Breakthrough (2019) 20th Century Fox/Drama RT: 116 minutes Rated PG (thematic content including peril) Director: Roxann Dawson Screenplay: Grant Nieporte Music: Marcelo Zarvos Cinematography: Zoran Popovic Release date: April 17, 2019 (US) Cast: Chrissy Metz, Josh Lucas, Topher Grace, Mike Colter, Marcelo Ruiz, Sam Trammell, Dennis Haysbert, Rebecca Staab, Maddy Martin, Isaac Kragten, Nikolas Dukic, Ali Skovbye, Taylor Mosby, Lisa Durupt, Stephanie Czajkowski, Victor Zinck Jr., Logan Creran, Annelise Pollmann. Box Office: $40.7M (US)/$50.4M (World)
Rating: ***
The problem with movies based on real life incidents is that the outcome is usually a given. Would they even make a movie if said incident didn’t end well? The movie’s very existence guarantees a happy ending for all involved. Besides, mass audiences generally don’t go to the movies that they know will bum them out. They want to feel uplifted and inspired as they leave the theater. Do you think Breakthrough would have happened if the teenage boy at the center of the story didn’t make it? I can say without a doubt that it would not. Therefore, there is no such thing as a spoiler when it comes to this particular movie. We absolutely know what’s going to happen.
In my profession, I’m required to maintain a sense of objectivity. I can’t allow my emotions to dictate how I review a film. It doesn’t matter if it puts a lump in my throat or wrings a few tears (and it’s happened more times than I care to admit), I have to give a fair review based solely on the work before me. That’s what I’m supposed to do anyway. The truth is it’s not always possible, at least not for me. As much as I try to resist, I can’t escape my emotions. Some movies, no matter how flawed, hit me right where it counts. This is what happened to me with Breakthrough, a faith-based drama about a terrible tragedy turned around by a mother’s love for her son and the strength of her faith.
It all went down in January 2015. While playing on a frozen lake with his friends, 14YO John Smith (Ruiz, One Day at a Time) falls through the ice and remains submerged in the freezing water for 15 minutes. The firefighter, Tommy Shine (Colter, Luke Cage), who rescues him hears a voice telling him exactly where to find the boy. What makes this miraculous is that he’s an avowed atheist. He’s convinced that one of his colleagues spoke the words and baffled when none of them cop to it. It makes him question his non-belief. But that’s not what Breakthrough is about.
The main focus of the film is John’s adoptive mother Joyce (Metz, This Is Us), a woman of strong faith who’s quick to judge anybody that doesn’t worship the Lord the same way she does. She doesn’t like her church’s new young pastor Jason (Grace, BlacKkKlansman) very much. He’s from California, has too hip a hairstyle and invites a (Christian) rapper to perform during Sunday services. Of course, all differences will be set aside in the face of impending tragedy.
John is initially declared dead after nearly an hour’s worth of revival attempts. There are no signs of life. That is, until Mom comes in and tearfully implores Jesus to give her back her boy. Suddenly, the EKG starts blipping. John’s not dead anymore but he’s still extremely critical. Even if he does wake up, there’s a good chance he will have permanent brain damage. The doctor in charge (Haysbert, Far from Heaven), a leading expert in such cases, doesn’t think he’ll make it through the night. In fact, a lot of people think that John’s a goner. Even his own father, Brian (Lucas, Sweet Home Alabama), can’t bear to be in John’s hospital room. Joyce, on the other hand, is absolutely convinced that the Lord will come through for her and save John. She bites the head off of anybody that dares to say different in her presence.
John’s plight sparks a movement across his St. Charles, MO community and, presumably, the rest of the world. His friends set up a FaceBook page asking for prayers for John that quickly goes viral. Outside the hospital one night, a crowd gathers for a candlelight vigil while one of his classmates sings a hymn. There’s not a dry eye to be found anywhere. But in a movie like Breakthrough, these things are bound to happen. Yet somehow it still manages to touch the heart in a way only the most shameless of tearjerkers can.
I’m not going to sit here and say Breakthrough represents fine cinema. I’m not even going to say it’s a good movie. I mean, it tells an interesting story and all that but it is seriously flawed. Sure, some of the facts have been changed for dramatic purposes. For example, the whole thing about the atheistic firefighter (who’s actually white in real life) rethinking his beliefs is fictional. It’s okay, this is a common occurrence in fact-based movies. Sometimes the drama needs to be amped up a bit to make it more cinematic. That’s not what I’m talking about here. The problem lies with the narrative. Certain information, like Joyce’s Type 1 diabetes, should have been revealed sooner. Some characters, like the ER doc (Trammell, True Blood) who witnesses John’s miraculous return to life, go underdeveloped. BTW, don’t you think it’s bit too coincidental that he’s the father of a classmate that John has a crush on?
Since Breakthrough is a Christian film, I believe it would be pointless to call it out for being one-sided. Yes, it takes a decidedly evangelical point of view when it comes to matters like faith and prayer. There is only one right answer; everybody else is dead wrong. But even if you take into consideration who the movie is made for and by whom, it’s still surprising that it was released by a major studio. I would think this is more of a Pure Flix kind of movie.
HOWEVER, the movie’s biggest problem concerns a question that isn’t even brought up until the final 15 minutes or so. Shortly after his recovery, somebody asks John why God chose to save him over so many others. Why is it some people die even though their loved ones offer up sincere prayers for them to live? If my years of religious education have taught me anything, it’s that big questions like this can’t be answered. Even so, it’s brought up only to go unexplored here. Are the makers afraid that it will get in the way of the sermon?
The acting in Breakthrough is pretty good even if the characters aren’t always fully realized. Metz does fine work as the tough but loving momma determined to show everybody that God is kind and merciful. There’s no way He will let her son die. Lucas doesn’t get a whole lot to do outside of looking worried and admonishing his wife for lashing out at hospital staff when they say things she doesn’t want to hear. Grace is okay as the young pastor. He has some good scenes with Metz. This whole situation with John brings them closer. He explains his methods to her; she begins to understand and accept him. But we knew that would eventually happen. Yes, Breakthrough is 100% predictable. Even if you don’t know the real story (which I didn’t), you can pretty much guess everything that will occur in the movie. But so what? If taken on its own terms including the understanding of its intended audience, it’s actually a pretty good movie.
