Joshua (2002)

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

I saw this movie some years and remember bawling - that's how wonderful it was. Then I saw it being shown on cable TV again so I wanted to see it again and said no way will I bawl again. Well I was wrong. Knowing what was coming I bawled more this time then last. This is how this movie affects you. Its such an uplifting movie with Tony Goldywn performing the best I've ever seen him. My wife and I so enjoyed it and will share it with our children and grandchildren. The music is also so beautiful. I recommend this to people of all ages. It will not disappoint you. after seeing this movie again last night, my wife and will surely watch it again and again. Its that good.

This was a great movie. There are few movies that a person feels good after watching. This is one of them. Its not really about the second coming of Jesus. Its more about what would Jesus be like if he was here and hanging out with us in every day life. Most family movies are nice to see but the plots are weak and the acting is even worse. This movie had a decent plot. The acting was amazing. Everything came together great. One of my favorite movies, I can watch it over and over. I would love to go visit the location of the workshop in the movie but the shoot locations only show LA and Chicago. I don't know where the scenes were shot.

The News & Observer Todd Lothery Staff WriterPublished: April 19, 2002 The company that produced the "faith-based" movie "Joshua" released the following statement: "We at Epiphany Films have decided that sex, profanity and violence are not necessary to telling a good story. Despite what the rest of Hollywood says, we recognize that there is a real demand for wholesome entertainment."I couldn't agree more. But why does "wholesome entertainment" so often translate as hackneyed stories, one-dimensional characters and an inspirational message delivered in a ham-handed manner? "Wholesome" means "conducive to moral or general well-being." It doesn't mean "simplistic" or "trite" or "thunderingly obvious." "Wholesome," it seems to me, is not incompatible with "subtle" or "penetrating" or "artistic."But the makers of wholesome entertainment are so busy bludgeoning us with their message that they neglect pretty much everything else. The moral of the story is the story of the moral.Take "Joshua." The title character is a reticent, enigmatic stranger who wanders out of nowhere into a stereotypically folksy town, promptly takes up residence in a conveniently empty, curiously rentable barn and stumbles upon the remnants of a church that burned down long ago. "Sometimes you have to tear something down to build it back up again," the symbolically named Joshua says symbolically, as he sets out to build a new church while the perplexed townsfolk look on.Soon Joshua becomes the talk and toast of the town. He sets an example and unites the community through his good deeds, his unconditional love and his message of faith and hope. He's a jack-of-all-trades -- carpenter, woodcarver (which is ostensibly how he earns his living), expert fisherman and cook. He plays a mean electric guitar and shoots pool like a shark. He bonds with a troubled teen and mends a marriage on the rocks.He also comes between two priests, one of whom is played by Oscar-winner F. Murray Abraham ("Amadeus"), who does what he can with the underwritten role. But like everything else in the film, we can see the conflict a mile away and we know how it will play out.Everybody in town comes to Joshua with problems, and he magically solves them. Each scene is set up expressly to push across the movie's moral rather than to develop the story or characters.Joshua also performs miracles. Is he the second coming of Christ?Actor/director Tony Goldwyn ("Bounce"), who plays Joshua, is almost entirely without expression -- facial, emotional or otherwise. Perhaps his flat performance was a deliberate attempt to make Joshua a blank slate upon which the townsfolk could project their feelings. Not to be blasphemous, but if Jesus returned to Earth and was this vanilla, this spectacularly bland, this utterly lacking in charisma, he'd have a hard time panhandling for change, to say nothing of attracting disciples."Joshua's" intentions are unimpeachable, to be sure. But there's something about Joshua, and "Joshua," that comes off as glib, smug and sententious. There are no easy answers in life. Any movie that pretends there are is a fraud.

I enjoyed this movie. I actually went to see it in the movie theater about 3 years ago. I think it is pretty ironic that this movie replays itself on the Trinity Bible Netork. In the scene when Joshua confronts the "faith healer", I couldn't help but think of Benny Hinn, or Steve Martin's Jonas Nightengale... Anyways, Joshua is a good movie that does an excellent job of capturing the Girzone books. It is also a much better Christian flick than the Left Behind and Omega Code series that present all of Christianity as only an end-times oriented religion. The foil between Father Tardone and Father Hayes is an enjoyable one to watch, especially as a pastor...there is definitely some real life truth there. Joshua is a film that gives a bit of hope to the "Christian Movie Business." I am excited about what will be coming out of the Christian alternative to Hollywood in the future.