A movie about the Christian family who featured in the popular Duck Dynasty TV reality show is continuing this year’s huge success for faith-based movies. It stunned Hollywood observers when it opened in the top five films at the box office, grossing A$15 million in two weeks despite screening in fewer cinemas.
The biographical movie called The Blind focuses on 77-year-old family patriarch Phil Robertson and his wife Kay with forgiveness, redemption, love and the Gospel among the major themes. The Robertsons’ extended family was famous for their big beards and strong Evangelical faith as well as their Louisiana duck hunting exploits in a TV series that ran for 11 seasons.
Phil grew up with no toilet, bath or electricity in his house before earning a football scholarship as a star college quarterback and then turning down an NFL offer. The film explores aspects of his life that have never been revealed before such as his reckless lifestyle and alcoholism. It examines how Phil overcame the shame of his past, his addiction and his complicated family dynamics to ultimately find redemption.
His son Willie says it reveals no one is beyond the mercy of God and no one is too far gone that they cannot turn their life around. He adds his father’s transformation proves that anyone can change and that there is always hope.
Willie who is also the movie’s producer added that: “The response has been phenomenal. Stories are starting to pour in of standing ovations, baptisms and post movie gatherings all over the country. We feel with our limited theatres and hardly any push from mainstream media, we are doing great. It’s been a real grassroots effort from everyday people who are getting the word out that The Blind is an inspirational message of hope. It’s awesome that so many people are coming out to see this incredible redemption story.”
Faithwire reports the movie is bringing spiritual change, with reports of dozens of baptisms taking place following private screenings. Entrepreneur and Christian leader Ethan Drum organised screenings of The Blind for hundreds of homeless people and individuals struggling with addiction in rehab centres. He told CBN Digital that 70 of them accepted Christ and that some were so moved, they got baptised on the spot.
Mr. Drum also played a video recorded by Phil Robertson describing to the audience his own struggle with alcohol, infidelity, and chaos before coming to the Lord. “He was like ‘Hey, this movie is about me. If anyone should be embarrassed, I should — and, by the way, I was where you were at, and now I’m not,‘” Mr. Drum recounted, noting that the movie truly connected to those struggling with addiction, homelessness, and other issues.
“There was crying, laughing, gasping. The movie had such an impact, because they were like: ‘He didn’t actually go back to drugs and alcohol. It actually did change; he finally did stop, and maybe I can stop too,’” he recalled.
Image: Facebook – The Blind
