The “Case for Christ” was worth the wait. Set in 1980s Chicago, the adaptation of Lee and Leslie Strobel’s story of life-changing faith gives us a multi-dimensional and compelling narrative along with a high quality entertainment experience. The film, a well-crafted exploration of the famous efforts of award-winning journalist Lee Strobel to disprove the viability of Christianity, delivers genuine emotional and intellectual journeys of a marriage, a professional investigation and an agonizing father-son reckoning. “Facts are our greatest weapon against superstition and tyranny,” Strobel asserts as he confidently embarks on his quest. His character portrayed by Mike Vogel is driven by an unresolved anger and a confidence based more on his intellectual comfort than the nagging truth in his heart.
The investigative process takes Strobel into conversations with a series of brilliantly portrayed experts as he pieces together the questions, conflicts and ultimately the answers to his impossible dilemma. How could this whole idiotic thing be real? These pivotal characters are well-placed scene-stealers. Their roles carry the depth of the frustrating facts—the challenge of the logic—but also because they’re played by the likes of Faye Dunnaway, Tom Nowicki and Robert Forster. This great cast keeps us glued as the dimensions of Strobel’s conflicts start to collide. While Strobel battles through his desire to get his “old wife” back, he’s also riding high on his success as a journalist. He’s given an assignment for which his confidence in his assumptions earns him great satisfaction of his role in convicting an accused cop-shooter. But as with the complex criminal case that takes a twist he didn’t see, so does the puzzle of the resurrection of Jesus.
It is the well-orchestrated revealing of his own biases that becomes his undoing, and through that awakening, he is able to see with fresh vision; with a new heart. Leslie Strobel is portrayed by Ericka Christensen and probably the most beautiful aspect of the movie is to see her kind, strong and unwavering love for her husband, even though it’s a great and painful challenge to her new faith. The film elevates Leslie’s role to the right heights, and their commitment to each other is an inspirational sacrificial love.
Dove recommends this movie, and we encourage you to take your friends who have doubts and questions about the faith. Let the conversations begin!
