Movie Review: OVERCOMER

Don’t let what people think of you define you. Concentrate on ” Who God says you are”. Overcomer is a movie out to show people that you can do all things with Christ on your side no matter what the world says.

Overcomer is the sixth film of the Kendrick brothers Alex and Stephen Kendrick (writers of WAR ROOM), and their second through their subsidiary, Kendrick Brothers Productions. It is a 119 minutes Christian American movie officially released on the 23rd August 2019 in the United States.The film was released by Sony Pictures through its label, Affirm Films.

It received mixed critical reviews but was well-received by audiences, grossing $38 million worldwide against a $5 million budget and garnering Alex Kendrick’s third “A+” on CinemaScore. He is the second director to have three films receive the grade, after Rob Reiner.

PLOT

John Harrison (Alex Kendrick) is a basketball coach at a high school. Due to the manufacturing plant being moved to another city, all of the good basketball players, along with their families, must move also. School Principal Olivia Brooks (Priscilla Shirer) tells John that the school is losing several teachers and coaches and that she needs him to coach cross country, as she doesn’t want the school to lose another program.

John agrees to be the running coach for Hannah Scott (Aryn Wright-Thompson), who is asthmatic. Hanna lives with her grandmother and has been told that both her parents are dead. Hannah also steals items from students at school and has a collection of them. One day, on his hospital visits to help the pastor, John accidentally enters the room of Thomas Hill (Cameron Arnett). Hill is blind and suffering from diabetic complications. Hill also had been a cross country runner. After couple of visits to see Hill, John finds out that Hill is Hannah’s father. John also later finds out that the principal was Hannah’s mother’s friend and has been paying her tuition fees.

Hannah is told about her father and is taken to meet him. Though reluctant at first, she eventually accepts him and starts visiting him more. Through the process she discovers herself and also strengthens her Christian faith and her belief in Jesus Christ as her father. Hannah returns all of the stolen items and practices rigorously.

On the day of the State Championship race, John gives Hannah ear buds and a player. John tells her to play the player as the race begins. Through the race, Hannah hears her father’s voice of coaching and encouragement, leading her to win the race and become the state champion.

Later, Hill passes away. A couple of years later, Hannah tells her story to her cross country friends. Then Hannah puts a flash drive in the player and runs through the city while listening to the recording from her father which begins with “It’s your 21st birthday”.

CAST

-Alex Kendrick as John Harrison: former basketball coach who reluctantly begins coaching cross-country

-Shari Rigby as Amy Harrison: John’s wife

-Priscilla Shirer as Olivia Brooks: the principal of Brookshire Christian School and mentor to Hannah Scott

-Cameron Arnett as Thomas Hill: blind man and former runner harboring a secret past

-Aryn Wright-Thompson as Hannah Scott: an orphan and high-school cross-country runner being raised by her grandmother

-Jack Sterner as Ethan Harrison: John Harrison’s son

-Ben Davies as Coach Myers