Who payed the critics

Surprisingly incoherent and boring

Good concept, poorly executed.

As Good As It Gets

I watch tons of movies, shows, and documentary's. This is one of the best films I've watched. This film is done in a tasteful fashion. This film is nothing but inspiring! Heart touching! And mind opening! This is a MUST WATCH FILM!!! After watching over 2,200 movies there has only been a few that have spoken with such inspirational volune like this film. Please watch it! We get so caught up in big block busters when it's actually these types of films that speak to us on a personal level and actually produce something that can inspire us.

The film is heartwarming, without being sappy. It is also thought provoking, and could definitely prompt thoughtful conversations on a wide range of topics. In this day and age of Big Box Stores, Big Blockbuster Films, Huge Meal Deals, it's refreshing to see a real film, with real people, reminding us of the simple things in life. But it is by no means simple. I am still thinking about it, and the life scenarios it brings to focus. How often does that happen anymore? I submit, not often enough.This film follows the personal journey of a former high school superstar, struggling later in life, and his own high-school aged daughter, and a gem of a human being named Produce, who will make you smile. The film wholeheartedly supports the movement to end negativity and eliminate the use of the "R" word- not for trite, political correctness, but because of the humanity that connects us all.

It's not often a movie without million dollar special effects, larger than life heroes, marauding space invaders, high speed chases and machine gun shoot-outs has the ability to make an impact on the typical jaded movie-goer. While slightly predictable character evolutions and plot twists are present in this film, those factors are easily overshadowed by the movie's positive message of acceptance, tolerance and basic human decency. The writers found the right recipe for making a faith based movie which speaks to the principles of morality and values, and the basic human struggles to live these principles, without coming across as "preachy" or condescending. Above all else, this film allows people to see that individuals whom society consider to be flawed or defective are much more alike than they are different from everyone else. It's a joy to see special needs individuals being portrayed as the useful, contributing, valuable, and simply HUMAN members of society they are. Bravo!

he last Christian-themed or faith-based movie I actually enjoyed was "Fireproof" and that was more than seven years ago, I was a single man and that movie even spoke to me, whether or not you're married, whether or not you're a believer, you can learn a lot from "Fireproof," and I think that's what makes WHERE HOPE GROWS effective, is that you may be at the point in your life where you're still looking for what it is that you'd like to believe in, but you can still get something out of watching this good-hearted film that changes you for the better.I'm with you there when I say that I don't like movies that are too preachy or all up in your face, shoving sermons down your throat, which is why I had avoided pretty much every faith-based movie since "Fireproof" because the level of preachiness just went through the roof, most of them were not even about story and characters anymore. If I wanted to watch sermons, I'd simply just straight up watch it off youtube, there's tons of evangelical seminars on the web, but if I come to watch a film, a film is what I want to end up watching.From writer/director Chris Dowling, WHERE HOPE GROWS, in a nutshell is about Kristoffer Polaha's character, Calvin Campbell, a former pro baseball player whose career was cut short due to panic attacks at the plate. Nowadays, he turns to alcohol for solace and struggles raising his teen daughter (McKaley Miller). Calvin strikes an unlikely friendship with a young man with down syndrome, Produce (David DeSanctis) who works at a local grocery store. This friendship gives Calvin a new look on life as he finds redemption, but this friendship will also be put to the test.I think it's wise move on the filmmakers' part that they cast an actual man with down syndrome to play Produce, instead of having actors like Cuba Gooding Jr. ("Radio") or Dustin Hoffman ("Rain Man") for example. There is a benefit to actors convincingly pretending to be what they're not, but there is an even more benefit to just giving the role to someone who literally knows what it's like to be that person. And David does a fantastic job of balancing vulnerability, humor, and ingenuity. You take a few seconds look at David and the way he carries himself, and it suddenly makes you want to be a better person. I must admit, as far as filmmaking goes, it's extremely simple, nothing much about it that would blow your mind, this is a case of working within the budget that you're given. The plot is also very thin, very generic, this is the type of road from self pity to redemption that you've seen a thousand times before, but I still enjoy the themes quite much, and I think WHERE HOPE GROWS is an important film that young generation today need to watch so that they can learn to be more sensitive and tolerant and more accepting of those whose are different from us.Read more at Ramascreen.Com