Film Review ‘All Saints’

Written by: Kelly Meade (6/25/17)

Struggling to decide if we’re following God’s will can be difficult. Sometimes God uses extraordinary circumstances to take us places we never expected. Based on actual events, All Saints follows the inspiring story of a small community coming together to help their church find its true purpose.

Pastor Michael Spurlock arrives in Smyrna, Tennessee with his wife Aimee & their young son as a temporary position until the church and the land surrounding it is sold. Coming from their most recent post in New York City, the family doesn’t quite fit in with the small, old-fashioned congregation. Michael attempts to convince them to let go of the church in favor of joining the larger megachurch nearby and is determined not to get attached, though he also tries to help them where he can.

A refugee community relocates to the town and while many in the town and church are not welcoming, Michael sees their need and wants to do something about it. Michael makes an appeal to the local business owners to try to get assistance and work for the family.

When surveyors come to start making plans for the property after the church is sold, Michael realizes the church & its people are worth more than any potential gain from the sale. Afterwards, he believes he’s called by God to develop a plan of his own to save the church and begins putting things into motion to achieve that.

Refugee Ye Win is portrayed as a hardworking, caring individual who is dedicated to assisting as many other refugees in the area as possible. He also begins working closely with Michael to help see Michael’s plan for the church come to fruition. He shares how missionaries taught the refugees about Jesus in the refugee camp in their homeland.

Through the many ups and downs, even when it looked like everything that Michael, Ye Win and others had worked tirelessly at would fail, Aimee encourages Michael to not give up. The faith of everyone involved is truly tested as the church keeps running into setbacks. When it seems all was for nothing, an unexpected decision changes the outcome of the entire situation.

Stepping out in faith is never easy and we aren’t promised to be spared from hardships along the way, but through it all, we must continue believing that when we choose to trust God with every step, we will arrive where we’re meant to be.

Cast includes:
John Corbett as Michael Spurlock
Cara Buono as Aimee Spurlock
Nelson Lee as Ye Win
Barry Corbin as Forrest
Gregory Allen Williams as Bishop Eldon Thompson

4/5