Faith Like Potatoes (2006)

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

the audience applauded

Such a frustrating disappointment

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

For sure, the producers have brought to bear some simple Biblical truths. And then they expounded on those to create a masterpiece film. Better yet, this film is a wonderful real life testimony to getting to know the universal and heavenly glory that is the, One, True Living God. The journey begins with Faith; matters little if the source is in the form of a tiny mustard seed or of something more common and useful. Like a dusty yet moist but always forever tasty mouth watering spud! I like mine mashed.But I'm miffed as to why others would come on this site just to spew their vitriol for this film. Makes no sense when the target audience is altogether conspicuously disclosed in the title: FAITH like Potatoes. Guess they can can't help themselves. OK. We get it...Back to the main points...This film chronicles the plight of a white family's struggle to carve out an existence in Southern Afrika: plot weaves along nicely. Start to finish. The main character Angus Buchan, and his family fall on hard times. This necessitates selling the farm in Zambia. And then getting out. In a hurry. Taking what little possessions they have including a small stash of money ostensibly the proceeds left over from the sale, Angus begins the Exodus. Quickly he discovers a trail. It heads due south. More important, they'll steer free and clear of Zambia.And Angus doesn't stop until the Peugeot wagon reaches the Republik: South Afrika. There he does what he knows best. He immediately buys another farm. Thus setting him and his family up for me to quote the old adage: History does repeat itself! The setting now is the bushveldt. They don't even have living quarters. An old travel trailer is the sole item available for shelter. It has to do even though it looks like squalor.Now thoroughly ensconced in the new wilderness, Angus, begins the arduous task of tilling ground so that he can break bread each evening with his family. Although the going is tough, he enlists the help of the local natives. Some he is endeared to. Others are fired. Almost immediately. But Angus plows ahead.The local South Africans are all too soon enamored with the transplanted ex-Rhodie Scot. They take him to the inner sanctum of the town's life as one of their own. But, Angus takes to drinking. A lot! He's unhappy; confides all his miseries to an understanding wife. She though can't handle his moods.Then one bright shining Sunday morning the whole family winds up sitting in the front pews of the Methodist Church. Now hogtied, Angus hears first hand a testimonial of a recent 'conversion'. The South African oke spoke in earnest. I believed him. Not Angus though. He can't handle the truth; he heads straight to the ladies bar; he consoles himself much in the brandy; even shares his miseries with the town's policeman, who, is sympathetic and is in much need of company himself. The two bond.At that point, there's just enough foreshadowing that suggests that God has other plans. A church elder attests to that same sentiment. His candor speaks aloud. "I believe God is tugging at your heart. Angus, you're a good man." And he, er, God was right.Thereafter, Angus though unwittingly begins pondering the existence of God. He does this mainly while lounging amongst the corn stalks. Seriously, right then I was concerned for Angus' safety; hoped that those lingering, sneaky puff adders obeyed God's word too. No worries. Out of the blue, the epiphany light shone down....Overall, this film despite it's low budget was better than I expected. The acting is superb. The disparate characters all fit the plot. And the cinematography though digital does deliver some breathtaking views of the Suid Afrikan bushveldt. And of course, the message was that Faith is the first step to know God. If you took that leap then you soon learned that the next step was equally important: Trust in the Lord. Angus did. Even when his mates told him that he had eaten too much mielie meal. But what did they know...Now it's entirely apropos that I thank all those who helped make this film happen; that in itself is a miracle. One can only hope that there are more Christians out there. Just like you. Who in the blink of an eye would do the same; stand in the breach for the Faith.Shalom.

I have to say I disagree with others who called this a "Christian film". It is a biographical film about a man who happens to be a Christian man of deep faith. I am not a Christian, and never felt that I was being recruited while I watched the movie. I didn't have the urge to run to church when it was over. Instead, I was so interested in learning more about this amazing man and the makers of the movie that I watched every minute of the extras.I enjoyed the documentary as much as the movie itself and admired Buchan even more, as he NEVER said he raised people from the dead or cured anyone. He gave all the credit to God. In fact, he seemed more amazed at the events of his life than I was.It was well-acted, I really felt for the actors when they cried. The cinematography was excellent-- I only wish they had shown more of that beautiful country. It is rare that I watch a movie twice, but I would gladly see this one again. And I'm buying the book tomorrow.

I want to strongly recommend this movie.Yesterday, I took this movie over to view with my ailing mother, who recently accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior. I believe the Lord led me to find this movie, as I never even heard of it before, but was captured by the title. We were both deeply touched and moved, at times with tears, while watching this movie. It has a strong evangelical, Christ centered messaged based on the true story of Angus Buchan, a farmer who started Shalom Ministries in South Africa.It shows how God can use anyone who is surrendered to Him! You can find more information on Angus and his ministry online.Terilyn

I'll rather not comment on the plot or motivations of the film. Suffice it to say that the film is aimed at religious (specifically Christian) denominations. Nothing wrong with that, it should be encouraged, rather than avoided.The first thing that caught my eye was the use of digital filming. African landscapes and lighting is particularly suited for real film emulsions and to see it spoiled by cheap digital footage was a real disappointment. The colour was dull and the digital artefacts are very obvious. I don't want to dwell on the poor film quality so I'll move on.The acting was particularly cringe worthy. Every time Casper Badenhorst started to speak I wanted to stick popcorn in my ears hum Sarie Marais. Francois Rautenbach and Matthew Roberts weren't bad and I could actually feel real empathy with their characters. Unfortunately the rest of the cast were hollow cardboard cut-outs. Richard van den Berg was particularly revolting. While the lead character was giving a particularly heart felt confession in his 'Green Cathedral' we had to endure the Mr. van den Berg slobbering on a piece of fruit and going "mm, mm, um, ja" before ripping off a corn cob and scribbling in the sand like some prophet.But the thing that shocked me most of all was the graphic depiction of a child suffering. Several audience members gasped and wept achingly when a small boy was run over by a tractor and started coughing up blood straight into the camera lens. The broken posture of the child was particularly upsetting. A little girl sat in front of me and I dreaded what went through her mind. When my wife started to cry I got very angry and lost the last bit of respect I had for the film. I felt the director had dealt a very low blow by using such a gruesome visual tool to advance his own religious agenda.Unfortunately this film can never appeal to everyone since it excludes all who do not share a particular church's view. It is a great film for showing at church or prayer groups but technically and visually this film is one of the worst I have seen from South Africa. It should have been screened on television on a Sunday evening only.