Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot (2024) Angel/Drama RT: 127 minutes Rated PG-13 (thematic material involving child abuse, some violence, language, brief suggestive material) Director: Joshua Weigel Screenplay: Joshua and Rebekah Weigel Music: Sean Johnson Cinematography: Benji Bakshi and Sean Patrick Kirby Release date: July 4, 2024 (US) Cast: Nika King, Demetrius Grosse, Elizabeth Mitchell, Diaana Babnicova, Jillian Reeves, Kaysi J. Bradley, Della Golden, Aria Pulliam, Asher Clay, Taj Johnson, Rose Person, Jacinte Blankenship, Demian Castro, Lisha Wheeler, Roscoe Johnson, Sandra Jarrett, Rena Canady-Laster, Joshua Weigel, Dayna Beilenson, Jayden Tolbert, Sarah Hudson, Vickie Eng, Angela Davis, Ava Marie Harrison, Jaxon James, Ellis Hobbs IV, Jackson Abram.
Rating: ** ½
Last year, a little movie called Sound of Freedom became the surprise hit of the summer, grossing $184.2M against a $14.5M budget. It also generated a lot of controversy over its connection to QAnon conspiracy theories and questions about the accuracy of its supposedly true story. It was released by Angel Studios, a faith-based outfit new to the scene. It’s still their highest grossing film to date with last spring’s biopic Cabrini running a distant second with $19.7M.
They’re hoping to repeat their only success with the in-name-only follow-up Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot. The studio even went as far as releasing it on July 4 like they did with Freedom. The truth is they only added Sound of Hope to the pre-existing title The Story of Possum Trot afteracquiring the distribution rights. The two movies have nothing to do with each other. Hope is not likely to generate any controversy. It’s not that kind of movie. Sure, it shines a light on our broken system as it pertains to children in foster care, but it doesn’t sensationalize or politicize the subject. It’s more of an inspirational drama that wears its Christianity on its sleeve.
Directed by Joshua Weigel, who co-wrote the screenplay with his wife Rebekah, Sound of Hope is based on a true story, but I’m sure you already knew that. It happened in the small rural town of Possum Trot in East Texas, a close-knit community of working class black people whose hearts are bigger than their wallets. The hub of Possum Trot is the Bennett Chapel Missionary Baptist overseen by the good Rev. W.C. Martin (Grosse, The Brave), a family man who genuinely believes what he preaches. His wife Donna (King, Euphoria), referred to by some as “First Lady”, stands by her man while raising their two kids, one of them disabled. Life isn’t too bad.
Donna falls into a depression after suffering a personal tragedy. She snaps out of it after God speaks to her. He tells her to adopt some children and not just any children, but the ones nobody else wants. W.C. questions it, but ultimately goes along with it. They take in three children, but that’s not the amazing part of the story. They inspire the rest of the people in town to do the same. In the end, 77 kids are adopted.
HOWEVER, not all is sunshine and flowers. Some of these children have real issues. One of them, a 12YO girl named Terri (Babnicova, Don’t Breathe 2), comes with a whole lot of mental and emotional baggage. The Martins insist on adopting her even though her case worker Susan Ramsey (Mitchell, The Santa Clause 2 & 3) tries to talk them out of it. She’s convinced the girl is beyond help. The Martins believe otherwise.
I’m not ashamed to admit I was moved by Sound of Hope. The ending when the Martins and Terri finally “turn a corner” had me a little teary eyed. As a drama, it’s emotionally effective. That doesn’t mean it’s a good movie. Let me reword that. It’s not a well made movie. It veers into melodrama at several points. There is some serious overacting going on by some. The dialogue is corny and obvious. And the biggest problem is the voiceover by Donna throughout the whole film. It sounds like really bad prose written by a high school girl who dreams of being a writer. Honestly, the movie doesn’t even need it. Shouldn’t the action on screen speak for itself?
Sound of Hope has more than its share of flaws, but I don’t think that’s going to matter to its intended audience. Ultimately, the Sunday after-church crowd is going to think it’s great. And you know what? They may be right….. to a degree. Compared to most of Angel Studios’ other movies (e.g. His Only Son, After Death), it’s a definite improvement. It’s never boring and it never promises not to preach although it is preaching to the choir.
Like the other titles from Angel, it ends with somebody (in this case, the real-life Martin couple) asking viewers to scan a QR code to buy tickets for those that can’t afford it. It still feels like soliciting donations to me, but whatever. In the end, Sound of Hope isn’t all that bad a movie. I give it credit for showing the good side of humanity in a time when all we see and hear about is the bad. That’s a big check in the plus column.
