Revision 120657860 of "Benutzer:Starkyy/The Grace Card" on dewiki

{{Infobox film
| name           = The Grace Card
| image          = The Grace Card.jpg
| alt            = 
| caption        = 
| director       = David Evans
| producer       = Howard Klausner<br>John R. Saunders
| writer         = Howard Klausner
| starring       = [[Louis Gossett, Jr.]]<br>Michael Joiner<br>Michael Higgenbottom<br>Stephen Dervan
| music          = 
| cinematography = John Paul Clark
| editing        = Mark Pruett
| studio         = GraceWorks Pictures<br>[[Provident Films]]
| distributor    = [[Sony Pictures Entertainment|Affirm Films]]<br>[[Samuel Goldwyn Films]]
| released       = {{Film date|2010|9|23|Projecting Hope<ref>http://www.projectinghopecharlotte.com/2010-films.html</ref>|2011|2|25|United States}}
| runtime        = 
| country        = United States
| language       = English
| budget         = $200,000
| gross          = $2,430,735<ref>http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=gracecard.htm</ref>
}}
'''''The Grace Card''''' is a 2010 [[Christian]] drama film directed by [[David G. Evans]]. It intends to illustrate the everyday opportunities that people have to rebuild relationships and heal deep wounds by extending and receiving God’s grace. The film stars [[Louis Gossett, Jr.]] and Michael Joiner. It was released on February 25, 2011 to 363 theaters, grossing $1,010,299 on opening weekend.

==Plot==
When Mac McDonald (Michael Joiner) loses his son in an accident, the ensuing 17 years of bitterness and pain erodes his love for his family and leaves him angry with almost everyone, including God. Mac's rage damages his career in the police department, and his household is as frightening as anything he encounters on the streets of [[Memphis]]. Money is tight, arguments with his wife are common, and his surviving son Blake is hanging with the wrong crowd and in danger of failing school. 

Things become heated when Mac is partnered with Sam Wright (Mike Higgenbottom), a rising star on the force who happens to be a part-time pastor and a family man. Sam never expected to be a police officer. He feels called to be a minister like his grandfather. In addition to leading a small, start-up church, Sam works as a police officer to provide for his family. When he gets promoted to Sergeant, however, Sam starts questioning if his true calling might be police work.

Can Sam and Mac somehow join forces or is it nearly impossible for either of them to look past their differences, especially their [[Race (classification of humans)|race]].

==Production==
Filming for ''The Grace Card'' began in Memphis, Tennessee on October 14, 2009. The climax of the film was shot at Messiah Missionary Baptist Church on Chelsea. Other locations included St. Francis Hospital and the downtown banks of the [[Mississippi River]].<ref name="commercial">{{cite web |url=http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2009/oct/23/its-a-natural-role/ |title=Playing 'The Grace Card' no stretch for activist Louis Gossett Jr. |last=Beifuss |first=John |date=October 23, 2009 |work=[[The Commercial Appeal]] |accessdate=November 14, 2009}}</ref> Screenwriter Howard Klausner explained, "We look at this project as ''[[Fireproof (film)|Fireproof]]'' 2.0. The [[Sherwood Pictures|Sherwood Baptist]] guys have opened up a door for all of us, proving that faith-based features can stand up in the marketplace... Maybe it’s just because so few films coming out of Hollywood reflect the values we [Christians] hold dear."<ref name="filmstew">{{cite web |url=http://www.filmstew.com/showBlog.aspx?blog_id=1596 |title=An Officer and a Christian Man |last=Horgan |first=Richard |date=November 12, 2009 |work=FilmStew |accessdate=November 14, 2009}}</ref>

The Calvary Church of the Nazarene in [[Cordova, Tennessee|Cordova]] was the film's "sponsoring church." Church volunteers worked in the catering, wardrobe, hair and makeup departments, in addition to the professional filmmakers who handled the film's technical aspects. Director David Evans said about 90 percent of the 40 full-time crew members were Mid-Southerners, as were almost all the 100-plus supporting actors and [[Extra (actor)|extras]].<ref name="commercial"/> They volunteered more than 10,000 hours, working day and night to shoot the film in 28 days.<ref name="CBN">{{cite web |url=http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2010/January/Tenn-Church-Produces-Movie-on-Race-Hate-and-Gods-Grace-/ |title=New Christian Film Brings Light to Racism, Hate |last=Graham |first=Efrem |date=January 14, 2010 |work=[[Christian Broadcasting Network]] |accessdate=January 14, 2010}}</ref> The film's budget was only $200,000.

==Release==
On its opening day of wide release, ''The Grace Card'' grossed $360,000, and its opening weekend was $1,010,299.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://boxofficemojo.com/daily/chart/?sortdate=2011-02-25&p=.htm |title=Daily Box Office for Friday |date=February 25, 2011 |work=[[Box Office Mojo]] |accessdate=February 27, 2011}}</ref> It was released to 352 theaters, which gives it a solid $2,870 per-theater-average.

===Reception===
Critical reviews for the film has been mixed. [[Rotten Tomatoes]] currently gives the film a 35% approval rating, based on 26 reviews.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_grace_card/ |title=The Grace Card (2011) |work=Rotten Tomatoes |accessdate=February 27, 2011}}</ref> Critics listed on [[Metacritic]] have given ''The Grace Card'' a 43 out of 100 score, an average of 14 reviews currently available.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-grace-card/critic-reviews |title=Critical Reviews |work=Metacritic |accessdate=February 27, 2011}}</ref> Critics from ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'', ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'' and ''[[The New York Times]]'' gave the film a positive review, while critics for the ''[[New York Post]]'', ''[[Orlando Sentinel]]'' and ''[[New York Daily News]]'' were not as receptive.

Steve Persall of the ''[[St. Petersburg Times]]'' said in a positive review, "This is a solid, sincere affirmation of faith and forgiveness. Praise the Lord, and pass the popcorn."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tampabay.com/features/movies/indie-movie-the-grace-card-targets-a-faithful-audience/1153227 |title=Indie movie 'The Grace Card' targets a faithful audience |last=Persall |first=Steve |work=St. Petersburg Times |date=February 24, 2011 |accessdate=February 27, 2011}}</ref> Mike Hale of ''The New York Times'' said "Responses to religious films are bound to be personal, so at the risk of sounding patronizing, I'll say that my main reaction to ''The Grace Card'' was one of pleasant surprise at its competence."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://movies.nytimes.com/2011/02/25/movies/25grace-card.html?ref=movies |title=The Redemption of a Racist |last=Hale |first=Mike |work=The New York Times |date=February 24, 2011 |accessdate=February 27, 2011}}</ref> Orlando Sentinel's Roger Moore said, "The eggshells the screenwriter and director walk on distance the story from the reality it aims to imitate. And that robs this tale of loss, grief and redemption of its punch."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_movies_blog/2011/02/movie-review-the-grace-card.html |title=Movie Review: The Grace Card |last=Moore |first=Roger |work=Orlando Sentinel |date=February, 23 2011 |accessdate=February 27, 2011}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.thegracecardmovie.com/}}
* {{Allmovie title|524094}}
* {{mojo title|gracecard}}
* {{IMDb title|1544600}}
* {{rotten-tomatoes|the_grace_card/}}
* {{metacritic film|the-grace-card}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Grace Card}}
[[Category:2010 films]]
[[Category:American films]]
[[Category:English-language films]]
[[Category:Films about Christianity]]
[[Category:2010s drama films]]