child alum turned solo R&B singer-songwriter LeToya Luckett stars as Angie King, the dutiful daughter of a stern but respected Bishop (Gregory Alan Williams) who defies her father's wishes and joins a traveling Gospel troop. But while her journey promises the young woman new love and new opportunities, she soon finds herself in spiritual quicksand. She may have run away with a band of gospel singers, but not everyone practices what they preach. Late nights, parties, recklessness, recreational drugs, and a physically abusive boyfriend slowly teach her the value of the safe haven she left behind. The only problem? Angie begins to wonder if she can ever go home again or, for that matter, if her father could ever forgive her. Loosely based on the parable of the Prodigal Son, the story meanders along at an at-times maddeningly slow pace (only to lurch ahead with ten minutes to spare), but offers genre fans stirring gospel songs and accessible moralizing aplenty, as well as an upright (albeit syrupy) adaptation of a classic tale.

Beware traveling Gospel shows, kiddies. Wait, what?

Luckett and her co-stars are likable enough (despite chomping and chewing on every line that comes their way) and writer/director Stan Foster's modernization of the Prodigal Son is more spirited and soulful than a mere paint-by-numbers contemporization. Melodrama abounds, sure, but I'd rather spend two hours with a cast of passionate performers than grit my teeth through another round of spot-my-next-door-neighbor's-dad. Moreover, Foster manages to inject some welcome wit and swagger into his dialogue, a feat few first-time writer/directors achieve. Even when his narrative reeks of convenience and his plot developments are hindered by convention, his script isn't overwhelmed by sermonizing. His is a purer tale of ego and redemption; one that doesn't require a hammer to pound its point home. However, Foster is so busy expanding and reinventing the story of the Prodigal Son that he inadvertently negates the essence of Jesus' meticulously constructed parable. No longer a clear-cut symbol of a patient, understanding Father, Angie's dad is a stubborn, asthmatic, temperamental shepherd dealing with as many issues as his daughter. Hardly the sort of archetypal character that holds up to New Testament scrutiny. Foster also ejects the original tale's short-sighted sibling, brushes past the concept of squandering a wealthy Father's gifts and good graces, and ignores the final stages of humility that finally brings a lost child home. The framework of the Prodigal Son is in place, but its subtleties, nuances, and complexities have been stripped away, more often than not, to its detriment.

Sadly, Preacher's Kid also fails to overcome the one obstacle that arguably hampers almost every Christian-helmed production on the market: realistically portraying the perils of sin and the repulsive nature of depravity without alienating a film's core, church-going demographic. Not that I envy Foster's dilemma for a second. He clearly has a grasp on the problem -- he does a better job of addressing the tone and tenor of a lost and dying world than director Alex Kendrick does in Facing the Giants and Fireproof -- but his presentation of Angie's trials and tribulations barely earn their PG-13 stripes, much less lend legitimate weight or believability to her circumstances or the consequences of her decisions. It's strange really. The Bible is a decidedly R-rated book that rarely, if ever, pulls a single punch. Can you imagine the story of David and Bathsheba as told by modern Christian filmmakers? Samson and Delilah? Abraham and Lot? Adam and Eve? Job? The whole of Genesis and Revelation? More to the point, the Prodigal Son? Sheltering a congregation from the more violent or sexual aspects of these stories is par for the course in this day and Red State age, but such troubling dilution and realignment robs each tale of its impact, relevance, and resonance. The key difference between the Bible and its current cinematic contemporizations is that the Bible's authors addressed and depicted sinful acts without neutering their subject matter and without being gratuitous. When ugliness is depicted in the Bible, it's ugly. When sinful acts are described, so too is the terrible toll those acts take on the sinner. As such, I'm convinced mature content and themes can in fact be navigated and realized in Christian productions without being legitimately offensive. (Tempted to debate this assertion? Might I humbly suggest revisiting The Passion.)

Am I suggesting every film based on the Prodigal Son and other rough-n-tumble Biblical stories come attached with an R-rating? Not at all. Prince of Egypt is a PG-rated animated musical and still has plenty of bite. But if directors like Foster and Fireproof's Alex Kendrick really want to reach people beyond the choir, they have to find a way to capture snapshots of the world as it is, not the world as seen from the inside of a comfy, family-friendly church. Had Foster relied on realism, or even managed to strike a more convincing tone, Preacher's Kid could have easily retained its PG-13 rating and still made Angie's descent into sin more potent, meaningful, applicable and, above all else, honest. We learn the most from the experiences that challenge and scar us; we learn more about ourselves when confronted with our flaws than with our achievements; we grow deeper when we realize we aren't capable of handling everything that comes our way on our own. If Christian films gave us characters who went through similar straits, darkness and despair intact, they would be more powerful and more relevant for it. Until then, you'll just have to shrug your shoulders through dull but decent fare like Preacher's Kid, a film that will appeal to front-pew sensibilities, but leave stragglers longing for a meatier message.

Preacher's Kid Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Blu-ray edition of Preacher's Kid features a capable, able-bodied 1080p/VC-1 transfer that does a fine job separating itself from its modestly budgeted, direct-to-video roots. The image is clean and stable, ringing and aliasing are nowhere to be found, and artifacting and source noise are kept to an absolute minimum. Primaries and skintones are impressive as well (albeit tainted by a faint, sickly green sheen on occasion), and black levels are satisfying on the whole. More than anything though, I was taken with the presentation's fine detailing. It doesn't offer the sharpest picture I've seen, nor the most revealing, but its textures are refined and rewarding, closeups look much better than I expected, and object definition is consistent and commendable (without the use of any jarring edge enhancement). If anything, the image is plagued by the same pinched dimensionality that spoils similar DTV releases; a relative shortcoming that reflects the film's budget, not the quality of Warner's encode. All things considered, the studio's transfer delivers a slick, proficient presentation that allows Preacher's Kid to look about as good as it conceivably could.

Preacher's Kid Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Preacher's Kid may not boast the most sophisticated sound design, but Warner Brothers' bright and bustling DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track handily outclasses many of the hit-or-miss, direct-to-video misfires I've endured in the past and, in some regards, bests some of the studio's top-bill releases. Dialogue is crisp, intelligible, and well-prioritized, voices remain nice and warm throughout, and ambience, while a bit flat on occasion, stands its ground. Yes, a handful of scenes sound stagier than they should, and yes, ADR is terribly obvious at times, but neither emerge as a distraction. It helps that the LFE channel lends toe-tapping fervor to the film's gospel music, sound effects and soaring instruments are surprisingly robust, and the rear speakers fill crowded sets with chatty party-goers, excitable congregation members, and unruly club-hoppers. Were I in a fouler mood, I might argue the hurried activity is overbearing at times, but I love when a track makes me turn my head. Directionality is aggressive (if not a tad inexact), separation is decent, and pans are fairly smooth. Again, the mix isn't groundbreaking by any means, but it, along with Warner's video transfer, adds welcome value to an otherwise forgettable release.

Preacher's Kid Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Blu-ray edition of Preacher's Kid includes a decent collection of supplements, particularly for a niche direct-to-video release. First up is "The Music of the Preacher's Kid" (HD, 9 minutes), a solid, decidedly laid back look at the songs, instrumentation, and inspiration behind the film's score and soundtrack. "The Prodigal Experiences" (HD, 15 minutes), is more promotional in nature, but gives key members of the cast and crew the opportunity to discuss the film's production, the process of contemporarizing a well-known parable, and Foster's characters, themes, and direction. "LeToya Luckett: A Rising Star" (HD, 3 minutes) follows suit, even though it's much too short to properly introduce the singer turned actress to those unfamiliar with her work or career. "The Preacher's Kid in Atlanta" (HD, 2 minutes) comes and goes even more quickly, briefly touching on the film's locations. Finally, a series of fourteen fairly redundant "Deleted Scenes" (SD, 23 minutes) rounds out the package.

Preacher's Kid Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Preacher's Kid will appease its target audience, but it's better suited to Bible Study viewings and small group discussions than a free Friday evening. If it had some more meat on its bones, anything of real-world substance, it might be worth recommending. Instead, it's a sugar-coated cautionary tale; an adaptation of a vastly superior, unexpectedly multi-faceted parable. Ah well. Warner's Blu-ray release will at least please the film's fanbase. Blessed with a solid video transfer, strong DTS-HD Master Audio surround track, and a digestible batch of special features, it justifies its price tag. My advice? If you enjoy sweet but shallow spiritual fare, Preacher's Kid is worth renting. If not, hold out hope for a more believable Biblical contemporization.