If you are a fan of series like Yellowstone and 1883, Redeeming Love will open and break your heart at the same time. The film stars Abigail Cowen as “Angel” and is based on the novel, Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. Don’t think I’m saying “break your heart” as in it is bad, read on for my review. This post contains my Amazon affiliate link, this is my disclosure. Please note this film deals with serious topics such as child sex slaves and human trafficking.
Movie Review
Redeeming Love has a run time of two hours and thirteen minutes and in that time your heart will be open to a little girl that has to grow up really fast due to her life situation. You’ll see the whole story in Angel’s flashbacks and you’ll see a young woman just trying to survive and understand the life she’s living. And as noted above, prepare yourself as you will also feel the sadness of a broken heart with everything young Angel endures and how her mind works trying to get around all of the trauma she has experience in her life. It’s not a traditional love story like you would imagine, but the story itself is long and arduous, you’ll feel satisfied in the end but you’ll still have mixed feelings on everything that happened during the film.
Based on a Book
I have not read the book, and probably will not. I understand it is religious themed and while there are bits of religion within the film, the large part of the film is that Angel is a woman that has experienced a lot of hard living that is not considered “Christ-like”. It’s not heavy on the “fire and brimstone” and I enjoyed the film more knowing that the main theme of the film wasn’t religious, it was a nice add-so to the movie. Pick up the book below:
Okay for Kids?
Surprisingly is have been given the rating of PG-13. I thought it was Rated R. As you can imagine there are sexual acts portrayed in the film several times being that Angel is a prostitute in a brothel and a love story of sorts. Angel is naked in a lot of the scenes in the beginning but her breasts are never fully exposed, so that could have been how the film never hit the R rating. But expect other stronger content other than just the sexual kind.
About The Movie
In the lead role of “Angel” is the multi-talented actress Abigail Cowen, one of Hollywood’s rising stars, who headlines the popular Netflix original series “Fate: The Winx Saga.” Cowen was immediately drawn to Angel’s character after reading the script. “Angel is an incredibly complex character who, after suffering a lifetime of abuse, empowered by love, claws her way out of a world of human trafficking and into a place of triumph. It is a very inspiring and timeless story.”
REDEEMING LOVE is a powerful and timeless love story that takes place against the backdrop of the California Gold Rush of 1850. The story centers on Angel (Cowen), who was sold into prostitution as a child. She has survived through hatred and self-loathing, until she meets Michael Hosea (Tom Lewis) and discovers there is no brokenness that love can’t heal. The story reflects the redemptive power of unconditional and sacrificial love with characters and circumstances relevant to the contemporary world. Directed by D.J. Caruso. Starring Abigail Cowen, Tom Lewis, Logan Marshall-Green, Eric Dane, Wu Ke-Xi, Livi Birch, Brandon Auret, Jamie Lee O’Donnell, Tanya van Graan, and Famke Janssen.