Andrew Morrison (Ryan Henderson) is a self-involved future medical student with only one thing on his mind: Stanford. To pass the time as he awaits the decision from his dream school, Andrew takes a job in the geriatric ward of a local hospital, a position he believes will be easy and temporary. However, Andrew doesn’t bank on the less than glamourous nature of the job, and on his first day becomes easily overwhelmed by both it, and his newest patient — a 16-year-old boy named Jamie (played by the loveable Joseph Stam), with terminal brain cancer. As Andrew spends time caring for the lively teenager (and faithful Christian) Jamie, the two men bond in sweet, and often funny, ways. Jamie is able to open up Andrew’s shortsighted eyes, and Andrew is able to give Jamie the fun and companionship he desperately needs while battling his illness.
A short film that packs a major punch, Cross Purposes is touching and effective with great writing (kudos to writer/director David Alford), loveable and believable characters, and simple, clear-cut biblical messaging. The lessons in Cross Purposes are obvious: pursue the plan of God for your life, serve others, be a light, trust God even when things seem unfair, live out your purpose. The juxtaposition of Andrew’s disbelief and cynical attitude toward God and Jamie’s steadfast, simple faith is the perfect set up for teaching practical biblical principles, but in a way that doesn’t seem contrived or overdone. The character of Jamie preaches with his life, and that is a quality anyone can appreciate, believer or not. It is Jamie’s unwavering love and devotion to God, even in the midst of his disease, that persuades Andrew to change how he sees God and H/his plans.
Jamie’s example is perfect for young people, and although the film is a bit sad in certain places, it’s very clean content-wise and is a perfect watch for families, youth groups, etc. Cross Purposes shows us how our lives on earth absolutely do serve a purpose and have far greater meaning and impact than we could ever imagine.
Delivering a great message with great execution, we are pleased to award Cross Purposes the Dove Seal of Approval for All Ages.
The Dove Take:
Cross Purposes is a touching and effective faith-based film that proves big, impactful stories can come in small packages.
