''Show Me the Father'' is a 2021 American

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

documentary film A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional film, motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". Bill Nichols (film critic), Bil ...

by director

Rick Altizer Rick Altizer is a film director, recording artist, music producer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and radio show host. In 2021, Altizer wrote and directed ''Show Me the Father'', produced by Mark Miller and executive produced by the Kendrick ...

, presenting five fatherhood-related stories connected with commentary by Tony Evans, produced by Mark Miller and executive produced by the Kendrick brothers. It is the Kendrick brothers' seventh film and their third through their subsidiary, Kendrick Brothers Productions. It was theatrically released on September 10, 2021.

Plot

The film covers the fatherhood stories of good fathers, absent fathers, and abusive fathers. It also details the adoption of

Stephen Kendrick Stephen Kendrick (born June 10, 1974) is an American film writer and producer, co-writer of the book '' The Love Dare'' with brother Alex Kendrick, and former senior associate pastor at Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia. Stephen, Shan ...

's daughter from China, and the blessings that the Kendrick brothers' father Larry pronounced for them at each of their respective weddings.

Cast

With the exception of Evans, who provides Christian, faith-based commentary on topics of fatherhood, adoption, and sonship, each person featured in the film relates their personal stories of experiencing fatherhood. While the five main stories focus on men, several of their mothers and wives also provide their perspectives on the events depicted, as does Larry Kendrick, Alex and Stephen's father.

Theme

Quoted in ''

The Christian Post ''The Christian Post'' is an American nondenominational Christianity, non-denominational, Conservatism, conservative, Evangelicalism, evangelical Christian media, Christian online newspaper. Based in Washington, D.C., it was founded in March 200 ...

'', executive producer Stephen Kendrick said “We want people to learn how to relate to God as the perfect Father they've always wanted and longed for, but never had,” he added. “The fatherhood of God was the design for God creating fatherhood on Earth. All the roles that dad is supposed to play on Earth come from God's roles in our lives.”

Production

''Show Me the Father'' is the Kendrick brothers' seventh film and the third produced by their company,

Kendrick Brothers Kendrick Brothers is an American Evangelical Christian film production company in Albany, Georgia, United States. History Kendrick Brothers was founded in 2013 in Albany, Georgia by Alex Kendrick, Stephen Kendrick and Shannon Kendrick, filmma ...

. Their initial four films were created under

Sherwood Pictures Sherwood Pictures is an American independent Christian film production company in Albany, Georgia, United States. It is unusual among production companies in that it is a ministry of a local church, Sherwood Baptist Church. The company uses mostly ...

Reception

Box office

Released on September 10, 2021, the film made $700,181 from 1,073 theaters in its opening weekend.

Critical response

'' positively reacted to the film. Writing for

Crosswalk.com Crosswalk.com is a Christian website, operated by the Salem Web Network, a division of Salem Communications Salem Media Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: SALM; formerly Salem Communications Corporation) is an American radio broadcaster, Internet content p ...

, Michael Foust said that "''Show Me the Father'' isn't a boring documentary. Like the Kendricks Brothers' feature films, it inspires and convicts you – and leaves you reaching for the box of tissue." Reviewing for

World Radio ''World Radio'' is the ninth album by the English singer-songwriter, Leo Sayer, and was released in April 1982. It was (including the greatest hits compilation album, ''The Very Best of Leo Sayer'') his tenth successive Top 50 chart entry in the ...

, Collin Garbario praised the film but suggested the filmmakers could have "broadened their interviews to include more perspectives on the importance of fathers. For example, we don't really get to hear about the legacy that a good or bad father can leave on a woman's life." Audiences polled by

CinemaScore CinemaScore is a market research firm based in Las Vegas. It surveys film audiences to rate their viewing experiences with letter grades, reports the results, and forecasts box office receipts based on the data. Background Ed Mintz founded Ci ...

gave the film a rare average grade of "A+", the fourth consecutive top score for a Kendrick Brothers-produced film, while

PostTrak PostTrak is a U.S.-based service that surveys film audiences for film studios. History The service conducts surveys in the top 20 markets in the U.S. and Canada with the use of polling cards and electronic kiosks. A PostTrak report for a film a ...

reported 88% of audience members gave it a positive score, with 67% saying they would definitely recommend it.

References

External links

* * {{Kendrick Brothers 2021 films Films about Christianity Films about religion Sony Pictures films 2020s English-language films American documentary films 2020s American films