Review of I Can Only Imagine (2018) by Thequietgamer — 24 Aug 2018

About as safe and inoffensive as you can get. A little humor and a lot of heart. Even the religious nature of the film isn't all that in your face. The references to God and spirituality take a back seat to the uplifting tale of facing past traumas and mending broken relationships. It even marks another step up in terms of production quality for faith-based films.

It's biggest issue is simply the familiarity of the premise. It doesn't stray too far from what one would expect from these kind of heartwarming biographical dramas. It's depictions of things like the main character's suffering and eventual healing are all very formulaic. It's sweet, but maybe just a little manipulative.

J. Michael Finley really impresses in his first starring role. He's got great comedic timing and is very charismatic. His voice is that of a slightly southern Chris Pratt. An all around likable presence and a key reason for the movie's genuine goodness.

7.