I Can Only Imagine

Based on the original Christian/country song "I Can Only Image" by MercyMe, this is a biopic about the writer and lead singer Bart Millard (J. Michael Finley) and his troubled relationship with his father Arthur  (played by Dennis Quaid).

The biopic is always the story of the father.  Here Dad is abusive, physically and verbally, telling the son he's no good, will never amount to anything, everything he does is wrong, etc.  Our hero has a gift for singing which is recognized by his high school teacher and squashed by his father.  He runs away, but you can't run away from yourself.  In the end he must confront the demons of his raising to reach his God given heights.

While its a good story, the film shows the importance of the music and the cinematography (Kristopher Kimlin).  In addition to the original music, we also have a John Lee Hancock view of the Texas landscapes, the strong "characters" of the bus, the auditorium, the crowds, the stage.

For a story about a missing mother and a distant father, we have two interesting stand-ins for the symbolic mother and father he craves, being Amy Grant playing herself (beautifully lit) and Trace Adkins, the dogged, never-gives-up-on-you man, playing the band manager Scott Brickell.

* * * * of 5