Redeeming Love [DVD]

Beautiful story. 95% true to the book. Well done!

I haven't been this captivated by a movie in a very long time. It was beautifully done.I would NOT let young kids watch this. Seriously. SPOILERS HERE ... there are implications of sex abuse for all ages and not something I'd be comfortable watching with children.That said ... this story was incredible. The actors gave it their ALL. Abigail Cowen was breathtaking as a prostitute who didn't choose that life. She was sold when she was 8 years old and had no choice because her mother died while she was young. She ran when she could but back then ... a penniless and destitute woman had two options: die hungry or sell herself.Enter Michael. He's a farmer with a huge heart and he falls in love with Angel (Abigail Cowen) the moment he sees her walking down the street. This is, of course, after he prayed to God for a wife, and then boom. He's gobsmacked by her. He doesn't even care what her profession is because he knows she's meant to have a life with him.What follows is a story about forgiveness, impulsivity, insanity, monsters in human form, the lessons we learn as life goes on, how to stop and enjoy sunrises and sunsets, and most of all ... redeeming love. Real love. Listening to your heart and believing in other people is the core of this movie. Even when life shows us again and again that bad people are out there ... stop and recognize the few good ones around you.You won't be disappointed with this movie. There's no real nudity. No animals die horribly (except for a chicken that's for supper but you don't see it killed.) There's a precious dog who isn't abused or killed. There's a bit of blood from barfights and the woman are treated very much how they were back then in the gold rush days so there's your warning. Overall, it's worth it. It'll hook you pretty fast and you will be angry that you had to pause it for bathroom breaks. :)Enjoy!

I found this movie inspiring. I recommend it. The movie takes place from approximately 1830 through the 1850s. The representation of the architecture of the era appears accurate. However, some structures, for instance, the farmer who recues Angel has a house well beyond what the typical just-getting-started small-plot farmer would have at that time. Personal grooming is incompatible with the era for some characters. A farmer would not and could not likely keep their hair and beard neatly trimmed. Some character clothing is too well kept. Christian themes are continuous throughout the movie, which is probably a historically accurate representation of America at the time. More people were probably idealistically faithful then, believing they could save others. I would say the biggest weakness was in character and plot development. The transition between plot elements is too fast. This movie would have benefited if it had been developed as a miniseries, allowing more time to develop characters and their surrounding realities. The producers and directors did the best they could with 2+ hours, but many transitions seemed rushed, and characters and the influence of their environment upon them were often weakly developed. Overall, I believe the actors did a good job with what they were presented to depict. Despite the Christian savior theme, this movie has a lot of violence, near nudity, and sexual scenes. Hence, this is not a family movie for children younger than 16-17, and might be uncomfortable even at that age.

A sensational love story based upon the prophet Hosea! The book is better than the movie!

One of the reasons I loved the story "Redeeming Love" was because of how Rivers is sharing a deep and important message. That God's love is redeeming, no matter where you're at, who you are, or what you have done. The movie felt as though God was almost entirely taken out of the story. All the conversations that Michael had with God? Gone. Many of the points that God was trying to teach Michael or Angel a lesson? Gone. And so many vital moments that really showed the heart of these two beautiful characters were just missing. I get it, it's a movie and will be missing a lot of stuff due to length, but it really felt that many of the things they cut were so vital to the development of the characters, their relationship/marriage, and their relationship with God. If I had not read the book before watching this movie, I probably would have liked it a lot more. It could have passed for a non-christian movie, which is the sad part. So if you're looking for a romance, it's a beautiful story. But if you are looking for the true story that Rivers wrote in her book about Christ's love and redemption for us, you will likely be disappointed.

This movie is so amazing. I'm always skeptical of movies made from my favorite books. But they blew it out of the water on this one! If you are looking to explore your faith more and see love in a different light, give it a try.

I read this book when I was a teenager. I fell in love with the characters, the overall story and the message implied. This story hits home, as it was similar to my own life's story. You cannot imagine how I prayed for a husband just like Hosea. 5 years later, guess what?! I married a farmer! And I was taken away from a situation much like Angels! He is a patient, kind, loving farmer! When I found out the book was to become a movie, I was both excited and skeptical!! I could not wait to see the characters come to life outside of my imagination. This movie skipped much of the book, but for those who know the story, it is BEAUTIFUL. Francine Rivers should be proud! If you haven't seen the movie, read the book first!