I Can Only Imagine: 10 Things I Loved About the Movie

From the moment the movie trailer started circulating last year, I knew I wanted to see I Can Only Imagine.

I loved the song (by the same name) and I was familiar with a bit of the backstory. The movie is based on Bart Millard’s turbulent childhood with his abusive father. (Bart, as you probably know, is lead singer for the contemporary Christian band Mercy Me, one of my all-time favorite groups.)

(*Spoiler Alert*)

The film opens with poignant scenes revealed through young Bart’s eyes and memory. As trouble erupts and escalates at home, we watch Bart, the child, immerse himself in things that add a measure of joy to his otherwise troubled life. Creative inventions and music temporarily help him escape the madness at home.

From simple pursuits to the more complex, Bart’s need for validation is palpable. Even though Dad’s a “monster,” Bart strives to please him, partly to avoid his father’s ongoing wrath, but also to gain love and acceptance from the parent who seems bent on destroying him.

Ten minutes into the movie, it’s obvious—short of a God-ordained miracle—Arthur Millard, Bart’s dad (played brilliantly by the marvelous Dennis Quaid), isn’t about to change.

Ooh. And when Arthur throws some of his son’s prized possessions on the burn pile? I wanted to shake the man. In that instant, I effectively despised him.

Having worked with abused and neglected children, I understood every nuance and subtlety of the characters’ motivations.

When you repeatedly wound a child, you break his will.

When you’re the child, you survive however you must.

As perverted as it sounds, this becomes a sort of normalcy. Even when parties deny it. And too, even when they recognize how not normal this is.

Better to be imbalanced than admit your skewed rationale.

Who wants to parade their dysfunction in front of the world?

And so, the cycle and pattern of abuse continues.

While I knew part of Bart Millard’s story, I wasn’t completely aware of the abuse he suffered at the hands of his father. Nor, did I grasp the extent of his dad’s transformation.

Wow.

If you haven’t yet seen I Can Only Imagine, go.

Go with tissues, an open mind, a receptive heart, and a hand to hold.

Don’t listen to naysayers who spout, “Oh, it’s just another one of those movies.” (It’s not.)

While faith-based, it’s definitely not your holier-than-thou do as I say, not do as I do fare.

This movie is poignant and raw, yet drenched in hope and forgiveness. It doesn’t beat you over the head with “religion.” It simply shares a story. A transformation story. Based on truth.

You be the judge.

I Can Only Imagine made me see life through a fresh lens. Here are 10 things I loved about the movie.

1. The movie dealt with heavyweight subject matter in an unpretentious way. It laid it out the abuse and presented its aftereffects. It didn’t dress it up to make it more palatable. It went straight to the heart of the matter and didn’t let go.

2. Tiny doses of humor gave the audience a chance to breathe. Abuse is horrible in any form. While the movie didn’t sugarcoat child abuse, there were some gentle, grin-worthy moments to offset the subject’s harsh reality. (I loved the interplay at Bible camp between young Bart and future wife, Shannon, as well as some lighthearted banter between Mercy Me band members. Trace Adkins’ character as the group’s manager added a bit of levity, too. And later, in the film, there’s even some conversation between Bart and his dad that made me smile.)

3. I Can Only Imagine explores one of the worst horrors against children. The movie goes there. It simply sheds light on an age-old problem. It doesn’t, at any time, say abuse is okay. It walks us through what Bart experienced and how he dealt with it. He forgave his dad. After his dad’s transformation, which, indeed, was a God-thing and nothing short of a miracle.

4. The movie isn’t about perfect people. If we were perfect, there’d be no need for redemption or Christ. I Can Only Imagine made me examine forgiveness in a new way. That’s not an easy thing. When others wound us (me), it’s only natural to run the other way or build a wall around our (my) heart. The thing is God views all sin as equal. If he forgives me, how can I not forgive others who’ve wronged me? I’m not gonna fib. It’s a day-by-day choice. Doesn’t mean it’s easy.

5. The ICOI movie increased my faith. While not an overtly “religious” movie, its message of redemption, forgiveness, transformation, and hope impacts the audience. It resonates without heavy-handed jargon and overblown theatrics.

6. I Can Only Imagine caused me to experience the song (by the same name) in a new way. I’ve been a Mercy Me fan for many years. The ICOI song buoyed me during a really difficult season, and its lyrics connected with me on a deeply spiritual level. It wasn’t until seeing the movie, I realized the full story behind the song. When I listen to the song now, it’s a multifaceted process. I think about, one day, seeing Christ, of course, and being in His presence. I think about loved ones who are with Him now. I also consider what Bart Millard went through as a child, and how this song—penned in a mere ten minutes—has changed lives and blessed millions of people. I think, too, about that word transformation and how closely it’s tied to the miraculous. Because, really, there is no other way to explain the mysterious connection between God and man when lives are in shambles and seemingly beyond repair. A miracle is the only fitting descriptor.

7. I loved the ICOI cast. Brody Rose (young Bart) and J. Michael Finley (teen/young adult Bart), in particular, are outstanding. I wanted to hug them both and have them over for a big, ol’ slice of chocolate pie. When young Bart and love interest Shannon (Bart’s future wife) chat on the bridge while at Bible camp, my heart just melted. It’s a sweet moment, a precursor of things to come. Similarly, as young adult/teen Bart matures, I sensed hardship ahead, yet, who doesn’t love an underdog story? Sometimes, it takes a lot of crud to truly savor the victory.

8. The movie hooked me from the opening scene. It’s a powerful depiction of shattered innocence and one that tethered me to my seat for almost two hours. I wanted to see Dad’s transformation. Since first learning about the movie, I wondered about the reconciliation between Bart and his dad. Would the writers play down the abuse? Would they gloss over the pain and ugliness? Would they have us simply forgive and forget? Nope. That’s the beauty of this movie. Nothing about forgiveness is easy…or pleasant. It’s something we can’t earn. It’s something beyond the probable. It’s something supernatural. It’s grace.

9. I Can Only Imagine made me realize that no one is beyond hope. God’s love is all-inclusive, all-encompassing, ever-present, and bigger and better than we can imagine. The movie challenged me to love more. And in today’s world, who can argue with that?

10. ICOI drilled down what really matters. Forgiving someone isn’t an endorsement of bad behavior or poor choices. Forgiving means, with God’s help, we move forward and craft a new future. We plow ahead and pursue our dreams, despite painful pasts or unsure footing. In Bart’s case, music became his catharsis. It encompassed everything he did, but it was only when he put his music on hold that a new song emerged—the song that would put Mercy Me on the map and Bart’s faith in the driver’s seat. For those who choose to have a relationship with Christ, as Bart’s dad did, eternity awaits.

Again—wow.

I can only imagine….

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