Seven Days in Utopia

RUN.  FAST.  NOW.

That would be my advice regarding your decision to see Seven Days in Utopia.  It is the little engine that COULD in theaters, I just don't know how long it will be able to stay on the tracks following movies making hand-over-fist, such as Our Idiot Brother (What the hell were you thinking, Paul Rudd?  I used to heart you;  now I'm concerned about your ability to make wise acting decisions) and Shark Night 3D (do I even need to comment here?)*

Sure, it is rated "G".  That was by design.  The people who brought this movie to the theater near you wouldn't let Hollywood within a thousand mile perimeter of it, preferring to finance it all themselves.

And, guess what?  They brought out the big acting guns, just to prove that you can make a fantastic Christian movie that doesn't have to be roughed up by the likes of The Weinstein machine.  You'll see Robert Duvall, Melissa Leo, and Kathy Baker, and for those of you who are PGA fans, KJ Choi.

And, the star of the movie, who you'll be wondering "How do I know him?"** all show long, is Lucas Black.  His background includes modeling for Calvin Klein and several bit parts in movies you would recognize the names of but that his characters were easily lost in. 

The roughest language I heard was the use of "Hellacious", once.  A would-be kiss (spoiler alert) as averted with a sweet and gentle comment (when was the last time you saw THAT?)

And the scenery?  Pure, Heaven-must-look-like-this, amazing back drops, filmed right here in Texas.  In Utopia*** (no joke), to be exact.  Before the first fifteen minutes of the movie had expired, I wanted to pack my bags and move there permanently.

Sure, the story line is the classic "Man finds his way back to what is good and right in his life".  But, can you ever, really get enough of that?  I know yours truly can't.

If you are a duff golfer like me, who hasn't touched her clubs in a conservative 20 years, you'll find yourself inspired to hit the local driving range.  And, if you aren't a golfer but are a sports fan, you'll find yourself wanting to dig out that old baseball bat/football/lacrosse stick and make a mid-life run at it, for old time's sake.

This is just pure, movie-making bliss with a side dish of truth and inspiration.  Just go see it.

Two pinkies and one kleenex, way up.

 
*Which just goes to prove that most of America doesn't value thought provoking story lines over inane "entertainment" value.  In fact, I'd venture to say, if you added the phrase "gruesome, pervasive violence" to the description of the plot for Bambi, showed Bambi being hunted down and shot in the heart, with blood gushing everywhere, and changed the name to Bambo, it would attract millions of viewers.

**He reminds me of my brother, with his easy laugh, his crooked smile and his genuine nature.

***A quick search on Mapquest determined the location to be just slightly North and West of San Antonio, squarely in Hill Country.