Film Review: ‘Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot’

Written by: Celita Diaz-Perillo (07/03/2024)

Honest admission here. I have really been struggling to do justice to this movie review for Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot.

No kidding. I have been milling on how to write this review for weeks now. Maybe it is taking a while because the movie is packed FULL of important messages and details that overstimulated my heart, mind, and soul; and I’ve needed to process the ins and outs of this story, and how it correlates with real life. Maybe I was convicted? Or… Maybe it’s because this movie GREATLY affected me, and I am still trying to determine how I can lay it all out for you all without spoiling it for you.

First and foremost, this movie is based on real events that took place in Deep East, Texas in 1996. We must take that into consideration as we go forward. Wading through each chunk of story- with its good, bad and ugly- can ONLY be confronted by remembering that “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28), after a while. I am not stating that lightly, but, rather, I am asking you to hold on to that as you proceed in the viewing of Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot (should you choose to watch it- which I highly recommend you do).

Possum Trot is a movie about a seed of compassion that grows by way of a season of grief, depression, and loss in the Martin family. That seed grows and proceeds to involve their church and the entire community. It starts a profound movement that upturns the lives of the most vulnerable of society- “the children that ain’t got nobody”, the children in the foster care system.

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” (James 1:27)

There are innumerable challenges presented in the imperfect, flawed individuals of the Martin’s church. They are real-to-life scenarios that prepare hearts in the town of Possum Trot for the most urgent calls. (These may not be specifically noted, but they are my own observations.)

• The call to acknowledge, listen, and obey; to lay aside one’s self and one’s own ideas for the future.

• The call to give freely and abundantly, even sacrificing self and comfort, to the truly needy.

• The call to serve and “do unto others”, because whatever we do to “the least of these”, we do as unto Jesus.

• The call to trust God in the process, to rely on Him, to cling to Him, to believe in Him- even when all doesn’t appear to be going smoothly. Because we know that we want permanent fixes, not temporary.

• The call to intercede and pray unceasingly, over and with one another.

• The call to unite as a body to do the worthwhile, hard, seemingly impossible things, in Jesus’ strength, wisdom, and help; in His direction and guidance.

• The call not to look at “the lack”, with doubt, but as a boy with a few loaves and fishes, to offer freely, with a whole heart, and wait expectantly, with faith, for miracles.

• The call to be faithful in the little things so that later we can be faithful in the big things.

Answering a call of God bears fruit, and, in this case, it is the tender touch of healing on the minds and lives of children and youth (watch the movie to the end!). It is the growth of a community as they battle for the welfare of these young people, as they pray for them, as they fight to love them even when it is hard. It is watching young and old come together to serve and do what is good, right, true, and pure in the eyes of the Lord. It is the growth in the givers and in the takers. It is awesome.

What can I say other than this movie will touch and affect you. It will make you incredibly uncomfortable, but, if you wait it out to the end, you will also be abundantly blessed.

There are many different themes that will be presented throughout this film. There are characters who go from challenge to triumph, from broken to healed, from doubtful to full of faith, etc…

The cast of characters, from youngest to oldest, are amazing! No tackiness or flimsy acting presented, at all.

Heavy and hard topics are confronted with compassion, grace, and Jesus!

Whether you have a real understanding of the foster care/ adoption system or not, there is so much to be gained by watching Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot. New perspective, maybe. Motivation to act on something you’ve already felt God leading you to, perhaps. Maybe you need to turn your heart back to Jesus, to surrender to Him, to rededicate your life to Him. Wherever you are… However you are… just remember that we can be movers and shakers for the kingdom of God. We can “See a need; fill a need”! (from the kids’ movie, Robots)

Whatever the case may be, you must know this… You are seen, heard, wanted, and known. Jesus loves you!

“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation. God sets the lonely in families…” (Psalm 68: 5-6)

5/5