“The Grace Card” Movie Review

Ephesians 2:8—For it is by grace you have been saved.

This movie is rated PG-13 for some violence and thematic elements. It is a movie about police officers and it shows drug dealing and other anger and hate issues. It was released in the theaters in February of 2011 and released on DVD August of 2011. There is also a Grace Card Study Guide Book—a Bible study to accompany this compelling film sold separately.

It is a great movie about forgiveness and the grace of God. This movie is about a family whose child was killed by a drug deal suspect’s car chased by the police who happened to be a kid. The family is torn apart by the father’s guilt, pain and anger.  Mac (Michael Joinen) is the father and he becomes a police officer after this happens, with the attitude that he was going to ‘change the world’. He alienates his teenage son and wife. Seventeen years later he loses out on another promotion. He is told it was because he needed an attitude adjustment. He ends up with a partner named Sam (Michael Higgenbottem) who happens to be the one who got the promotion for Sargent and he is also a Senior Pastor of a little church in town. Mac is not happy with this situation and Sam feels the pressure of Mac’s resentment.

Louis Gossett, Jr. narrates throughout the movie and also stars in this movie as Sam’s Grandpa George. His wise contribution to the movie is, “You can’t underestimate the power of grace. That’s powerful!” The movie stresses how important forgiveness is. We need to forgive for our own benefit. When we do not forgive, we end up with resentment and bitterness. When we forgive, we are able to walk in love and have a burden lifted from our heart. That is portrayed in this movie.

A traumatic situation arises while Mac and Sam are on the job. Mac hits bottom at this point and refuses Sam’s Pastoral advice. It is an amazing story line. I want to tell the great parts, but you will just have to watch the movie to see the beautiful happenings that make the ending so spectacular. I do not want to ruin the movie for you because I want you to experience it for yourself.  You will see why the movie is titled “The Grace Card” at the end. It is very moving and it does require tissues.