The Song (2014)

      Modernizing Bible stories can either be hit or miss, but in the case of the 2014 independent Christian film, The Song, it was a total hit. Inspired by the Song of Solomon and the book of Ecclesiastes, The Song tells the story of a man trying to escape the shadow of his great father, find love and find God all through his talent of singing and song writing. However, the road to love and the path to God will never be easy and this man and his family must go through earthly trials of the flesh before they can understand and receive the true rewards of Heaven. 

      The story begins in the 1980's and completely retells the 2 Samuel account of the adultery of David and Bathsheba. Up and coming country rocker, David King falls in love with his best friends wife, Bethany and soon she becomes pregnant with David's child. Afterwards, everything in their lives fall apart. David and Bethany face abortion, suicide of Bethany's husband and David's wife and children leaving him. Throughout all this, there is grace and David and Bethany marry and start over again. Together they have another child, a son named Jed and he is raised in the loving and nurturing home of a father who teaches him all he can in life and in music.

      After David dies, Jed begins to start a music career, but finds himself living in his father's shadow. When he is asked to perform at a annual vineyard festival in Sharon, Tennessee he meets beautiful Rose Jordan. All though shy and soft spoken, Rose holds a quiet strength and dignity as well a deep and personal faith that she shares with her father. Upon meeting Rose, Jed is smitten and begins to slowly pursue her. Overtime, Rose and Jed fall in love and marry. During their courtship, Jed writes a song for Rose based on the Song of Solomon and plays it for her after their wedding night. The song is soon released and Jed becomes as instant success. 

      While Jed finally has the success he has always dreamed of, his wife and young son begin to feel lost in the shuffle of Jed's fame and fortune. Things only get more complicated when Shelby Hale, a talented violinist with a wild and rebellious nature join Jed's performance. While on tour and away from his wife, Jed begins to descend into a hedonistic lifestyle under Shelby's influence and slowly he begins to lose himself and his family. Finally Rose, who is pregnant again, can take no more and she takes their son and leaves. Now Jed is alone and must now decided whether fame was worth the loss of his wife and son and rethinks the true meaning of his song for his wife. 

     Beautiful and heartbreaking, The Song shows a love story that started out right, but then portrayed the harsh realities of marriage and how several unwise decisions can lead to destruction and disaster. By the end of the movie I was crying like crazy (I'm embarrassed to admit), but the utter emotions of the movie that ranges from happiness, to despair and then ultimate forgiveness through grace were really woven well in the film. The acting was very well done and the natural cinematography was stunning!  A great story that nailed all the Biblical truths of love, marriage and family without coming off as too preachy is completely worth the watch.