Focus on the Family’s Irreplaceable: A Review

TND Guest Contributor: Elizabeth Vale |  

Focus on the Family is releasing a new documentary called Irreplaceable. The film will arrive in theaters this Tuesday, May 6, for one night only.  The documentary, which is part of a larger project called the The Family Project, is an effort by Focus on the Family to spark a conversation about the important role that family plays in society.

At one time in our country, releasing a film about the family would have seemed like a harmless, innocuous action on the part of an organization whose whole goal is to support and empower the family; however, today’s generation is unlike any other generation when it comes to its view of the family. Whereas a movie about the family, 10, 20, 30 years ago, wouldn’t have received a second look, today receives widespread criticism for being “hateful”, “anti-gay”, and full of “propaganda”.

So why is a movie about the family receiving so much backlash?

Because the film has the audacity to propagate the idea that every child has the “fundamental human right” to a mother AND a father.  Also, the film shows that family, a traditional nuclear family, is the foundation upon which all society is built.

The documentary follows filmmaker Tim Sisarich on a worldwide journey to answer the question “what’s wrong with the family?”  Along the way, he is able to find many answers, but with each answer he receives, he is forced to ask a new question as he begins to piece together what caused the destruction of the family; from the sexual revolution, to feminism, to the absence of the father – as each piece is set in place, Tim and the viewer begin to see how the family has been destroyed and is continuing to be destroyed with each generation.  However, as the film comes to an end, Tim Sisarich comes to a startling conclusion about each person and each family’s role in society and their role in bringing about change.

After viewing the film, I was able to speak with one of the film’s producers, Focus on the Family’s Glenn Stanton, and I asked him if he thought the film’s message would get muddied by the controversy surrounding the film.  He told me that he thinks that most people “will see through” the controversy and that Focus on the Family’s main reason for creating the film was to start a conversation about “what is happening with the family” and to focus on all issues that families are facing today.

When I asked Glenn whether or not he thought the film would get any pushback from other groups, such as millennials or feminists, who might see the film as pushing old ideas; Glenn stated that, although the film was “unapologetically” Christian, Focus on the Family was hoping to appeal to viewers by looking at the issues through a lens of “natural theology” and the idea that God has wired all of us with a desire to belong to a group, and within all societies that first group has always been the family.

As a person who has cringed at many a faith-based movie, I was pleasantly surprised by this film.  It is well-written, factual, has beautiful cinematography, and gives the viewer a vast amount of information regarding family, its history, and the issues plaguing the family today.  However, in my opinion, the best part of the film is that it accomplishes its goal by sparking a conversation among its viewers about the role of family in today’s society.

I would highly recommend this film to any person who would like to gain a greater knowledge of the family and has a desire to bring about a positive change within their own family and the world around them. I would also urge anyone who cares about the state of our country to see this movie. As concerned citizens, we oftentimes make the mistake of trying to change our country from the top down, when in reality we should be starting with the foundation – the family.

To learn more about the movie, find a theater near you, or purchase tickets please visit:www.irreplaceablethemovie.com/.

To learn more about The Family Project you can visit www.familyproject.com.

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Elizabeth Vale is a blogger, speaker, and political activist who lives in South Florida with her husband and four wonderful children. Elizabeth homeschools her children and is active in her local church and community. Before making the all-important decision to stay home with her children, Elizabeth worked in administration at a global corporation. You can find her online at PolitiChicks.tv, GodParentingPolitics.com, on Facebook at FaceBook.com/ElizabethAnnVale, and on Twitter @GodMomPolitics.  Reprinted with permission.

Source: http://thenewsdoctors.com/focus-on-the-familys-irreplaceable-a-review/