Review of Mr. Church (2016) by Graham M — 01 Jan 2019

This is a family film that poses the question, "What is family?" It also asks, when does work become a labor of love? It also changed my thinking about grief. Well written script with understated characters, about how one man who thought he had failed to walk in his minister father's footsteps impacts many with his musical and culinary gifts.

Mr. Church is an allegory about how one man impacting one family can impact a community; perhaps what the church should be. There is serious exploration of grief and recovery and the impact on children when a parent has cancer.

The film also deftly, realistically, demonstrates how bridges and friendships were built across socioeconomic lines drawn in the 1970s. As with any period film, one has to view the characters as having just escaped a 1950s mentality (as even the sets conjur the 50s and 30s influences) rather than see the characters through the lens of our current time.

The lessons learned here will stay with you...