Story: In the late 1960s, Pastor Chuck Smith, Greg Laurie, and Lonnie Frisbee were influential members of the Jesus Movement in California. The three brought astonishing vitality and surprising vibrancy to a failing church.
Examine: The Jesus movement gained notoriety as the largest spiritual awakening in American history when it quickly spread throughout most states after starting in California in the late 1960s. Regretfully, this movie, which is based on a book that Ellen Santilli Vaughn and Greg Laurie, two influential members of the movement, co-wrote, falls short of exploring the full scope of the phenomenon. Instead of delving into the difficult issues surrounding the movement, the movie chooses to tell a didactic story. In the end, it settles for a surface-level depiction, losing the opportunity to weave an engaging story out of what was originally the cover story of Time Magazine.
The film is set in 1968 and follows Chuck Smith (Kelsey Grammer), a California minister in charge of Calvary Chapel, as he realizes how disconnected the church is from the younger generation. When he meets Lonnie Frisbee (Jonathan Roumie), a charismatic hippie who promotes Jesus' teachings, the story takes a different course. They team up because they see an opportunity for a revolutionary movement to connect with the hippie subculture. The story of Greg Laurie (Joel Courtney), a high school student who is impacted by Lonnie's sermons and eventually becomes a vital member of the movement, is woven into this tapestry.
When "Jesus Revolution" is compared to the actual historical movement it attempts to depict, it falls flat. While traversing the nuanced relationship between Chuck Smith and Lonnie Frisbee, the movie strays from the real source of tension. Those who are familiar with the actual events understand that Frisbee's expulsion stemmed more from his gay orientation than from disagreements over his method of faith healing. Choosing a safer storyline, the movie handles this important detail with caution.
Pastor Chuck Smith is portrayed by Kelsey Grammer, who does a remarkable job of bringing a touch of humor and warmth to the role. Though he looks a little older than anticipated, Jonathan Roumie, who plays Lonnie Frisbee, has a revitalizing presence. The film attempts a bold fusion of the countercultural forces of Jesus and the hippie movements, both of which were influential in igniting cultural revolutions. The story, however, stops short of exploring the fundamental core of these two significant movements, making the movie, at most, a lighthearted and cursory investigation.
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