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Jesus Revolution takes us back to the late ’60s, when it was time to turn on, tune in and drop out.
Even though I missed this period of history, it spawned some of the most incredible music ever made. The Doors far exceeded anything the Beatles ever did in their early years, singing bland love tunes, but at least it was great that Jim Morrison & co. had their resurgence in the early ’90s when I was at University.
So, in this real-life retelling of a hippie revolution, pastor Chuck Smith (Kelsey Grammer – Father Christmas Is Back) is first seen baptising those of the spirit of free love in the river, before events go back a year to before, where he describes how he doesn’t understand the youth of today (back then), and courtesy of granddaughter Janette (Ally Ioannides), meets the Jesus-like hippy, Lonnie Frisbee (Jonathan Roumie).
Meanwhile, young lad Greg Laurie (Joel Courtney) also hooks up with the flower children, and falls for Cathe (Anna Grace Barlow), his path eventually crossing with Lonnie’s, so it becomes a coming-of-age tale for both Greg, and to a degree, Chuck.
In this two-hour comedy/drama, there are some amusing moments, such as when hippies besiege Chuck’s house, which he doesn’t like at first, before eventually inviting them into his church, and outraging the regulars, but Jesus Revolution starts off as a comedy – and apart from going on way too long – after the first act, it basically ditches humour in favour of bashing you over the head with fake-news religion!
And if there is a God – which there isn’t – can He/She/They/Them tell me why this nonsense needed TWO directors?!
Jesus Revolution is in cinemas now, but isn’t yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD.
Detailed specs:
Cert: 
Running time: 120 minutes
Release date: June 23rd 2023
Studio: Lionsgate
Format: 2.39:1
Cinema: Cineworld Didsbury
Rating: 3/10
Directors: Jon Erwin, Brent McCorkle
Producers: Kevin Downes, Andrew Erwin, Jon Erwin, Jerilyn Esquibel, Daryl Lefever, Joshua Walsh
Screenplay: Jon Gunn, Jon Erwin
Novel: Ellen Santilli Vaughn, Greg Laurie
Music: Brent McCorkle
Cast:
Greg Laurie: Joel Courtney
Lonnie Frisbee: Jonathan Roumie
Charlene: Kimberly Williams-Paisley
Cathe: Anna Grace Barlow
Chuck Smith: Kelsey Grammer
Dick: Nic Bishop
Young Greg: Jackson Robert Scott
Charlie: Nicholas Cirillo
Janette Smith: Ally Ioannides
Kay: Julia Campbell
Dodie: Mina Sundwall
Josiah: DeVon Franklin
Connie: Charlie Morgan Patton
Pilar: Jolie Jenkins
Malaika: Sidney Floyd
Janis Joplin: Erin Schaut
Roger Hersh: Randall Newsome
Father Malone: Brian Shoop
Oliver: Grant Owens
Timothy Leary: Steve Hanks
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.