Thomas has been dreaming about his future wife ever since he was a young boy; dutifully keeping a lengthy list of all of her qualities, sketching beautiful pictures of what he imagines she will look like, and capturing every detail of who he wants her to be (and who single among us can’t relate to that). This rigid loverboy has had his fair share of attempts, but so far, he has been unable to find the “perfect” woman. At the behest of his family and friends, Thomas takes a chance on someone new; a woman named Hope Sanchez — the beautiful, intelligent single mom who loves dogs (that’s on the list). As Thomas and Hope grow closer together, he finds his list becoming less and less important. However, trouble disrupts paradise when Hope’s client, the super “sexy” best-selling author Desiree Sinclair, takes an interest in Thomas — and just so happens to be everything he ever wanted.
About Hope is a fresh Christian romance/comedy/drama hybrid with a winning plot full of excitement and truth. Thomas, Hope, and the rest of the characters are likeable, relatable, and entertaining. The story is paced very well, allowing the viewer to “get to know” all the characters without compromising a realistic timeline as some romance films are prone to do. Although the elements of this story will feel familiar, the filmmakers have done a wonderful job of repurposing old rom com staples into meaningful and faith-driven plot points. About Hope doesn’t allow these tropes to roam scott-free, but instead meets these cliches head on with wisdom and truth. For example, in Thomas’s pursuit for the “perfect woman”, he neglects his relationship with God, and the objective of protecting the hearts of those women he interacts with — a point that is not lost in the film, but is instead directly and gracefully addressed. In the classic “misunderstanding” scenario, in which Hope is heartbroken over Thomas’s apparent actions, Thomas takes the time to clearly address that as well; a concept entirely foreign to most romcoms which play at simple misunderstandings as a cheap and quick plot device. Not to be ignored, the film also begs, in certain terms, the question “are we so focused on finding the right person, that we forget to become the right person?”
On his quest, Thomas realizes that sometimes what looks good, or what we think we want, isn’t always best for us. His integrity is tested again and again, proving that we are never done growing, no matter how “ready” we may think we are, and that the potential for temptation or compromise is always nearer than we think. And, perhaps the biggest lesson: what we think we want is never greater for us than God’s best. Our plans and desires can be flawed; but God’s plans are perfect, though it may take some time (and mistakes) to figure that out for ourselves. The film emphasizes that God’s plan is not always a clearly defined map, but rather a compass that points us to him.
Overall, About Hope is an engaging and relatable film not only about finding love, but following God in every aspect of our lives. Content wise, there are some objectionable scenes that render the film too mature for young audiences. For example, in one scene, Thomas wakes up naked in a strange bed, and in other scenes, scantily clad and wearing-nothing-but-a-fur-coat models prance around. These scenes are necessary for driving the plot forward and illustrating temptation and the effect on Thomas’s struggle to preserve his integrity, as well as serving to create conflict in his relationships with other characters, so they are essential to the film. These scenes are tastefully done and do not show any actual nudity. There are also quite a few scenes of alcohol consumption present. For these reasons About Hope just missed our age 12+ seal, but as always please use your own discretion in choosing what is appropriate for your family.
We are pleased, however, to award About Hope the Dove Seal of Approval for Ages 18+, due to its outstanding faith content and character integrity arc, making it the perfect movie for date night or girls’ night.
The Dove Take:
About Hope is an engaging and relatable film not only about finding love, but following God in every aspect of our lives.
