I Am (2010)

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

Released in 2010 and written/directed by John Ward, "I AM" is an inspirational drama centering around a several interconnecting people in the Los Angeles area who violate the Ten Commandments one way or another. While "I AM" starts out convoluted and confusing with too many characters -- too many of them unlikable -- and not enough focus on any one of them, around the midway point I GOT it. I GOT what the writer/director was doing and my initial irritation morphed into respect. I was struck by the uniqueness of the film, particularly a movie with Christian themes. The quality actors, albeit no-name, pull off the difficult material, especially Tomas Boykin's monumentally challenging role as the titular character. Sure, the idea was taken from 2003's "Bruce Almighty," but that was a comedy. It's much harder to pull off such a role in a serious drama. In addition, the cinematography, editing, poignant script and choice songs on the soundtrack worked together to produce a unique and moving film with gems to mine on future viewings. On that note, "I AM" ain't' just another Christian drama. The non-linear story is told in a gritty, kinetic manner and offers fascinating insights into the nature of God, dismantling the damaging stereotypes thereof. The conversations with the LORD you observe the characters participate in are obviously not literal, but they're well done and absolutely relatable to real life. We all have such "conversations," whether we are willing to admit it or not. These dialogues are more typically inward, where you converse with your higher nature -- your spirit, conscious or (as Freud called it) the super-ego. We either defend our negative, destructive thoughts & actions or we change for the positive in response to the voice of God via our spirit or conscience. Here's an example from my own life: Several years ago I was stuck in a dead-end job that I had for a dozen years and I'd walk down the halls hearing a 'voice' within telling me over and over: "You're wasting time!" I just KNEW I was supposed to get out and take a leap of faith in order to fulfill my true calling. So that's what I did and I've been exponentially blessed because of it, which is not to say that everything's been peaches 'n' cream; far from it, in fact.When the movie came to the part about keeping the Sabbath I was expecting the writer to espouse the same old eye-rolling religious clichés, but I was pleasantly surprised that he got it right. Excellent job on this front. Three of the standout songs on the aforementioned soundtrack are "I Am" by Jesica Specht and "Facedown" and "Save Yourself" by Sandfrog. Check 'em out on Youtube. If you watched this movie and didn't like it I encourage you to give it another try.The film runs 89 minutes and was shot in the Los Angeles area. GRADE: B

I am not against God, but this was really just advertising Christianity. the acting was not good, and the Morgan Freeman rip-off... seriously? The beginning set-up the movie like it was going to be a great one, but then the plot disappeared and the point of the movie became to teach you the 10 commandments. After the girl was frozen the story became way too scattered, and WAY too many characters come in. 3 stars at best. Of there was a better cast and maybe some proofreading of the script, the movie could've been potentially OKAY maybe 5 stars. You could tell the movie was sponsored by some kind of church group. Don't waste your time on this movie. It was honestly a waste of 2 hours. I support God, but I don't support this movie.

I AM is a movie that follows the Ten Commandments, one by one, in a non-linear storytelling like the movie "Crash" or something from Tarantino. Its cutting edge, cool, and plays before you like a puzzle keeping you from getting bored with the Commandments as they are subtly revealed through the plot.If you're like me, you're tired of the sub-par standards in "Christian Film". In many ways, filmmakers have used the term as an excuse for a cheesy movie with a lame story, lack of artistry, and non-professional acting. I AM literally blows its predecessors away with a cool visual style (the opening scene is underwater!), a non-linear story, and a pure creativity.I recommend it to anyone!

And here we have the reason why Christian filmmakers get such a bad rap. Not only is this an awful cliché driven Christian film, it is an awful film - period. I don't know where to begin, but I'll try.First, I'll point out the ridiculous gimmick of having what I believe to be Morgan Freeman's stand-in playing the I Am. Upon seeing him in the trailer, I knew the movie was going to stink. Relying on gimmicks to get people in the seats will only work on the first showing. After that, it's all word of mouth and the words are "stay away." Second, there was just too much going on. All of the characters were the same.They were uninteresting, bland, and forgettable. I often caught myself saying, "Now, who is that again?" The dialogue didn't mix things up either. Everything was on the nose. The message came before the method on this one in a big way.Third, the camera work was, at best, the type of footage you would get from a royalty free video library. Almost every scene was heavily painted with colorful lighting of reds, blues, golden hues, and stark whites. Cecil B. Demille forbid the DP actually just use natural lighting or have a reason for lighting the way he did. I can handle heavily lighted scenes, but only if they serve a purpose. The only purpose I suppose this DP had was that he had access to a larger grip truck he wasn't normally used to. Just because you have all of the tools doesn't mean you have to use them all, partner.Finally, I Am is a great example of what happens when you have someone with access to enough money to buy or rent the best equipment and thinks he can make a film. I can hear it now: forget story, it'll look awesome! I'm sorry to say, but you made moving pictures with sound, but a film it is not. As a writer, a filmmaker, and a Christian, I am insulted.