REPEAT PERFORMANCE

With the success of MR. HOLLAND’S OPUS and the movie SHINE, its only appropriate that the World Wide Pictures division of the Billy Graham association should bring us a dramatic feature set in the world of music. For the last couple of years, World Wide Pictures has scaled back its releases from its trademark evangelistic theatrical movies such as THE HIDING PLACE, THE PRODIGAL and JONI, to smaller productions that would be available on video. In the case of REPEAT PERFORMANCE, they seem to have hit on a winning balance between entertainment, drama and evangelism.

Rather than closing on the traditional Billy Graham crusade, this weaves Graham’s Christ-centered message into momentary television glances and Christian rock performances. The story opens with a concert violinist husband and his wife arguing about a mess made by their young son, Sean. The mother walks out on both of them. Years later, Sean is studying music and following in the footsteps of his father. After a argument with his female domestic partner, Sean’s father commits suicide. In response, Sean spirals downward, drinking and hanging out with the wrong crowd.

Driving back from a party, where a friend is driving Sean’s car, they hit and kill a little boy. Now, Sean is on the run and his grandparents, his guardian, his music teacher, and even the parents of the slain boy are trying to reach him with the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.

REPEAT PERFORMANCE is a very realistic drama. It would fit in nicely on network television. Sean has real problems; there is real jeopardy; and, there is real dialogue. REPEAT PERFORMANCE is not a frivolous, saccharin portrait of humanity. The movie addresses all the lusts, desires and sins which people face in everyday life.

In the midst of his downward spiral, Sean catches a glimpse of Graham preaching, as he tries to switch from the evening news which addresses the fatal accident in which he was involved. He has to play at a rock concert which turns out to have been sponsored by a church. In between the concert segments, an MTV-like excerpt of Graham’s teaching is shown. However, it is not Graham who leads Sean to Jesus Christ, it is God working through many people, and therefore the storyline is extremely satisfying and involving. This is not a big production, but it is one that deserves commendation.