Movie Review: I Can Only Imagine 2

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B+

An excellent biopic of the Christian rock band MercyMe. 

Despite the prevalence of both musical biopics and sequels in modern cinema, a sequel to a musical biopic is rare. That is what makes I Can Only Imagine 2 work so well. It tells the story of what happens after where most musical biopics stop and about how everything doesn't necessary work out perfectly after your dreams come truly. With this theme the sequel takes a more serious and sometimes even melancholy tone. All the while though in true Christian movie fashion, this film tells how God is by your side through the tough parts of life and that even in your darkest days you can find hope. That the story is not afraid to go to darker and more serious places makes this message all the more effective. One may accuse this story of sermonizing at times, but the sermons fit the story and the characters. They are also quite well written (especially when dealing with the story behind the classic hymn, It is Well).

This movie also benefits greatly from an excellent cast. John Michael Finley is still great as the band's lead singer Bart. Trace Adkins is again fantastic as the band's manager. Sammy Dell is an excellent addition as Bart's teenage son holding his own with the rest of the great cast. However it is Milo Ventimiglia as the band's opening act, Tim Timmons who truly steals the show. He is simply wonderful here bringing a real heart to the film as well as some of the movie's most effective comedic moments. (On a sidenote it is strange how we actually hear more Tim Timmons music than MercyMe music in this film).

My main complaint with this movie however is that the focus is so much on Bart, his teenage son and Tim that we don't really get to know or spend time with any of the other characters. These characters are mostly just kind of there without us really having any connection to them. The sole exception is the band's manager yet that is more because of Trace Adkins' performance and a few pretty funny lines he is given than any actual character development. 

Despite these flaws though this is a very emotionally effective biopic.