I’ve just returned from a pre-screening of the new film Evan Almighty. I’ve been curious about this one, ever since I saw an ad for it on the back cover of a major Christian magazine. And banner ads on several Christian websites. And trailers on several Christian TV programs. Do I detect a pattern here? Could it be that someone thinks there’s money in the Christian marketplace? That the Christian market is worth the effort?

Golly. Who woulda thunk it.

But the real question is this: Is this movie any good?

My answer is a resounding “Oh, yeah!” It’s a clean family film with a great message and a great storyline. It’s well-produced, well-thought out, and well-written.

Now, if you’re on the far right extreme of Christianity, you might not like this film. After all, it’s not completely true to the scriptures. Noah wasn’t a guy from Buffalo. There is, at one (and only one) point, what might be considered a mildly offensive word (”…I’m gonna be pissed.”) And there’s dancing. If those things produce major offense for you, you probably won’t be going to a theater to watch a movie anyway. For that matter, you won’t be reading my blog, either.

If, like me, all the buzz has you wondering about this film, let me make it easy for you.

Quit wondering.

Go see Evan Almighty tomorrow. You’ll be glad you did.

D.

Back in 1990 or so, I lost the right to call myself “unpublished” (and disqualified myself from a remarkable number of writing contests) by selling the first article I ever wrote to Christian Single for a whopping $64. My pastor, and his drawer full of rejection letters, never forgave me. If I had realized that they paid by the word, I’d have written it longer. And if I had, they would have edited it and I’d have gotten $64.50 instead.

17 years later, after filing a Schedule C with my 2006 taxes showing thousands of dollars in writing-related business expenses and zero income, I can finally look the IRS in the eye and say, “Yes, writing IS a business for me.” Even though I’m still quite solidly in the net loss category, I finally have a PAID writing credit in this millennium. I even made the cover.

If you subscribe to Marriage Partnership magazine, pick up your Summer 2007 copy and look on page 30 for my article Ghosts of Marriages Past. If you don’t subscribe, go buy a copy or twelve.

Now, if I can just sell this novel, maybe I can come a little closer to break-even.

D.