the vow christian movie review

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The Vow: A Christian Movie Review

Instead of rehashing the whole plot of the story, about how love prevails after a wife get’s inconvenient amnesia after a car accident, forgetting how she fell in love with her husband, I am just going to pass a couple of comments that I find edifying.

First, the movie is about an artsy couple that rejects all tradition and promises to love each other. However, love in the year 2012 is not one of those unshakable, rock solid sort of things, but rather a pretty compelling bond that keeps you together through some rough patches until it is decided that a journey of self-discovery is more important to any promises people make towards one another, because after all, everyone breaks their promises if the circumstances call for it, right? So, they go on to leave each other to date other people and then after realizing the event turned them into different people, they become intrigued with each other again and fall back in love.

However, the real couple the movie is based on were held together by a greater love for God and an obedience to Him that they made a vow that they were not supposed to break. Here is a brief synopsis from a 1996 People Magazine article :

But when the nurse asked, “Who’s your husband?” she replied, “I’m not married.” Tests soon showed that she had maintained most of her long-term memory. As for her husband, he was a complete stranger—she felt nothing for him. “I don’t have a visual memory in my head, and I have no memory in my heart,” she says now.

Kim remembers comforting himself by saying, “This isn’t my wife; my wife is in this body, trapped and trying to get out.” He worked to encourage her rehabilitation. But Krickitt found his presence and pep talks annoying. “I think she resented his pushing, because at that point she wasn’t Krickitt,” says her mother, Mary, adding that the process of reteaching her daughter the most basic tasks “was like raising her again.” Facing medical bills in excess of $200,000 and relentless bill collectors, Kim returned to his Las Vegas job with serious doubts about the future. “I honestly didn’t think our marriage would work,” says Kim, but he wouldn’t give up. “I made a vow before God,” he explains, ” ‘until death do you part.’ “

It was difficult to make the marriage work again. Mike Hill, a therapist the couple started seeing in fall ’94, pinpointed the problem. “There wasn’t that emotional attachment that comes through the early part of the relationship,” Hill says. “You need to establish some memories of your own.” So Kim and Krickitt began dating again—chatting over pizza, shopping, Jet Skiing at a nearby lake. “I got to know my husband again,” says Krickitt. “There was a point when I really started to enjoy this companion. I would miss him if he wasn’t around.”

This year on Valentine’s Day, Kim proposed again. Krickitt accepted. “I could’ve not fallen in love with him again, but the Lord didn’t allow that,” she says. On May 25, the two again exchanged rings—new ones—and read newly written vows.

Now, this brings me to my second point. The real story is about an all-powerful and merciful God who teaches us to “love because He loved us first” (1 John 4:19) and it was ultimately this that gave two people the ability to overcome some strange circumstances and devote themselves to keeping their marriage. Meanwhile, the movie is a twist of fatalism and the desire for new beginnings.

You see, the characters in the movie went through events in their lives that shaped them into a “perfect match.” They were so compatible, they essentially fell deeply in love with themselves. Their meaningless and shallow wedding vows reflect this well:

I vow to help you love life, to always hold you with tenderness and to have the patience that love demands, to speak when words are needed and to share the silence when they are not, to agree to disagree on red velvet cake, and to live within the warmth of your heart and always call it home.

I vow to fiercely love you in all your forms, now and forever. I promise to never forget that this is a once in a lifetime love. And to always know in the deepest part of my soul that no matter what challenges might carry us apart, we will always find our way back to each other.

To sum up this nonsense, their vow is to “love you as much as I humanly can.” The “deepest part” of their souls were not deep enough to hold them together after the whole amnesia incident, because guess what, she wasn’t the same person he fell in love with! So, in effect, she was a different soul so they were not soul-mates anymore. When events in her life oddly transpired to make her go back to art school and start acting and feeling like the girl pre-amnesia days did, all of the sudden a guy like her ex-husband seemed like a real catch!

When he realizes that she’s a new version of the old her and that he’s this perfect guy, they decide to give the relationship another go. This “new beginning” is the heart-warming climax to the movie.

I can see the major appeal to this. Do you remember what it was like to be freshly in love? How deep the devotion was and just the chemicals your body had running through you? It is probably the best feeling outside getting to know the Lord. I believe God gives us this feeling as a way of giving us a memory of devotion so when life continues on and the relationship isn’t fresh, there is a long-term loyalty. Those early feelings are the catalyst to forming a profound bond.

Now, what do you do if you have done things to hurt your spouse so that you have damaged the warm feelings that formed your marital bond? Ultimately, you cannot undo them by erasing the past. Neither are there any “do overs.” A new beginning would allow you to experience all those beautiful feelings you experienced at the beginning of your relationship. However, that is not available to us.

This is why a lot of people cheat, because they desire the feeling of falling in love more than what real love is, ultimately a long hard slog with many great moments and difficulties along the way.

Even in our Christian walks, may it be far from us to forsake Him so we can experience the joy of “conversion experiences” for several different religions when the “new” feeling fades away after time. Our love for God is maintained by His Spirit in us that gives us a desire to commit our lives to Him.

And so, all good relationships are ultimately not based in our own goodness or our feelings. Events in life will preclude us from ultimately being good enough to merit someone’s unquestionable love and from always feeling the same way. However, commitment without reason stands the test of time. God died for His enemies, for those whom their every thought and inclination were against Him. Yet, He has mercy and commits Himself to saving us from the condemnation we deserve for the wickedness in our own hearts.

So, while we may want a new beginning so that we may undo all the things we have done to hurt each other and then have things be the way they used to be, that’s not realistic. Ultimately, we want commitment. May God bless us with a commitment towards one another like the one He has for us. Amen.

The Vow: Movie Review

Hannah Goodwyn

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Mistaken as a Nicholas Sparks’ movie (based solely on the look of its trailer), The Vow has a familiar storyline as a loving couple's tragedy threatens their happy marriage. It has a similarity to Dear John and The Notebook (and stars two actors from those Sparks’ films, Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams). But this new movie from Sony Pictures doesn’t come from the novelist’s collection of emotional love stories; The Vow is in fact inspired by true events.

This Michael Sucsy-directed film is less sappy as Sparks’ movies go and has a bit of edge, which may appeal to those less inclined to watch a traditional chick flick. The emotion is there as the tragedy unfolds, but, the offensive content and lack of faith (the story is based on a couple who are strong Christians) are disappointing.

THE MOVIE IN A MINUTE

It’s a picture perfect love story as Paige (Rachel McAdams) and Leo (Channing Tatum) start their life together. Their wedding vows are soon tested when a car accident puts Paige into a coma. When she wakes up, Leo is devastated when she doesn’t remember him. Paige's memory loss threatens to undo their vows as she struggles to figure out what she wants – to rediscover her life with Leo or return to the life she remembers, the one she had before they met.

THE GOOD AND BAD IN THE VOW

The most memorable scenes in The Vow involve extreme emotion, the first being the car accident. The direction of this slowed-down sequence is, for the lack of a better phrase, beautifully captured. The visually striking images evoke a sincere ‘gasp’ reaction. Another scene (which actually happened to the real couple) shows Leo breakdown in the hospital hallway after Paige doesn’t recognize him.

Themes of family and fighting for a marriage are strong, but there is no mention of faith in The Vow . This comes as a surprise and disappointment as the movie is inspired by a couple’s whose faith and love were integral in their healing. The storyline is a bit jumbled in spots. It had too many unnecessary, secondary characters and the ending didn’t match the intensity of the film’s best moments.

Rated PG-13 for an accident scene, sexual content, partial nudity and some language, this film has its share of potentially offensive content. The foul language alone will hinder this family-themed film from reaching an audience looking for family-friendly movies. Channing Tatum bares almost all showing his backside in one scene and the couple are seen in only their underwear and lying practically naked in bed.

The Vow is a sweet story about a man whose love for his wife is so fierce that he's committed to wooing her - again. But, the film’s problem areas don’t help its case, earning it a rating of 3 out of 5 kernels.

About The Author

Hannah Goodwyn served as a Senior Producer for CBN.com, managing and writing for the award-winning website. After her undergraduate studies at Christopher Newport University, Hannah went on to study Journalism at the graduate level. In 2005, she graduated summa cum laude with her Master's from Regent University and was honored with an Outstanding Student Award. From there, Hannah began work as a content producer for CBN.com. For ten years, she acted as the managing producer for the website's Family and Entertainment sections. A movie buff, Hannah felt right at home working as CBN.com's More

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"Entertaining Romantic Drama"

	None	Light	Moderate	Heavy
Language
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What You Need To Know:

(Ro, B, C, Pa, FR, LLL, V, S, N, A, M) Light Romantic worldview with some moral and redemptive elements about forgiveness and uniting a family, but a Buddhist statue is displayed at one point; 15 obscenities, 11 profanities (including one GD), some crude and scatological terms used; couple gets into car crash throwing the woman out of the car onto the hood with blood showing, man hits other man in the face; implied sex out of marriage, implied sex in marriage, women kisses man that’s not her husband, kissing, an affair is mentioned, divorce; man seen from the back naked, woman in underwear; drinking; no smoking; and, lying and a dysfunctional family situation portrayed but there are attempts to piece it back together.

More Detail:

THE VOW shows love displayed in the midst of traumatic events. It has a romantic worldview that also extols uniting a family.

Paige and Leo are deeply in love and married with sweet memories and happy smiles, until one day they get into a car crash that hurls Paige out of the car and into a coma. When Paige awakes, she remembers nothing of the last five years, meaning that her memories with Leo have been erased. Struggling with this, Leo tries to bring Paige back home with him, so she can regain her memory.

Paige’s parents, however, want to take her under their wing and help her get back on her feet in the home she grew up in and remembers. Oddly enough, though, before the accident, Paige had not spoken to her parents in five years. Leo tries to help Paige get back to how things where before the crash, but Paige’s memories don’t seem to come back. She questions why she’s with Leo, when she only remembers being engaged to Jeremy five years previously.

Paige moves back with her parents and returns to law school, while Leo tries to keep his record company out of debt. At the same time, Leo has made Paige his whole life, his family, his love, but she just cannot get over the changes that were made in the past five years and cannot see herself with Leo. Thinking the marriage is over, Leo and Paige sign divorce papers. The question is, will there be a happy ending somewhere? Will Leo be able to romance Paige back into love?

THE VOW has a romantic worldview but does have an emphasis on uniting a family. Love seems to be the only hope presented in the film, but there is a turning point when Paige realizes that love is also about forgiveness rather then just physical lust. Sadly though, a divorce occurs with not many repercussions.

THE VOW is entertaining and has some sweet moments, despite a significant amount of foul language. Rachel McAdams as Paige is charming as ever, with a twinkle in her eyes. She and Channing Tatum as Leo make an adorable couple. The film is much more sad than expected, with many moments of crying and fighting and awkward interactions between the lead couple. Just be prepared for a romantic drama with many tears when you walk into the theater to see THE VOW.

The Vow: Movie Review

“Life is all about moments of impact.”

The premise of The Vow is based on those seven words above. This romantic drama stars actors Channing Tatum ( Dear John ) and Rachel McAdams ( The Notebook ). The story in itself is very similar to both Dear John and The Notebook, and it does seem obvious that the casting directors knew exactly what they were doing when they roped in Tatum and McAdams for The Vow . The movie tells the story of a newly wed couple who meet with a tragedy in their lives with Paige (McAdams) waking up from her coma, not being able to remembering who Leo (Tatum) is.

This was the first moment of impact.

It sets off a chain of events with Leo desperately wanting his old life back and the couple getting into emotional clashes over Paige’s inability to remember their love and the things they used to enjoy together. They would look at old photographs together, visit the places they used to go, and listen to their favourite music together – but she would not remember.

Frustrated, the inevitable happens and the second moment of impact translates itself into reality.

Loving when it's hard

The underlying message in the movie is that life is going to be full of unexpected events and there usually is not one single thing that stays eternal except for love. The love portrayed in the movie is obviously fictional and secular, but does have similarities to God’s love for us.

In one particular scene, Leo attempts to jog Paige’s memory by playing the type of music he remembers her liking but is instead greeted by anger and frustration from Paige. She raises her voice angrily at Leo, leaving him extremely agitated because he had high hopes that she would finally remember their love.

It's easy to get frustrated when things go bad, and we can quickly forget to love in the midst of suffering. Thank God that Jesus didn't. I can only imagine his pain when He said, “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do” in Luke 23. Jesus uttered those words whilst hanging on the cross, humiliated and brought down to the level of a criminal. He uttered those words after He had been beaten, made to carry the cross and crucified. To put Jesus’ patient love in perspective, how many of us start to curse the moment we forget our phones? Or when the bus fails to arrive? Or when we get cut off in traffic? Or when our friend turns up late?

Just like how Leo continued to love Paige in the movie, Jesus continues to love the object of His desire, you and me. Leo was ridiculed, rejected and forgotten but still he chose to love. Jesus too was ridiculed, rejected and forgotten, but he never stops loving.

A Final Note

The movie is classified PG in the US but do check the Australian classification closer to the date of release. There are a few scenes in the movie which might be uncomfortable for some, but on a whole, a PG-13 classification is probably something I would conservatively lean towards. There are some adult themes which pop up later in the movie that might require some explanation, depending on the level of maturity of the viewer.

All in all, a very captivating movie embedded with strong positive core values. Enjoy!

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Irena’s Vow (Christian Movie Review)

Equal parts sobering and inspiring, Irena’s Vow is an incredible story of moral courage and one of the most powerful films of the year.

About the Film

“What does it matter who we are? What we do is who we are.” Irena Gut was a Polish nurse who lived during the horrors of German occupation in World War II. Based on a remarkable true story, Irena’s Vow —a film adaptation of the Broadway play of the same name—showcases Gut’s heroic deeds and the sacrifices she made to save twelve Jews’ lives. Equal parts sobering and inspiring, Irena’s Vow is an incredible story of moral courage and one of the most powerful films of the year.

Narratives set against the historical backdrop of WWII are plentiful. There have been several other notable tales told recently of heroic people sheltering Jews from the Nazi regime. Even so, there is something unique about Irena’s Vow being told from the perspective of an ordinary young woman. The movie is a testimony to the power of one faithful life.

At times, Irena’s Vow is difficult to watch (intentionally so). The movie is rated R and features one particularly shocking moment of violence (see “content to consider” below). The evil on display is narratively appropriate and contextualizes the extent and urgency of Irena’s sacrifices. I chatted with Dan Gordon , the writer of both the stage play and the film adaptation (as well as a personal friend to the real Irena), and Jeannie Opdyke Smith , Irena’s daughter. Both shared that the incredible story was too big to fit within a single film’s runtime.

The film’s craftsmanship provides a suitable vehicle for the story. Actress Sophie Nélisse is excellent in the lead role, embodying both Irena’s unwavering moral strength and her fear. The movie was filmed on location in Poland, giving a more tactile and authentic feel to the sets. Everything is competently crafted and never distracts from the movie’s most important quality: the story.

Irena’s Vow is a powerful film in which the emotion never feels cheap or manipulative. It inspires without being sentimental; it’s raw and honest—sometimes shockingly so—but never gratuitous; it entertains without diminishing the severity of the true events. The film also conveys a strong pro-life message without coming across as preachy.

The real Irena was a woman of steadfast faith, and Irena’s Vow doesn’t shy away from that foundational aspect of her character. The film shares some similarities to Cabrini in that the lead character’s faith is most evident through her action and love for people. Gut’s “vow,” which gives the film its title, is one she made to God never to stand by if she had the power to save a life.

Irena’s Vow may not wow audiences with any single element, but it possesses something Hollywood often lacks: a story worth telling. Irena Gut lived an inspirational life. Irena’s Vow may be a historical drama, but her example is as needed today as ever.

For Consideration

Language: A woman is called a “whore” several times.

Violence: A man rips an infant from its mother’s arms, tosses it to the ground, and stomps on it (a wet crunch is audible). The man then shoots the mother in the head, and there is a splattering of blood. In another scene, a group of people—including multiple children—are hanged and killed.

Sexuality: A woman is raped, although the sexual acts occur off-screen (the man is shown forcing kisses on the woman while grasping at her clothing, and both are later shown lying in bed together). Someone remarks that another man has had his hand up a lady’s skirt all evening. The man and woman later leave a party to continue their sexual acts outside, with the sounds of their giggling audible. They are later shown adjusting their clothing after finishing. In the Jewish hiding place, there is a “honeymoon suite,” in which the married couples can be intimate with each other.

Engage The Film

Confronting evil with moral courage .

In the immediate aftermath of an act of shocking violence committed against a mother and her infant, Irena says, “I have seen things I shouldn’t. Terrible things. Horrible things.” In response, an older man remarks, “Don’t tell me. I don’t want to know.” It’s not that the man doesn’t care about the plight around him but that he doesn’t yet possess the courage to confront it. Instead, he counsels Irena to keep her eyes on her feet and to focus on taking one step at a time.

Having seen horrors with her own eyes, however, Irena feels compelled to act. Her “vow” is that she would never stand by and refuse to act if she had the opportunity to save a life. The depiction of that violent moment in the film is a continuation of the film’s theme that one cannot confront evil before first seeing and acknowledging it.

Abortion & The Value of Life

Hiding in the house of those who want to kill you is not the ideal environment for giving birth and nurturing a newborn. Thus, when a Jewish woman becomes pregnant, the others see an abortion as the only feasible option.

But after everything Irena has experienced, she is unwilling to retrieve the required medical supplies, citing her religion and her conviction that the act is a matter of life and death: “We have to live . Otherwise, the Hitlers of the world have won.” She is unwilling to witness another Jewish baby lost, implicitly attributing dignity to the life in the womb as well as to the life outside of it. The mother ultimately keeps the child, and video clips of the real-life child are shown at the end of the film, celebrating the life that was saved.

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Love Binds Ever Sweetly in The Vow

Susan Ellingburg Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer
Updated May 07, 2013

Love Binds Ever Sweetly in <i>The Vow</i>

DVD Release Date: May 8, 2012 Theatrical Release Date: February 10, 2012 Rating: PG-13 (for an accident scene, sexual content, partial nudity and some language) Genre: Drama, Romance Run Time: 104 min. Director: Michael Sucsy Actors: Rachel McAdams, Channing Tatum, Jessica Lange and Sam Neill The Vow is everything a good love story should be: funny, sweet, charming, and romantic with a capital “R.” In a stroke of perfect timing, this sweetheart of a movie releases just in time for Valentine’s Day. (Heads up, guys: this would be a smart choice for a February 14 date. Trust me on this.)

The eye candy’s not bad, either. Channing Tatum ( Haywire ) is adorable as Leo, a young husband devoted to his quirky, artist wife. From the moment their eyes meet across a crowded room (at the Chicago Department of Motor Vehicles office, no less) he is determined to woo and win the lovely Paige ( Rachel McAdams , Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows ). And he does. Their perfectly precious wedding—and their deeply personal vows—are sure to prompt contented sighs from female moviegoers of all ages.

Naturally, he’s devastated. Things only get worse when Paige’s parents show up. She hasn’t spoken to them in about five years, but she doesn’t remember that, either. Mom and Dad would like to pretend that whole family quarrel thing never happened and sweep Paige back into the suffocating family fold. The suburbs, the country club, a respectable career, and an appropriate male partner are all waiting for her at home. Paige’s life in the city with Leo? With any luck that can all be swept under the rug, too.

McAdams does a good job portraying Paige’s emotional tightrope walk between the girl she remembers being and the one people tell her she’s become. (One style note: seriously, what is up with that awful hair color she sports the last half of the film? Were they trying to make her look bad?) Tatum is the quintessential heartthrob as the charming, compassionate, hopelessly-in-love Leo. Meanwhile, Sam Neill ( Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole ) pretty much phones in his performance as Paige’s controlling father while Jessica Lange (as Paige’s mom) all but steals the show with an emotional scene near the end.

Amnesia stories seem to run in cycles and we’ve seen several in print and on-screen lately, so The Vow could easily have had a “been there, done that” feeling. It doesn’t. The screenplay is loosely based on a true story, which seems to keep it running along just outside the usual “boy meets girl, girl forgets boy, boy gets girl back” track. It’s refreshing to watch a love story that is actually about love—including marriage , even—rather than sexual attraction alone. There is plenty of passion, but it’s tastefully displayed in a way that highlights the romance more than the rumpled sheets.

Drugs/Alcohol: Wine is served at every meal but breakfast; beer, mixed drinks, and shots served at parties and wedding; no obvious drunkenness.
Language/Profanity: Fairly mild for a modern mainstream movie. Sh** by itself and specified as bullsh**, he**, “God” used alone and with da**, man referred to as a di**, conversation about a fart.
Sex/Nudity: Wife mentions “getting preggers in a car.” Tastefully filmed kissing and foreplay, no “in the act” scenes. Unclothed married couple shown in bed together, bare backs shown (male and female); one view of a male backside. Unmarried female given a negligee and condom as a gift “for later”; girl invited to move in with boyfriend (and apparently his male roommates). She sees him naked (we don’t) and he says “It’s not like you haven’t seen it before” referring to genitals. Couple goes swimming in their underwear and horseplay ensues. Reference to a marital affair.
Violence: Car crash with slow-motion head injury and body thrown through windshield; punch (richly deserved) thrown at a party.
Spiritual Themes: Forgiveness, the importance of family, and unselfish love. Reference made to burning a ‘smudge stick’ to drive out bad energy; it’s noted that the stick is apparently made of old lettuce but did do the trick.

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Movie review: 'the vow,' not much of one.

Spoiler Alert

How do you look at the girl you love and tell yourself it's time to walk away?

You don't, hopefully.

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But that's the question that our main character Leo Collins, played by Channing Tatum, wrestles with in the new movie "The Vow" as he chooses to either hold on to his wife who no longer remembers who he is or let her go, back to the only life she can remember.

Inspired by a real life couple from New Mexico, "The Vow," directed by Michael Sucsy, explores the relationship between Leo and Paige (Rachel McAdams), a young, madly in love married couple who experience a devastating car accident while returning home from a movie one day.

When Leo wakes up, he finds himself in the hospital, with his wife in a comatose state after having suffered a severe blow to her head.

Slowly "weaned off" a coma for whatever medical reasoning the doctor gives, Paige finally regains consciousness only to discover that she's forgotten about five years of her life, which happens to include the part where she met, fell in love with, and got married to her husband Leo.

The last thing she does remember? Asking a waiter at the Macaroni Grill if they had toasted ravioli. Oh and attending law school and being engaged to another man named Jeremy (Scott Speedman). Just a teensy tiny problem for the newlyweds.

Now cue the estranged, overbearing, and caviar-eating parents who magically reappear into their daughter's life; successful attorney, ex-fiancé who's still in love with the woman who left him five years ago; the music-making, bacon-loving, free spirited husband who's just trying to win his wife's heart, and memory, back and you have yourself ... the broken vow.

This may or may not be the best Valentine's Day movie, just as a warning.

Much of the movie is spent with Leo chasing and re-chasing Paige, seen either through their first interactions with each other pre-coma or exchanges together, post-coma.

Trying to rekindle the sparks that initially led his wife to fall in love with him in the first place, Leo works hard to reignite the flames and keep his vows albeit all the setbacks i.e. memory loss, disapproving in-laws, and hung-over ex-fiancé.

I vow to fiercely love you and all your forms now and forever. I promise never to forget this is a once in a lifetime love ... and no matter what challenges carry us apart we'll always find a way back to each other.

Though it's apparent that the actors are committed to their onscreen roles and chemistry – Tatum as charming as ever and McAdams, flirty and fresh – we're not so sure about the actual lovebirds themselves.

Paige and Leo's story, based solely on the film and not the real couple, is sweet at best but not at all a kind of love to be mirrored or modeled after.

Their idea of love and marriage relies largely on emotions, circumstances and "moments of impact," valuing the ever-changing feelings over promises, fate rather than faith and commitment.

The once "I can't take no for an answer" Leo quickly becomes a "let things fall where they may" kind of man when his overflowing affections are not returned exactly the way he had hoped; this is, only after a few weeks' worth of attempts (dramatically reduced for the film perhaps?).

Although it's Paige who suffers the memory loss, making it difficult for her to keep a vow she never remembers making (though fear and insecurity appear to be more of a problem for her than her memory), trials, temptations and seasons of drought cause Leo to forget his promises of marriage as well.

If it weren't for the constant flashbacks throughout the film, we'd forget too, leaving us to question how secure are the vows we once made in times of peace, not suffering? And what do our vows really signify and mean?

Leading theologian and megapastor John Piper previously put it this way: It's a covenant.

The covenant sustains the love, not the love the covenant, he said, rephrasing the words of the famed pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, "It is not your love that sustains the marriage but ... the marriage that sustains your love."

"Romance and falling in love is a beautiful thing, and re-falling in love, again and again, is important," Piper stated. "[But] re-falling in love after seasons of pain can be sustained only if you elevate covenant above those affections and romance."

While Leo and Paige might have done a good job creating their vows, they failed in actually keeping them because both built their marriage on current sentiments and affections, not promises.

And despite the film's intended emphasis placed on those vows, via the title and the repeated playbacks recalling the couple's words throughout the movie, it appears as though their vows were actually under-, not over-valued in reality.

Now if promises are all that sustain a marriage, where's the romance in that?

"That's the ground in which the flower grows," Piper shared, where passion, love, affections, and true romance can bloom and flourish over and over again in spite of pain, hardships, and ... memory loss.

So how do you look at the girl you love and tell yourself it's time to walk away?

You don't. You never give up. And you stake everything on "The Vow."

"The Vow" is rated PG-13 and opens Friday, Feb. 10. The film also stars Jessica Lange, Sam Neill and Jessica McNamee.

Watch the official trailer here .

Disclaimer: This review is based solely on the film and not the inspired story or book, The Vow: The Kim and Krickitt Carpenter Story .

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The Vow: Movie Review

Hannah Goodwyn

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THE GOOD AND BAD IN THE VOW

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Sophie Nélisse brings powerful subtlety to the title role in “Irena’s Vow,” accomplishing so much with her eyes, her presence, her ability to shift demeanor and tone quickly depending on the situation.

Director Louise Archambault tells the inspiring true story of Irena Gut Opdyke, a Polish Catholic woman who dared to protect a dozen Jews by sheltering them in the home of a Nazi commandant, where she lived and worked as a housekeeper during World War II. Working from a screenplay by Dan Gordon (“ The Hurricane ”), which he based on his stage play, Archambault reveals Irena’s understated but convincing evolution from a pious and idealistic nurse at age 19 to a pragmatic and resourceful young woman.

We witness her innate ability to think on her feet early on when she returns to her home in occupied Poland after a bombing at the hospital where she works, only to find an SS officer waiting there in place of her family. Her quick wit serves her well here, as it does throughout the film, but it’s tied to a deep sense of empathy, so she uses that instinct to help others rather than merely for her own survival. Nélisse, who plays the younger version of Melanie Lynskey ’s character on “Yellowjackets,” has an openness that makes her a warm and gentle conduit into this harrowing world. And it’s that likability—coupled with the fact that she’s pretty and looks German—that allows Irena to move up quickly during the war effort to the role of running the villa of Major Rugemer ( Dougray Scott ), a vain and ambitious man who wants to use the place to throw lavish parties.

But prior to that position, Irena oversaw the tailoring operation for several Nazi officers and their secretaries. The “tailors”—all Jewish—came from various walks of life in Poland, and she came to befriend and protect them. The scene in which they stand up one by one, introducing themselves to Irena and revealing their former professions—lawyer, chemist, nurse—is a great example of how Archambault finds quiet humanity within this horrifying setting. When she finds out the Jewish ghetto is about to be liquidated, Irena makes the bold choice to hide these men and women within the major’s sprawling mansion, the renovations of which she’s responsible for overseeing. Watching her figure out every little detail in terms of access, communication, sustenance, and comfort gives the film a propulsive energy. Archambault often focuses her lens on unexpected places—Irena's feet as she repeatedly scurries out of the kitchen to serve hors d’oeuvres to horrible people or the hands of the Jewish survivors as they pass a candle around in a circle on Hanukkah.

“Irena’s Vow” features several devastating moments, too, as you’d expect from a film about the Holocaust. One scene involving the fate of an infant is especially gut-wrenching and indicative of the casual cruelty of one Nazi officer in particular, played chillingly by Maciej Nawrocki . Archambault frames it strategically, so it’s not shockingly graphic, but it clearly indicates how witnessing this killing galvanizes Irena. The elegantly suspenseful score from Maxime Navert and Alexandra Stréliski accompanies the constant threat of getting caught within this luxurious location.

But because she’s such a compelling figure, you’ll wish “Irena’s Vow” had depicted her with a bit more complexity. Gordon’s script singularly portrays her as a young woman full of bravery and honor, one who’s increasingly willing to make difficult decisions and sacrifices. Nélisse’s scenes with Scott grow thick with tension as their characters’ relationship evolves, and Scott’s performance becomes more interesting as the much older Major Rugemer candidly reveals his insecurities. He's very good here, as he gets to show more shading.

Irena, in contrast, consistently functions as an almost saintly figure the longer she perseveres. She’s kindhearted and hardworking and never deviates from that mode. Still, this is such a worthwhile story that we can’t look away, and Nélisse is so engaging that we don’t want to.

Christy Lemire

Christy Lemire is a longtime film critic who has written for RogerEbert.com since 2013. Before that, she was the film critic for The Associated Press for nearly 15 years and co-hosted the public television series "Ebert Presents At the Movies" opposite Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, with Roger Ebert serving as managing editor. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

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Irena's Vow (2024)

121 minutes

Sophie Nélisse as Irena Gut Opdyke

Dougray Scott as Rugmer

Andrzej Seweryn as Schultz

Maciej Nawrocki as Rokita

Sharon Azrieli as Helen

Eliza Rycembel as Ida

Aleksandar Milićević as Lazar

Agata Turkot as Clara

Filip Kosior as Thomas

Louise Archambault

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Dove Review

“The Vow” is based on a book written by Kim and Krickitt Carpenter. The book is powerful as it opens with how they met, their blossoming romance, and subsequent marriage. Then the reader learns of a tragic accident which left them both in bad shape and took away Krickitt’s recent memory. She no longer recognized her husband Kim. The couple has disagreements as Kim helps “coach” Krickitt during her physical therapy. He pushes her and she doesn’t appreciate it. Eventually, he comes to realize that he must court her all over again, that he can’t be her coach but must be her support. They grow in their “new” relationship and they eventually renew their vows.

The movie changes things around a bit, and much of it is not for the better. In this one the couple’s names are Leo (Channing Tatum) and Paige (Rachel McAdams) and the film cuts to the accident not far into the opening. We don’t get to see how this couple became a couple and enjoyed their romantic beginnings. By film’s end, we don’t see a renewing of vows either and I think these are two critical mistakes in both the front and end of this picture.

The film contains a few laughs including a scene in which Paige is eating bacon for breakfast and a surprised Leo tells her she doesn’t eat bacon. “Oh”, she says, and she takes it out of her mouth! Despite good performances by both leads (Channing Tatum conveys Leo’s pain of not having his own wife recognize him very well) the content of the film is strong, including strong language, and sadly does not focus at all on the couple’s Christian faith, a theme which was a backbone of the book. Therefore, due to the language, we are unable to award our Dove “Family-Approved” Seal to this movie.

Dove Rating Details

A woman goes head first through a windshield during a car crash; woman seen on oxygen; a man has scrapes on his face and body from accident; tension between a couple and between the man and his wife's parents; a character strikes another character.

A couple of sexual innuendos including a comment about a "c**k blocker" when a married man hangs around his wife and her former fiance'; a woman mentions getting pregnant if she has sex in a car; passionate kissing; a character taunts another character about him possibly going to bed with his wife; it's learned a certain woman's husband cheated on her in the past but she forgave him.

GD-1; G/OMG-9; S-6; BS-1; H-4; D-1; A-1; Slang for male genitalia-2; Sucks-1

Drinking wine and talk of getting drinks; beer is consumed;

Rear male nudity; shirtless man with bare leg seen; woman in bra and panties; woman's bare back is seen in bed.

The difficulties of recovering from an accident with a memory loss; a woman struggles to make a new life for herself while having a past in front of her; tensions between husband and wife as she doesn't share the memories of their lives as he does.

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A Simple Heroism: A review of Irena’s Vow

Unlike the dramatic, big budget flair of Schindler’s List or the extensive sweep of Shoah , this film–like its protagonist–is a simple but effective witness to everyday heroism that so often goes unnoticed but to God alone.

April 6, 2024 Nick Olszyk The Dispatch 3 Print

MPAA Rating, PG-13 USCCB Rating: Not rated at the time of this review Reel Rating: 3 out of 5 reels

There have been numerous films about the Holocaust, so many that certain new ones can be viewed as boorish or even patronistic . Yet, as the October 7 th terrorist attack on Israel has demonstrated, it is still a timely and necessary subject. Irena’s Vow tells the story of a Polish woman, barely an adult, who saved the lives of over dozen Jewish people by hiding them in the home of a Nazi official for almost three years. Unlike the dramatic, big budget flair of Schindler’s List or the extensive sweep of Shoah , this film–like its protagonist–is a simple but effective witness to everyday heroism that so often goes unnoticed but to God alone.

Irena (Sophie Nélisse) is an ordinary Polish woman in her late teens: humble, kind, academically minded, and pious. She attends Mass, goes to school for nursing, and little else. Yet her plans are thrown into turmoil when the Nazis invade Poland in 1939. Due to her age, diligence, and non-Jewish ethnicity, she secures a job as a housekeeper, rising through the ranks to eventually becoming the head butler and cook for Major Eduard Rügemer (Dougray Scott), who lives alone in large, confiscated villa. Rügemer is amazed at her skill and pose, easily cooking, cleaning, and keeping house, entertaining large parties without breaking a sweat. He doesn’t know that she has secretly hidden several Jewish couples in the basement who help her in these tasks. For years, she keeps up this noble ruse, though always on the precipice of being discovered.

There’s an widespread assumption that heroes must be grand, magnificent, and famous, but Jesus points out that “the greatest among you will serve the least” and “let not your right hand know what your left is doing.” Nélisse gives a textbook example of a subtle but effective performance, never giving any speeches, rarely raising her voice, allowing her vulnerability to be an asset. No one would think the quiet, mousy housekeeper would be running an underground network of Jewish refugees. Besides being humble, she is remarkably clever. When Rügemer hears noises in the basement, she convinces him it is rats and uses the “extermination time” to better prepare the house for her guests. When a local criminal discovers her secret and tries to blackmail her, she edits the offending letter to make it seem to target Rügemer, who promptly has the man executed.

Louise Archambault’s directing is a masterclass in pacing and anticipation. She constantly creates stress between what Irena, Rügemer, the Jews, and the audience know, keeping the tension high throughout the film. She also has a tremendous eye for space. The house becomes a character itself. The audience becomes intimately familiar with the dining room, the master bedroom, the basement, the ballroom, and the kitchen to the extent that we know if this person goes through that door, he will see something he shouldn’t. She combines classical staging techniques from Hitchcock and theatrical farces in a way I haven’t seen before in a drama such as this one.

The film is not explicitly Christian in its outlook, but it would be impossible for a Pole to ignore the subject. Irena’s Catholicism makes helping these poor souls as natural as brushing one’s teeth before bed; it happens organically, from within, without second thoughts. The subject of abortion is briefly examined when a Jewish couple becomes pregnant; a screaming baby would certainly jeopardize the situation. Ultimately, Irena convinces them to not kill the child, though more for reasons of rebellion than the sanctity of life.

Toward the end of the film, Rügemer discovers Irene’s secret and, recognizing both his duplicity and attraction to Irene, agrees to keep the secret if she becomes his mistress. She complies, which could be seen as a terrible sin, but it’s difficult for the audience to judge her situation. For one, it is not completely consensual. For another, on the other hand, there does appear to be genuine love between them. Rügemer is a ruthless Nazi, but through the years of watching this lonely old man, Irene appears to emphasize with him. Their relationship, like so many of the period, was problematic and complicated. In an ironic twist, when she was named a Righteous Among the Nations decades later by the Israeli government, he was also included in her commendation.

Irene’s Vow is a solid drama that succeeds even apart from its subject. I must admit that I was not excited about screening this film; I have seen so many movies about this topic and am far more interested in Godzilla x Kong: The Lost Empire (which was amazing for very different reasons). Fortunately, I had the opportunity to speak briefly with Nélisse about her role, and she reminded me that, given recent events, this was still a contemporary issue. We might not be in a time or place when it’s necessary to house refugees from a genocidal government, but we can say a kind word on social media, comfort a grieving friend, or visit an ostracized relative. In this way, we are being heroes “to the least among you.”

• A trailer for Irena’s Vow :

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Irena's Vow
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A Hidden Life

“Yet, as the October 7th terrorist attack on Israel has demonstrated, ….” It certainly demonstrated, to you at least, that people are not simply people. No: if someone shows by his hair color, his eye color, and his skin color that the great bulk of his ancestors some 2000 years ago were celebrating the clades Variana, but he calls himself a Jew and his modern, secular state, modeled on the British parliamentary system, “Israel”, we have to pretend he is Moses or Elijah. NOTABLY, you would have us believe that the Killing Fields of Cambodia, the Rwandan genocide, and countless other ethnic massacres don’t do the job for making the Holocaust real to us. Presumably they are … not quite as Semetic as our blond-haired friends in the Levant?

Wouldn’t it be nice if Someone were to tear down the middle wall of separation between us? Wouldn’t it be nice if we could simply say that murder is wrong and torture is wrong without having to ask for geneologies of the victims? But if Someone really did tear down that wall, would that be enough to change how YOU see the Sons of Adam and the Daughters of Eve, or would you be anxious to rebuild the wall?

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A Simple Heroism: A review of Irena’s Vow – Via Nova

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DVD & Streaming

Irena’s Vow

Biography/History , Drama , War

Content Caution

In Theaters

April 15, 2024
Sophie Nélisse as Irena Gut Opdyke; Dougray Scott as Maj. Eduard Rugemer; Andrzej Seweryn as Schultz; Maciej Nawrocki as Rokita; Sharon Azrieli as Helen; Aleksandar Milicevic as Lazar; Eliza Rycembel as Ida; Agata Turkot as Clara; Filip Kosior as Thomas

Home Release Date

May 14, 2024
Louise Archambault

Distributor

Quiver Distribution

Movie Review

Irena hustles into the kitchen, ready to clean the plates. The Nazis in the dining room above, after all, are not known for their patience. But kind Mr. Schultz encourages her to sit. Eat.

“Chew your food,” he tells her with a smile. “No one is chasing you.”

Mr. Shultz looks at the 21-year-old Polish woman and is reminded—in her intelligence and spark—of his own daughter. And though he rarely likes getting involved, he gives young Irena what little wisdom he can about how to survive in a Poland occupied by pitiless forces.

“You look down,” Schultz instructs her.

Not to the left or right, not up or straight. You look at your own two feet. You look, in other words, only to yourself.

“Worry about you ,” he says. “Take care of you .”

Perhaps, if things had been different, Irena would’ve followed his advice. She would’ve fended for herself and let everyone else do the same.

But then she witnesses the Nazis commit an act of absolute brutality, killing a young Jewish mother and her baby before marching blithely on. She can’t look down after seeing this unspeakable horror. She can’t look away. She must act . In a country where blood is less precious than the cobblestones it covers, Irena decides that, if she can save a life, she will. Or, at least, risk her life trying.

Try she must—and soon.

Irena works for Maj. Eduard Rugemer, a munitions manufacturer for the Nazi war machine. She serves dinner, cleans the house and oversees 11 Jewish men and women, all of whom make uniforms for the front. But she learns that, soon, all the town’s Jews will be rounded up and shipped away. How can Irena possibly buck Nazi authority and keep those men and women safe?

But then she receives an unexpected promotion: Maj. Rugemer is moving up in the world. He’s been given a new, much larger, Polish villa, suitable for hosting the lavish dinner parties expected of him. Rugemer wants Irena to become his housekeeper and supervise the home’s renovations—from its splendid public rooms to its up-to-date kitchen to its cavernous cellar.

It’s a big house—far, far too big for one Nazi major and his Polish housekeeper. The cellar alone could house, oh, a dozen people, with plenty of room to spare.

And, quickly, Irena hatches a plan. What better place to hide people from the Nazis than literally in a Nazi’s own basement?

Positive Elements

The premise of Irena’s Vow sounds ludicrous. Hide 11 Jewish people literally right under the nose of a prominent Nazi officer? Give me a break. But here’s the thing: This Canadian-Polish movie is based on a true story. And that makes the heroism we see here all the more remarkable.

Irena herself is, of course, the moral star of the show. She quickly abandons the idea of keeping her head down and launches, full bore, into saving lives at grave risk to her own. As the Major’s new house is renovated, Irena deftly maneuvers the workers to keep the villa’s secret occupants hidden. When threats of discovery arise, she coolly responds to them—redirecting those would-be threats to safer areas of the house. And in a moment of terrible crisis, she shows a willingness to give her own life for the lives of those she’s sworn to protect.

But the folks in the basement are willing to make their own sacrifices, too. They’ll doing whatever they can to help Irena keep her job and, thus, keep them safe.

The first example we see of this is at a lavish dinner party. Maj. Rugemer is determined to bring in extra help, a military orderly, for Irena—both for the party and the foreseeable future. The house and its attendant parties are far, far too much work for one person, he tells her. But Irena—knowing that those extra hands would find her secret guests in short order—insists she can do it all herself. So the two of them agree to use an upcoming party as a testing ground. Sure enough, everything goes smoothly, in large part because the people downstairs become Irena’s hidden kitchen staff.

The major admits that Irena’s work was “efficient and satisfactory” and decides not to bring in an orderly. And from then on, whenever Rugemer heads to work, Irena’s guests head upstairs and help clean the house, wash dishes and prepare for the meals to come. One woman admits that she used to hate helping her mother with the housework; now that she lives in a cellar, she looks forward to drying dishes.

Though Schultz staunchly refuses to get too involved, he sometimes shows surprising kindness to Irena—and a willingness to help her guests that he won’t explicitly acknowledge.

Spiritual Elements

Irena is Catholic, and she’s attending Mass when Nazi soldiers force everyone outside and conscript them all into Germany’s war effort. Before the soldiers burst in, Irena watches a dove fly inside and past a window—a symbolic nod, it would seem, toward God’s love and the Holy Spirit’s presence in even Nazi-occupied Poland.

That faith remains a part of Irena’s identity throughout. Though we don’t see much overtly religious content, she does pray fervently in a moment of great crisis.

Obviously, we hear a great many references to “Jews,” though Nazis don’t seem to know or care much about their actual religion.

As Nazis sing secular Christmas carols during a drunken holiday party, the Jews in the cellar quietly observe Hanukkah down below—lighting a candle and quietly singing. Irena observes this lowkey celebration, and one of her guests quietly wishes the Catholic a “Merry Christmas.”

[ Spoiler Warning ] At one point, one of the Jewish women in the cellar conceives. The Jews have decided collectively that the baby needs to be aborted: It’s just too dangerous to bring an infant into the world when you’re living beneath a Nazi-occupied house. But Irena refuses to buy the ingredients needed for the abortion, initially citing her Catholic faith.

“This isn’t a matter of religion,” one tells her. “This is a matter of life and death.” Irena, after some thought, agrees: It is a matter of life and death: That’s why she won’t be a party to an abortion. She’s determined to protect not just the lives of the adults living in the cellar, but this new life, too. “I am not going to help Hitler get rid of another Jewish baby,” she says.

Sexual Content

During a party, Irena learns that a Nazi officer had his hands up a woman’s skirt, and the two went off to find some private time in the garden’s gazebo—very close to the Jews’ hiding place. Irena makes an excuse to go to the gazebo, where it’s insinuated that the woman is performing oral sex on the officer. (We don’t see anything.)

Other couples flirt and dance during the major’s parties, with Nazi men trying to steal kisses from their giggling dates.

Irena’s secret guests have a curtained-off area that the occupants have dubbed the “honeymoon suite.” With three married couples living in the cellar, it’s important that they occasionally have a bit of privacy. Sometimes, those couple hug and kiss lightly, but we see nothing more. Irena and one of her guests, disguised and out in public, pretend to kiss and flirt to get past a checkpoint. A Nazi officer seems to lightly flirt with Irena, and later makes reference to her beauty.

[ Spoiler Warning ] Eventually, Rugemer discovers that there are Jews living in his cellar—a massive issue, obviously, for someone in his position. But he tells Irena that he could keep her secret, “If I thought that you loved me. Wanted me.”

And with that, Irena becomes Rugemer’s mistress—a role she seems to see as a loathsome, but necessary, duty. The obviously smitten major kisses her both on the cheeks and lips (the latter of which she barely returns, as tears trickle down her face). The two talk in bed together, presumably after sex, in their nightwear (she in a modest nightgown, he in an undershirt). Rugemer seems oblivious to Irena’s rather cringing indifference, and he admits to Irena that he thanks God for “(Irena’s) Jews … because without them I would’ve never known this time with you.”

Rugemer’s and Irena’s relationship becomes widely known. One old woman in the market spits in Irena’s face and calls her a “whore.” Nazi wives and girlfriends gossip about her at dinner parties. When one notes that she’s still wearing her maid outfit during a dinner party and is serving guests hors d’oeuvres, another says, “She serves in the bedroom—why not here?” Rugemer admits that the relationship has become known in the higher echelons of Nazi operations: People are saying that he has “become enamored with a Polish girl and because of that my leadership has deteriorated,” he says.

Violent Content

Irena’s Vow is rated R primarily for what appears to be one shocking scene alluded to in the introduction.

Irena is pulled off the street and watches from a window as a Nazi officer (one in charge of eliminating Jews entirely from the town) takes a baby from its mother’s arms, throws it down on the pavement and then stomps on it. Then, he shoots the mother at point-blank range. While there’s little-to-no blood here, the scene is undeniably jarring.

Later, the same Nazi hangs a number of people who have been accused of sheltering Jews. Men, women and children (including a very small boy) are represented: They all stand on benches, which are quickly kicked away. The camera zooms in on parts of the resultant corpses—their feet, their hands, their abdomens—to emphasize both the victims’ humanity and their stillness in death.

An explosion rips through a city street, flinging rubble everywhere. A woman cowers before a man holding a pistol to her head. When Rogemer threatens to bring in an orderly to help Irena, she refuses—citing a terrible experience she had with a Soviet soldier some time before. (In real life, Irena Gut was raped, though the cinematic Irena doesn’t go into that sort of detail.)

When an SS officer wants to search Maj. Rugemer’s house for Jews (which Rugemer is unknowingly hiding), the major notes that one of them could be shot after the search: Rugemer if people are found, the SS officer if they’re not. And the major is quite confident that he won’t be the one executed.

The Gestapo apprehends a would-be blackmailer and jostles him around quite a bit. We later hear that the man was shot. A Nazi officer orders a building cleared of all inhabitants: He’s disappointed that he’s not hearing anyone scream, and he’s doubly frustrated when it appears the building is unoccupied.

While we don’t hear explicit references to concentration camps or the atrocities perpetrated there, we do hear Nazis discuss the elimination of the Jewish people, and we see plenty of folks rounded up and sent away.

Crude or Profane Language

One use of the word “h—”. Someone says “my God” in German. We also hear the word “whore.” An SS officer refers to Jewish people as “Jew pigs” at one point.

Drug and Alcohol Content

Alcohol flows freely at Maj. Rugemer’s parties. We see plenty of participants drinking and, often, a bit drunk. Rugemer himself engages in a tipsy conversation with another German officer.

Rugemer often unwinds with what appears to be a glass of whiskey: One night, Irena crunches up some pills and mixes it in his liquor to ensure he’ll sleep soundly as she sneaks her “guests” into his house.

Several characters, including Rugemer, smoke cigarettes.

Other Negative Elements

Irena must lie repeatedly to keep her threatened guests safe from discovery. A Nazi officer unpacks just how the regime dehumanizes Jewish people and conditions them for the horrors ahead: “We use them up until there’s nothing left,” he says.

The real Irena Gut kept her secret for decades. She never spoke about her experiences in the war. Never mentioned the people (ultimately 12 in all) she hid in her employer’s cellar. Not until she was confronted by a Holocaust denier, in 1975, did she begin speaking about her secret story.

Those experiences ultimately became a memoir ( In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer ), which ultimately led to a papal blessing (in 1995), being honored by the state of Israel as one of the Righteous Among Nations, a Broadway play and now this film.

If Irena Gut had had her way, we never would’ve heard about her heroism. And that would’ve been quite the loss.

The powerful, competent Irena’s Vow isn’t a Christian film, but it sprinkles some Christian elements throughout and stresses many Christian values. Its faith content feels wholly organic. And while the core story is as inspirational as it comes, the movie (reflecting Irena Gut’s real life) comes with some unexpected, and even difficult, complexities. The choices that Irena made to keep her laudable vow—the vow to save Jewish lives—are worth thinking and talking about.

This film’s R rating will surely give some would-be moviegoers pause, and it should. The scene that earned that restrictive rating is shocking and horrifying, even without blood and gore. But it, too, reflects Gut’s own real-world experiences. And for those who want to want to see the movie but skip that scene, it’s telegraphed well in advance. When you see the Nazi officer take the baby in his arms, it’s time to close your eyes.

That scene aside, this is a worthwhile movie—one that introduces us to a story we’ve never heard and a hero we’ve never heard of. It has one of the clearest messages against abortion I’ve seen in a secular film in years, and it manages to be gripping and harrowing without ever delving into too much problematic content.

Technically, this is one of the cleanest R-rated films you’ll likely find. And it’s one of those rare R-rated films that might actually be worth seeing.

Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.

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The Vow Takes a Deep, Compelling Dive Into the NXIVM Cult

The opening moments of The Vow contain visual excerpts from what appears to be the best corporate retreat ever. Groups of people are seen playing volleyball, frolicking on green lawns, dashing together into lakes. The imagery suggests the men and women in this footage belong to a happy club that one would be very lucky to join.

But that club happens to be a dangerous cult, as this absorbing HBO docuseries about NXIVM (pronounced nexium ), an organization supposedly focused on wellness and self-actualization, demonstrates over the course of nine episodes. (Seven were made available in advance.) That revelation is not new. In 2017, a New York Times piece revealed that women within the organization were being physically branded as part of a sorority created within NXIVM that was supposed to empower women, but actually forced them to literally become slaves to others who acted as their masters. Previous reporting, most notably in the Albany Times Union in 2012, made the case that the head of NXIVM, Keith Raniere, had brainwashed multiple women in the group into serving as his loyal sexual partners.

None of this is breaking news if you followed any of these stories about NXIVM or Raniere’s downfall — The Vow notes shortly into the first episode (premiering on HBO’s broadcast and streaming platforms on Sunday, August 23) that Raniere, referred to internally as Vanguard, was eventually charged with multiple crimes, including racketeering, wire fraud, and sex trafficking. What is revealing and effective about The Vow , directed by Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer, who worked together on the Oscar-nominated documentary The Square , is its ability to take its audience into the epicenter of this deceptive pseudo-business while key members are in the process of exposing its more sinister practices to the public.

The series is able to do this because Noujaim took some of NXIVM’s marquee Executive Success seminars in 2010 and remained in contact with people she met during the program. Also, perhaps more crucially, one of its key figures is filmmaker Mark Vicente, the co-director of the trippy film What the Bleep Do We Know!? and a disciple of Raniere’s who rose to the highest ranks of NXIVM leadership. Raniere asked Vicente to work on a documentary about him, so Vicente has tons of intimate footage of the so-called Vanguard that provides a spine around which to build this work of nonfiction.

The stereotype about cults and their leaders is that they appeal to their followers’ most woo-woo instincts, creating communes where members can live freely and, perhaps, engage in some free love. That’s more or less how another excellent docuseries about a cult, Netflix’s Wild Wild Country , depicts what attracted the community that gathered around the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh in rural Oregon in the 1980s. NXIVM is different in that, on the surface, it appeals much more directly to the intellect and the psyche, which is why it’s so easy for otherwise intelligent people to get sucked into its vortex.

Noujaim and Amer take their time to explain how the Executive Success Program, or ESP, works by challenging people to rethink their assumptions about themselves, referred to as “limiting beliefs,” and their ideas about ethics and society. The lofty goal at the center of these sessions, as well as NXIVM more generally, is to make its students better people and the world a better place. It’s a little bit self-help and a little bit unconscious-bias training, accompanied by some decidedly weird rituals and flair. Sarah Edmondson, an actress who, alongside Vicente, also climbed the organization’s leadership ranks, says she initially was weirded out by the various colored sashes that members wear to signify what level they’ve achieved in their training. It’s a testament to the power of groupthink that Edmondson and others are able to tuck away their initial misgivings and center their entire lives around the world Raniere has constructed, a choice that eventually led to her having a permanently branded scar a few inches above her crotch.

The measured pacing and focus on NXIVM exposition makes The Vow drag occasionally in its initial episodes. But as this multilayered saga unfolds, that approach becomes an asset. The banality of the sessions and the establishment of the camaraderie among many of the NXIVM regulars makes it easy to understand why people like Edmondson and Vicente were lulled into false senses of security. As more twisted and abusive activities come to light, including the practices of DOS, the aforementioned slave-enabling sorority that former Smallville star and NXIVM member Allison Mack participated in, the nature of those seminars becomes even more sinister. Perhaps the best cover for being immoral is to announce that your main focus is on helping others do the right things.

Even though it’s clear from the beginning that NXIVM is going to fall apart, the series still generates tension as multiple once-loyalists decide to leave and fear what may happen to them if they do, starting with Vicente’s wife, Bonnie Piesse, whom he met in the program. We witness constant clandestine and (wisely, it turns out) recorded phone conversations between the NXIVM skeptics who are sharing information to build their cases, as well as arguments between those trying to escape and the loyalists who insist they are overreacting. As outrageous as some of the facts are — the ways in which Raniere and his cohorts harass certain women who left NXIVM are appalling, to put it mildly — Noujaim and Amer maintain a restrained approach. The storytelling in The Vow easily could have adopted a Tiger King –style “You’re not going to believe this” stance. Instead the series shows respect to those who were victimized by NXIVM and refrains from taking easy potshots at the group’s practices or even Raniere, who, especially when he’s dressed for his regular late-night volleyball games with a sweatband plastered across his forehead, doesn’t exactly exude “exalted one” vibes.

The story of NXIVM is massive. It’s impossible for every notable detail to make the final cut. That said, there are some omissions that seem significant. For example, investigative journalist Frank Parlato, who has written extensively about NXIVM over the years, is mentioned in early episodes and characterized as someone who isn’t always viewed as credible. But in the seventh episode, Parlato becomes a supporting figure in the series as he helps actress Catherine Oxenberg, whose daughter India refuses to leave NXIVM, in her attempt to get law enforcement involved in the situation. Given all the evidence Parlato has compiled and his willingness to help, he comes across as semi-heroic, albeit eccentric. A visit to his website, the Frank Report, reveals that it’s filled with reporting on NXIVM but also posts written by Roger Stone and at least one defense of QAnon, a juxtaposition that caused so much cognitive dissonance in my brain that it turned into a popping-confetti cannon. While it’s understandable that Noujaim and Amer decided that a whole sidebar on Parlato would be too distracting, this still raises the question of what other notable information or nuances may have been sliced out of the series.

Ironically, the recent focus in the news on the cultlike believers in QAnon conspiracy theories makes The Vow an especially relevant watch. While NXIVM coaches often preached the notion that trusting one’s intuition can be misleading — “Your intuition was just a feeling, a viscera,” Bonnie Piesse says in the second episode — the series is a testimony to how vital it is to check one’s gut and apply real, unvarnished critical thinking to events unfolding around us. Any of us can potentially have the wool pulled over our eyes by a dude who calls himself Vanguard, or anonymous online posters, or even a president. It’s what we do after we realize our vision has been obscured that truly defines whether we’re good or bad, and whether we’re safe or still in grave danger.

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[Review] The Vow

There’s a weird kind of war at the heart of The Vow that the film never manages to resolve. At the core of this story is an existential and moral dilema that could have served as the engine for an engaging and challenging story. Surrounding this center, and smothering it, are the trappings of a common romantic dramedy. The two opposing forces never cohere, never meld and never find harmony with one another. This is important, because that conflict of theme and tone cripples an otherwise rudimentary-but-charming film at the same time that it diminishes a concept that is intriguing, challenging and worth considering.

The film begins with a married couple, Leo and Paige ( Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams ), enjoying a night out. In the car, alone on a snow-blanketed street, she unbuckles her seatbelt for some romance, only to have her efforts cut short when a truck skids into the back of their car. Leo waits by the unconscious Paige’s bedside for weeks until she finally awakens, only to discover that she has no memory of him.

Intercut with the scenes of Leo worrying are moments from their courtship, comprised mainly of the kind of romantic film wish-fulfillment we have all seen time and again. These scenes have an easy charm thanks to the surprising chemistry of the two leads, and the surprisingly earnest and affecting work of Tatum . It all conspires to make the audience care about and root for this seemingly flawless couple, and it works. The stage is set, then, for an intense, emotionally challenging experience that brings into question the very nature of love, experience, and self.

Sadly this potential is both over-exposed and lost among the ham-fisted narration that is delivered with a tone closely approaching confusion. The theme is spelled out in spades and yet is touched only insofar as it relates to a kind of fate, or inevitability. We know that this couple is meant to be together, and thus the loss of what amounts to five years worth of memories becomes just a small obstacle on the course to true movie-style happiness.

The moral implications of this couple’s past being removed from one of them minds, of her return to a previous sense of self, is never really touched upon in a way that makes full use of the gray area. Every step away from Leo is a betrayal, not a decision fraught with ambiguity and pain. Of course she feels bound to Leo, though solely through an institutional contract that by all rights has lost all meaning. Here was another shot at doing something interesting, lost in the haze of simple, saccharine movie tropes. The direction, music, and dialogue all work hard at trying to valiantly slay this deeply rooted existential debate, and they succeed to a point. Aside from a last-act bit of surprisingly complex moral equivocation, the way we are supposed to feel about every single act and character is heavily telegraphed.

McAdams and Tatum manage to work hard at making their characters believable and effectively empathetic. They pull this off, but they seem torn between understanding the implications of this plot and understanding their role as being avatars for romantic fantasy. Thus, their moments for conflict hover dangerously close to the precipice of interest, only to fall back to the leaden floor of a common romantic drama.

The amount of enjoyment you get from this film will be largely contingent on what you expect from it. As your standard romantic drama with dollops of comedy thrown in for flavor, this is well above the pack in terms of humor and actual pathos. As a proper exploitation of a very promising premise, this film falls far short and leaves you wishing that the makers of this film had more courage and ambition than they expressed.

The Vow is now in wide release.

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Movie Review: Irena’s Vow

NEW YORK (OSV News) — An inspiring but once little-known chapter of history provides the basis for the Holocaust drama “Irena’s Vow” (Quiver). The humane basic values of the story could potentially make it appealing for older teens as well as grown-ups. However, a plot development involving an objectively immoral situation requires careful assessment.

Sophie Nélisse plays Irena Gut, a young Catholic Polish woman swept up in — and left homeless by — the Nazi occupation of her homeland following the outbreak of World War II. Irena is eventually put to work as a waitress in the local Wehrmacht officers’ mess. She’s also placed in charge of the group of Jewish laundry workers who tend to the officers’ clothing.

Overhearing that all Jews in the area will be transported and liquidated in the near future, Irena resolves to act quickly. A lucky but unlikely opportunity to rescue her new friends arises when Major Rugemer (Dougray Scott), one of the soldiers who dines at the mess, decides to make Irena his personal housekeeper.

Rugemer has requisitioned a large villa with a multi-room basement. As Irena gets the dwelling ready for its new occupant, but before he moves in, she smuggles the launderers into the cellar and arranges to keep them safely concealed there.

The perils of the precarious situation uphold viewer interest in director Louise Archambault’s generally uplifting adaptation of screenwriter Dan Gordon’s play. But the film is not free of challenging content.

In addition to scenes of brutality, Irena has to confront an unforeseen problem when one of her proteges — who, with the arrival of a newcomer, now number 12 — becomes pregnant and announces her intention to terminate her baby’s life. Though this subplot has a happy ending, and shows Irena in a still more favorable light, it obviously constitutes mature fare.

So, too, does the turn the relationship between Irena and Rugemer takes as the movie nears its end. While revealing the specifics would constitute a spoiler, suffice it to say that — to borrow a phrase from Facebook — it’s complicated.

This aspect of the picture shouldn’t necessarily bar mature adolescents from watching it. But a family discussion might be needed to unpack its ins-and-outs.

The real-life Irena survived the global conflict and went on to marry United Nations worker William Opdyke. She resisted telling the tale of her wartime activities until provoked to do so, beginning in the 1970s, by a Holocaust denier. Having been honored both by the State of Israel and by St. John Paul II, she died in 2003 at age 85.

“Irena’s Vow” will be in theaters nationwide April 15 and 16. For locations and showtimes go to: https://www.fathomevents.com/events/irenas-vow .

The film contains stylized but sometimes disturbing violence, including infanticide, implied nonmarital sexual activity and discussion of an abortion. The OSV News classification is A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

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Movie Review: Irena’s Vow

Irena’s Vow earns an R-rating for one brutally violent scene. The rest of this inspiring true story showcases a young Polish woman’s audacious plan to rescue Jews from the Nazis during World War II.

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Movie Reviews

‘Irena’s Vow’ Review – A Gripping Tale Of Heroism And Resilience In The Shadow Of The Holocaust

By Cody Allen
April 8, 2024
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A young woman dressed as a maid looking thoughtfully to the side.

The Holocaust stands as a haunting testament to the abyss of human depravity, an epoch of unspeakable anguish inflicted upon multitudes. Crafted as a vile instrument by the Nazi regime amid the tumult of World War II, it orchestrated a systematic purge, extinguishing the lives of approximately six million Jews and myriad others. Among its lamented victims stood Romani people, the disabled, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and valiant political dissidents, all ensnared in the grip of abhorrence.

Beneath the ominous shadows of Auschwitz, Treblinka, and Dachau, the macabre theater of the Holocaust unfurled its tragic tableau. Within these citadels of despair, the condemned endured the ravages of starvation, bore the burden of forced labor’s cruel lash, endured the torment of torture, and became unwitting pawns in the grotesque machinations of inhuman experimentation. Within their confines, families were sundered, communities razed, and the vibrant tapestry of cultural heritage desecrated.

Amidst the vault of silence, myriad narratives of the Holocaust remain shrouded in obscurity, forgotten or forsaken. Yet, each lost soul bore witness to a singular saga, a mosaic of human fortitude amidst unfathomable despair. It is incumbent upon us to safeguard and elevate these whispered chronicles, to ensure that the memory of the Holocaust endures as an unwavering sentinel against the darkness of hatred, prejudice, and indifference for generations to come.

A group of individuals in period attire seated around a dining table in a dimly lit room, with a woman in a maid's uniform standing in the background.

In the face of denial’s chilling whisper, one woman dared to defy the shadows. In the annals of 1975, Irena Gut Opdyke, a Polish-American spirit burdened by the weight of Holocaust denial, shattered her reticence. Stirred by the insidious murmurs seeking to efface the truth of her harrowing odyssey, Opdyke summoned the courage to recount her tempestuous journey through the crucible of World War II. Her tale, an anthem of resilience and moral rectitude, found its melodic refrain in the deft hands of playwright Dan Gordon, who fashioned it into a poignant play that debuted in 2009 and has now been adapted into a film. Today, Opdyke’s name finds its rightful eminence beside Oskar Schindler’s upon the revered Jerusalem monument, a tribute to those intrepid souls who dared to illuminate the darkness and kindle the beacon of hope amidst the Holocaust’s yawning abyss.

As the film unfolds, we are drawn into the gripping odyssey of Irena (played with depth and poise by Sophie Nélisse ), a tender-hearted nursing student of just nineteen, ensnared within the iron clutches of German occupation in her beloved Poland. Swept up in the chaotic whirlwind of war, she, like so many others, finds herself thrust into the heart of darkness. Assigned to menial tasks amongst her fellow captives, Irena’s path takes an unexpected turn when she is singled out to serve as a housekeeper in the lavish abode of a Nazi officer, portrayed with chilling authority by Dougray Scott. At first glance, she appears meek and compliant, her spirit seemingly crushed by the weight of oppression. Yet, beneath this façade lies a quiet fortitude, a resilience waiting to be unfurled.

People in vintage clothing looking anxiously around a corner in a historical european alleyway.

As she navigates the treacherous currents of her new reality, Irena’s journey of self-discovery begins to take shape, challenging her perceptions and forcing her to confront the moral quagmires of survival in a world consumed by chaos and tyranny. Under the masterful direction of Louise Archambault, viewers are guided through a tale of extraordinary bravery amidst the bleakest of times. At its core is the captivating narrative of Irena, brought to life with nuance and depth by Nélisse, a ray of hope amidst the encroaching darkness of World War II. Against the backdrop of Nazi atrocities and the looming threat of annihilation for Poland’s Jewish populace, Irena’s courage shines brightly as she uncovers plans to exterminate her Jewish colleagues.

With meticulous planning and daring ingenuity, she clandestinely harbors twelve refugees within the confines of her employer’s opulent villa, navigating the perilous waters of deceit and danger. As the story unfolds, Archambault skillfully blends moments of heart-stopping tension with poignant displays of humanity’s resilience. Through Nélisse’s captivating portrayal, Irena emerges as a symbol of moral courage, her seemingly timid exterior concealing an unyielding spirit fueled by duty and compassion. Amidst the ever-present threat of discovery, the bond between Irena and her clandestine charges deepens, transcending mere survival to forge a profound connection rooted in shared adversity and unwavering solidarity.

A woman dressed in vintage clothing looking out from the rear window of a classic car.

Yet, amidst the fleeting moments of solace and camaraderie, the shadow of exposure looms large, heightening the stakes with each passing moment. Archambault’s direction imbues the film with a haunting authenticity, offering a sobering portrayal of wartime Poland without succumbing to sensationalism. Scenes of unspeakable horror are depicted with a chilling realism, capturing the insidious banality of evil that permeated the era. In the face of imminent danger and mounting suspicion, Irena’s resolve is tested to its limits, leading to a series of daring escapades and sacrificial acts that underscore the true essence of heroism.

And yet, even amidst the chaos of war, moments of unexpected grace and redemption abound, culminating in a conclusion that is as cathartic as it is poignant. Ultimately, under Archambault’s deft guidance and Nélisse’s mesmerizing performance, Irena’s Vow transcends genre conventions to stand as a timeless testament to the indomitable resilience of the human spirit and the enduring power of hope in the face of adversity.

Irena’s Vow will debut in theaters on April 15, 2024, courtesy of Quiver Distribution. You can find a full list of theaters here .

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy7SM6TN4pw]

Ultimately, under Archambault's deft guidance and Nélisse's mesmerizing performance, Irena's Vow transcends genre conventions to stand as a timeless testament to the indomitable resilience of the human spirit and the enduring power of hope in the face of adversity.

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It all started when I was a kid watching Saturday morning cartoons like the Spider-Man: Animated Series and Batman. Since then I’ve been hooked to the world of pop culture. Huge movie lover from French New Wave, to the latest blockbusters, I love them all. Huge Star Wars and Marvel geek. When I’m free from typing away at my computer, you can usually catch me watching a good flick or reading the next best comic. Come geek out with me on Twitter @somedudecody.

‘A Family Affair’ Review – A Swoon-Worthy Romance With A Main Character Problem

‘a quiet place: day one’ review – beautifully human and exceptionally thrilling, no streaming required: physical media spotlight for the week of june 25th, new arrivals coming to netflix in july 2024, connect with us.

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Movie Review: Irena’s Vow

Irena’s Vow (2023) is a carefully crafted film that draws you into a captivating and memorable true story. Directed by Louise Archambault, its unique account and unsuspecting plot twists make it a must-see film for every Catholic.

It is not surprising to find a WWII film that honors heroism and sacrifice in the defense of human dignity, but Irena’s Vow stands out for its authentic and humble depiction of holiness in action. Irena is a Polish Catholic who finds herself in an unexpected position of advantage amidst the Nazi occupation.

Rather than keep her head down to ensure her own survival, Irena takes the ultimate risk to hide Jews in the house of a high-ranking Nazi officer. This film is sure to become a regular classic amidst the treasure trove of inspiring films. Here are three reasons you should watch the film:

1. The Authentic Pro-life Message

The film embraces the theme of the dignity of all human life in a balanced and thought-provoking way. The pro-life message is subtle but inundates the entire theme of the film. Jews, the unborn, and even Nazis are portrayed in all the grittiness of the human condition. Viewers will find themselves reflecting anew on the profound weight of every human life.

2. A Real-Life Example of Faith

Throughout the film, Irena illustrates faithfulness to God and charity to her neighbor by remaining steadfast in her decisions, despite obstacles and risks. Every time her precarious external situation changes in a way more favorable to her own survival, Irena views the change as a gift from God that she is bound as a Christian to share with the less fortunate. The film portrays both the struggle and the virtue of Irena without slipping into trite piety.

3. The Riveting and Fresh Portrayal of History

Irena’s Vow will have you on the edge of your seat. It is a far cry from “just another WWII movie.” The unique details of Irena’s story provide an out-of-the-ordinary setting to examine and relive the shock of WWII- through the eyes of a housekeeper from within the very home of a high-ranking Nazi official. Plot twists will keep you engaged and the profound message will leave you pondering anew the unforgettable impact of the Second World War. Moviegoers will find Irena’s Vow to be thoroughly engaging and yet deeply challenging.

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Second half of the year begins - can nvidia and ai continue their momentum.

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Shares of Chewy are indicated higher this morning on news Roaring Kitty has become the company's ... [+] third largest shareholder. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)

Key Takeaways

Tech Stocks Drive First Half Market Gains
AI Enthusiasm Boost Data Center Spending
Shortened Holiday Week Packed With Economic Data

Stocks begin the second half of the year after booking impressive gains for the first six months. The Nasdaq Composite led the way, up 18%. The S&P 500 follows closely behind, up 14.5%. The two laggards are Dow Jones Industrial Average and Russell 2000 up 3.8% and just over 1%, respectively. As we head into the back half of the year with a looming election in the U.S., geopolitical uncertainty and the continuing threat of inflation, the question becomes whether markets can build on their gains.

I've spoken before about the concentration risk in this market. In fact, 60% of the gains in the S&P 500 come from the Magnificent Seven stocks - Nvidia, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Meta Platforms, Alphabet and Tesla - according to S&P Dow Jones Indices. The standout performer has been Nvidia, which is up 149% this year. That compares with the average stock in the S&P 500 which is up just 4.1%. One of the key questions facing these stocks will be whether or not earnings can continue growing at rates which justify valuations. Currently, analysts are expecting second quarter earnings growth of 8.8% and full year 2024 earnings to grow by over 11%. For 2025, that number is forecast at nearly 14.5% according to FactSet.

The main catalyst behind the earnings growth has been the explosion in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and optimism for its potential. That optimism is leading to not only higher equity valuations, but also, greater spending. According to The Wall Street Journal, Amazon is planning to spend more than $100 billion over the next several years to add 216 new data center buildings. In fact, the amount being spent on data centers and the cloud computing it will support exceeds what is being spent on the company's e-commerce warehouses. Therefore, I'm very interested in how all this ultimately plays out given the substantial costs being incurred.

One area of the AI revolution not getting quite as much discussion, but one I find particularly interesting, is the energy needs. The energy required to power the data centers is huge and that may present an opportunity for investors. Amazon is reportedly looking into nuclear energy as one possible way of powering their data centers. Therefore, I think the energy sector overall could be one to watch for those investors looking for an ancillary way of playing AI.

‘House Of The Dragon’ Season 2, Episode 3 Recap And Review: Old Feuds And Bad Blood

Ranked: the 30 most walkable cities in the world, according to a new report, controversial christian bale movie coming to netflix in july.

Taking a look at some stocks in the news this morning, shares of Chewy are indicated higher by 19% in premarket. That comes after Keith Gill, better known as Roaring Kitty from his GameStop fame, announced through a filing with the SEC that his position in the company stands at 6.6% or $245 million, making him the third largest shareholder in the company.

Boeing is also back in the news. The Department of Justice is reportedly set to offer a plea agreement to the company to settle the two 737 MAX crashes that resulted in the deaths of 346 people. At the same time, Boeing is planning to reacquire Spirit AeroSystems which had previously been spun off from the company. The all-cash deal of $37.25 per share is valued at $4.7B.

Looking out to the rest of this week, it's going to be a bit of an odd week. With the holiday on Thursday, markets will be closed all of Thursday and open for just a half day on Wednesday. Friday will be a full day of trading. Summer volumes can be lighter to start with and holiday weeks can see even less trading. At the same time, this is a week filled with important economic data.

On Tuesday, the latest JOLTs report on job openings is scheduled for release. Forecasts are calling for 7.86 million job openings. On Wednesday, the ADP Nonfarm Employment report is expected to show 156 thousand new jobs created in June. Then on Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics will release June's employment report. That report is anticipated to show 189 thousand new jobs and an unemployment rate of 4%. I expect all those numbers to elicit a reaction as markets wait on what the Fed will do with respect to interest rates. Currently, there is about an 11% chance of a rate cut in July and a 64% probability of a cut in September, according to the CME Fed Watch Tool.

For today, I'm interested to see how stocks kick off the second half to the year and if they can build on existing gains. There will be a lot for markets to digest over the next six months, much of which could potentially prove volatile. Currently, the VIX is up nearly 4%, but below 13. Stocks are indicated to open higher, while bond yields are also higher. As always, I would stick with your investing plans and long term objectives.

tastytrade, Inc. commentary for educational purposes only. This content is not, nor is intended to be, trading or investment advice or a recommendation that any investment product or strategy is suitable for any person.

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Prime Video’s ‘My Lady Jane’ Is Outlandish, Ahistorical and a Great Bit of Fun: TV Review

By Aramide Tinubu

Aramide Tinubu

Prime Video’s ‘My Lady Jane’ Is Outlandish, Ahistorical and a Great Bit of Fun: TV Review 4 days ago
Netflix’s ‘Supacell’ Is a Bold and Daring Drama About Black Superheroes: TV Review 5 days ago
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In 16th century England, Lady Jane Grey was a 16-year-old girl who became the Queen of England for a paltry nine days before her head was swiftly removed from her body. Historians and fans of the Tudors know this sad tale, but Prime Video ‘s “ My Lady Jane ,” created by Gemma Burgess, isn’t interested in historical facts. Instead, the quippy dramedy, which is based on the best-selling novel by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows, bends and twists Jane’s story. In the same vein as Hulu’s “The Great,” the series is a rip-roaring and hilarious adventure full of magic, romance and bold female characters who take control of their legacies.

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Cast & crew

The Firing Squad

Based on the true story of three Christian prisoners who face execution their joy in Christ stuns the entire prison camp. Based on the true story of three Christian prisoners who face execution their joy in Christ stuns the entire prison camp. Based on the true story of three Christian prisoners who face execution their joy in Christ stuns the entire prison camp.

Timothy A. Chey
James Barrington
Kevin Sorbo
Cuba Gooding Jr.
17 Critic reviews

Pastor Lynbrook

Samuel Wilson

Captain Tanu

Miriam Rosenbaum

Adam Markman
Eddie Salmagian
Joney Halmashian

Karen Armstrong
Winston Senayan

John Thornton

Judge Samudra

President Hartono

Goran Rajiahdiah

Prosecutor Setiawan
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

Trivia The filmmakers have been supported by Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru), Calvary Chapel, Pastor Greg Laurie, NACC, Baptist Press, Christian Cinema, NRB, Kay Arthur, Precept Ministries, The Christian Post, The Fish Radio, Rebecca St. James, Family Christian, Lifeway Christian Resources, Talbot Seminary, Biola University, Dallas Theological Seminary, Baptist News, Daystar TV, Evangelical Press Assn, and Life Surge.
August 2, 2024 (United States)
United States
Official Site
The Epoch Times
Rock Studios
Epoch Studios
See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

Runtime 1 hour 33 minutes

More to explore

IMAGES

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SECOND VOW
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COMMENTS

The Vow
The Vow, stripped of its real-life Christian core, is still a moving recitation of love in action, romance under fire and the gallantry of a man who would even give up his own heart for the sake of his girl. And yet the story loses something in translation. The Vow's vow is broken. And while that allows us to see the beauty of sacrificial ...
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The Vow (2012)
Negative —I just finished reading the book The Vow: The True Events That Inspired The Movie, which was written by Kim and Krickitt Carpenter with Dana Wilkerson and published by B&H Publishing Group. I found the book in my local Christian bookstore. I watched the movie before I read the book.
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CHRISTIAN MOVIE REVIEW The Vow By Hannah Goodwyn CBN.com Senior Producer. CBN.com - Mistaken as a Nicholas Sparks' movie (based solely on the look of its trailer), The Vow has a familiar storyline as a loving couple's tragedy threatens their happy marriage. It has a similarity to Dear John and The Notebook (and stars two actors from those Sparks' films, Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams).
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The Family and Christian Guide to Movie Reviews and Entertainment News. ... THE VOW has a light Romantic worldview with about 26 obscenities and profanities, but extols Leo's attempt to get back his wife. Love seems to be the only hope presented in THE VOW, but there's a turning point when Paige realizes love is also about forgiveness. ...
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"Life is all about moments of impact." The premise of The Vow is based on those seven words above. This romantic drama stars actors Channing Tatum (Dear John) and Rachel McAdams (The Notebook).The story in itself is very similar to both Dear John and The Notebook, and it does seem obvious that the casting directors knew exactly what they were doing when they roped in Tatum and McAdams for ...
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Irena's Vow is a powerful film in which the emotion never feels cheap or manipulative. It inspires without being sentimental; it's raw and honest—sometimes shockingly so—but never gratuitous; it entertains without diminishing the severity of the true events. The film also conveys a strong pro-life message without coming across as preachy.
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Themes of family and fighting for a marriage are strong, but there is no mention of faith in The Vow. This comes as a surprise and disappointment as the movie is inspired by a couple's whose faith and love were integral in their healing. The storyline is a bit jumbled in spots. It had too many unnecessary, secondary characters and the ending ...
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April 19, 2024. Movie Review: Irena's Vow. Show Notes. Irena's Vow earns an R-rating for one brutally violent scene. The rest of this inspiring true story showcases a young Polish woman's audacious plan to rescue Jews from the Nazis during World War II. Read the Plugged In Review. If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us ...
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In 16th century England, Lady Jane Grey was a 16-year-old girl who became the Queen of England for a paltry nine days before her head was swiftly removed from her body. Historians and fans of the ...
The Firing Squad (2024)
The Firing Squad: Directed by Timothy A. Chey. With James Barrington, Kevin Sorbo, Cuba Gooding Jr., Tupua Ainu'u. Based on the true story of three Christian prisoners who face execution their joy in Christ stuns the entire prison camp.


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Featuring	… … … … Wendy Crewson … Tatiana Maslany … Lucas Bryant … Scott Speedman … Joey Klein … Joe Cobden … Jeananne Goossen … Dillon Casey … Shannon Barnett … Lindsay Ames … Kristina Pesic … Britt Irvin … Sarah Carter … Angela Vint … Rachel Skarsten … Bill Turnbull … Dharini Woollcombe … Rosalba Martinni … Jeff Authors … Roland Rothchild … Jonathan Psaila …
Director
Producer	Roger Birnbaum … Susan Cooper … J. Miles Dale … Jonathan Glickman … Austin Hearst … Cassidy Lange … Paul Taublieb …
Distributor	, a division of Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment

Orthodox Christian Theology

The Vow: A Christian Movie Review

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The Vow: Movie Review

THE MOVIE IN A MINUTE

THE GOOD AND BAD IN THE VOW

About The Author

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The Vow: Movie Review

“Life is all about moments of impact.”

Loving when it's hard

A Final Note

Mixed messages

Irena’s Vow (Christian Movie Review)

About the Film

For Consideration

Engage The Film

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