Yulianti ~ Letter to God

Letters To God 

Primary Audience:

Kids Family Teens Adults

Genre:

Drama Adaptation

Length:

1 hr. 50 min.

Year of Release:

2010

USA Release:

April 9, 2010 (wide—900+ theaters)
DVD: August 10, 2010

Featuring :  Robyn Lively (Maddy Doherty), Jeffrey Johnson (Brady McDaniels), Bailee Madison (Sam), Maree Cheatham (Olivia), Tanner Maguire (Tyler Doherty), Michael Bolten (Ben Doherty), Ralph Waite (Mr. Perryfield), Dennis Neal (Lester Stevens), Cris Cunningham (Carl Landers), L. Derek Leonidoff (Pastor Andy), Christopher Schmidt (Walter Finley), Avery Sommers (Carol Wallace), Amanda Best (Jamie Lynn Byrnes), Andrea Conte (Miss Emily Holley),

Director ; Director: David Nixon, Patrick Doughtie

 

“Letters to God” is a breath of fresh air for people who are sick and tired of the type of films Hollywood is filling our generation’s mind with. It continually saddens me to see professing “Christians” recommend films that contain profanity, sexual promiscuity, and other worldly behaviors. Do not become numb to the things of this world, and do not forget that we are commanded to “not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom. 12:2).
“Letters to God” is inspired by a true story about a boy who’s dying of cancer. The sick boy is living with his single mom, teenage brother, and grandma. Together they are trying to cope with the reality of disease and death, and how it relates to faith in the true God revealed in the Scriptures. The one who seems to be dealing with the situation the best is Tyler, the boy with cancer. He displays the kind of faith Jesus Himself describes in Matthew 21; the faith that can move mountains. He displays his child-like faith by writing letters to God and placing them in the mail box. The letters end up in the hands of the mailman.
In the beginning, a new mailman comes into the scene. He is a lost, drunken, hopeless man who has lost his wife and son, as a result of his addiction to alcohol. God has said the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23), but sin, also, has earthly wages, which is realistically portrayed though the life of this mailman. Through Tyler’s letters to God, he begins to be inspired and is touched by Tyler’s strong faith in the Mighty One. “How can a dying boy have so much hope and a perfectly healthy man is slowly killing himself,” one must ask? It will cause you to examine yourself, to say the least.
The movie is well made for the budget they had, and the acting is average. However, the message is stronger than any movie I’ve seen in a very long time.
The only part of the film that deserves a warning is that the mailman is seen sitting in a bar a few times, but there is no foul language or other inappropriate behavior shown. There are no sexual references or violence to speak of.
Theologically, I feel inclined to point out that the Gospel message is communicated, however, it is based on the “just ask Jesus to come into your heart” style of evangelism. Taken from a child’s perspective, it is good to see that the Gospel is present, but that is not how a sinner is saved. A sinner must first realize that he or she has sinned, and, as a result of that sin, deserves to be punished eternally in Hell. Only then will a sinner see the genuine need for a Savior: Jesus Christ. Only when a person, child or adult, understands the depravity of their soul can they repent and believe the Gospel. It is a divine work of God (John 6:44). “Asking Jesus to come into your heart” does not save a person. Evidence of salvation is a new life in Christ (2 Cor 5:17), not the act of having said a short prayer one time in your life.
Overall, I highly recommend this film to any family. In fact, it’s one to buy and add to your movie collection. Buy it as a gift or loan it out, because everyone could benefit from the faith and influence young Tyler has on his entire community. We need more movies out there like this one. Let this Scripture ring in your ear,
“Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me” (Matt 18:3-5).