Published: February 09, 2007 11:02 am      

'The Last Sin Eater' is a compelling Christian movie

I Look for more quality Christian releases from Fox Faith

Fox Faith has released a Christian movie that is interesting, compelling, educational and yet based on the Christian faith. Michael Landon Jr. did an excellent job of directing The Last Sin Eater. The movie appears in theaters throughout the Lewisville-Denton-Sherman movie-plexes. Get to see it if you can, it’s worth the 2-hour investment plus travel and then some.

I googled (is that a verb?) sin eater and found the practice was Welsh and defined as, “A person actually making his living as an outcast who eats food from the chests of the dead, taking those (persons) sins upon himself, to leave pure the departing soul. Usually each village had its official sin-eater to whom notice was given as soon as a death occurred. A groat (a small coin), a crust of bread and a bowl of ale were either handed him or placed upon the breast of the departed, and after he had eaten and drunk he rose and pronounced the ease and rest of the dead person, for whom he thus pawned his own soul.”

I can tell you right now to not expect the usual Christian film fare. The Last Sin Eater starts out creepy — filled with historical, religious and superstitious overtones — turns into a mystery — while you puzzle out the protagonist’s (Cadi Forbes protrayed very well by Liana Liberato) problem — whips back to when the Welsh first came to the Appalachian Mountains for the reason for the creation of the sin eater, throws in a romantic triangle then segues to a (relatively) happy ending.

All-in-all, I found the movie very enjoyable and I highly recommend it. If you want to see more Christian based movies like this one, you need to make tracks to the cineplexes. I promise, The Last Sin Eater is worth the journey, I’ve watched it three times and each time see something something else. This release, in my opinion, is the best so far of the three Fox Faith releases — there’s another due out next month and if the upward trend continues I’ll love that one.

The major fault I found with the film, is the number of scenes that take place in semi-darkness, but I guess when you are in the Appalachian mountains in the 19th Century evening hours there’s not a whole bunch the director can do about that to retain the feel and the film is definitely worth the eyestrain.

Cast: Louise Fletcher, Henry Thomas, Liana Liberato, Soren Fulton, A.J. Buckley, Stewart Finlay-McLennan, Peter Wingfield, Elizabeth Lackey, Thea Rose, Kim Myers, Gabrielle Fitzpatrick, Valerie Wildman and Anne Cullimore Decker

The Last Sin Eater

Rating (*** 1/2 out of *****)

Synopsis: (Courtesy of Fox Faith) A young girl begins a journey to seek out the one man who can save her soul in The Last Sin Eater, coming to theaters on February 16, 2007. “Enlightening while entertaining” (Baptist Press), The Last Sin Eater, explores a community in the Appalachians that practice the belief that a human “sin eater” can discharge the dead of their sins and a young girl preoccupied by her own sense of guilt and mortality, driven to uncover the truth behind the long held tradition. Directed by Michael Landon Jr. and starring Academy Award Winner and Emmy Nominee Louise Fletcher and two-time Golden Globe Nominee Henry Thomas.

The Last Sin Eater is based on the award winning novel by Francine Rivers.

When a mysterious man “absolves” her grandmother's sins by eating bread and wine at her grave, 10-year-old Cadi wants the same redemption — while she's still alive! But in her quest for deliverance she uncovers a dark secret that threatens to divide her family. What will happen when the two face each other — and the One who can truly save them?

MPAA Rating: PG

Running Time: 120 minutes