Film: Redeeming Love

'Redeeming Love' available from 16 September is the film of Francine River's best selling book of the same name. A writer of steamy, romantic, historical fiction Rivers had a conversion to Christ in the late 1980s. This changed her life and outlook. She was so embarrassed by her previous work that she bought up the rights so they could no longer be published.

After three years of not writing anything, through attending a Bible study course, however, she heard the story of Hosea which greatly touched her. As a result she was inspired to write 'Redeeming Love', which went to sell three million copies. In it the biblical story of the prophet who is told by God to marry an unfaithful prostitute is transposed to gold rush California of the 1850s. It tells of beautiful young prostitute, Angel, hardened by her life, who is saved by the unconditional love of a Christ- like young farmer called Michael Hosea, who marries her. She is rather a reluctant bride however and keeps running away, first because she is bored, and then because she feels shame.

In the biblical story it is a bit difficult to identify with or feel compassion for Hosea's unfaithful wife, but Rivers puts flesh on her bones. In 'Redeeming Love' you can empathise with Angel, knowing the horrific life she has had, trafficked as an eight year old and sold for sex. You can understand why she might hate and distrust men and keep running away, even from the man who loves her and wants to help her.

Whereas I really enjoyed the book, I had mixed feelings about the film. With a desire to reach both Christian audiences and a wider market, the film falls a bit between two stools. This is epitomised by the poster. This shows two backlit young lovers in the sugary pose of a contemporary Hallmark movie. This gives no indication of the historical context or grittiness of the story. The film itself pulls no punches in portraying the harshness, brutality and madness of the gold rush era; the muddy streets and drunken miners who bid huge sums to have a night with the beautiful Angel. Although we do see Michael (English actor Tom Lewis) praying for a wife in the church, more could have been made of the tension between who Angel is and God's call to Michael to marry her. It is clear that Michael falls in love with Angel (Abigail Cowen) on first sight, but it is just her beauty or something more? Angel herself is not impressed with his proposal, commenting "I have had five marriage proposals this week".

The film is very faithful to the book, helped by having Rivers herself as one of the main script writers. Whereas the whore houses and saloons with their violence and drinking are portrayed in all their grittiness, life on the farm comes across as just that little bit too idyllic. This is underlined by the rosy, golden colour palate of the cinematography of the rural scenes. Life on the farm could be harsh too, however, which was why so many youth left the family farm to seek their fortunes in the big cities.

Rivers is a great story teller, however, and 'Redeeming Love' does bring alive in an evocative way the Hosea story. It shows the power of unconditional love but also how the journey to redemption is a hard one for all concerned and there is much pain and sacrifice along the way.

Watch a trailer here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8RIlIOd_us