The adaptation of Christian author Donald Millers Nyc Times bestseller listed memoirs, Blue Like Jazz is a film that is going to face an unusual level of critique, scrutiny and judgment, likely to come specifically from those at both ends of the religious spectrum. A challenging book to turn into a film because stream of consciousness narration, director Steve Taylor and crew have typically succeeded in turning out a generally entertaining movie, but one that are going to be too centered on Christianity for the people averse to religion and too “edgy” for all those of the Christian trust who like their videos Kirk Cameronesque.
Taking liberty with Donald Millers actual story, Blue Like Jazz gifts Miller (Marshall Allman) being an 19-year-old sophomore, just leaving behind the Texas and Southern Baptist home to attend the very liberal and also progressive Reed College in Portland, Oregon. In reality, he was a 30-year aged writer when he audited classes at Reed, but that evidently wasnt of the same quality of a story. Thats not the only fictionalization the movie has out, presenting Millers mother (Jenny Littleton) as having become pregnant by his very ridiculous and extremely married youth pastor, Kenny (Jason Marsden). In the movie, this hypocritical act will be the final straw that causes Miller to finish off his bags and flee on the college that his pot-smoking, jazz-listening father (Eric Lange) has managed to get him admitted by pulling several strings.
Once Miller is at Reed hes met with behavior that he locates shocking.there are atheists and the wonderful eat “magic brownies” and openly challenge Christian thought.and at the same time liberating. He soon friends interesting lesbian, Lauryn (Tania Raymonde), who lets him recognize how square he is which if he wants to own any chance of having along at Reed, hed be better down hiding any Christian leanings. Another of his pals is campus celebrity The actual Pope (Justin Welborn), an outspoken atheist perpetually clad in ironic papal clothes. Of course, he also friends as well as romantically pursues Penny (Claire Holt), the social conscience from the film who is involved heavily in humanitarian causes but is also openly a member of the church near campus and she looks like its getting along fine on Reeds campus.
Miller initially sheds his Christian faith, experimenting somewhat with the area bohemian culture and actually openly mocking the belief expressions of others in classroom discussions. It is after his involvement in the prank involving the mild defacement of church property that they seems to begin for you to veer back toward belief. Unbeknownst to him, the church that was targeted was the same church attended by Dime, who tearfully tries to describe to him the damage that the prank has caused on the list of faithful.
The films narrative arc concludes with Donald Miller again in the folds of the actual Christian faith but no longer a person lacking in doubt or sincerity, with a faith far taken from the Southern Baptist cultural Christianity he previously brought with him to help Reed. But the shift is going to be too slight or subtle for being understood by many outside the Christian worldview.