The Shack

At first I thought this was going to be one of those ultra-Christian B Movies...knowing nothing about the book or the cast. But, to my delight, it certainly is not either a B movie, nor dogmatic. Yes, it contains many references to mainstream Christian theology, but it also has just as many elements that suggest a very diverse spiritual approach to understanding God. What a great story, and told with such a high purpose that it transcends the story altogether. The cast is wonderful. Sam Worthington (Pandora), Olivia Spencer (The Help, Hidden Figures), and narrator/best friend,Tim McGraw who delivers a surprisingly good performance. Papa is the storys nickname for God and is charmingly portrayed by both Spencer and later, changing disguises, more seriously by the great Graham Green. Tim McGraw and Faith Hill also co-wrote and performed one of the best movie songs Ive heard in years. The film watcher may miss some of the dialogue which delivers the straight-to-the-point theology that drive the movies messages--I turned on the English subtitles and it helped a lot. Ive yet to read the book, but it will soon grace my kindle app. Because...this story is chock full of incredibly accurate true things about the way life and love actually work to our good. Even through the blackest tragedies; maybe even because of the hardships we all encounter. There are a couple of slightly cheesy moments, that I ever so slightly cringed at during my first viewing (I watched it four times in two days), but in the end I came to love those scenes. I gave it an extra star for its very accessible treatment of the importance of trust and forgiveness in real healing. The kind that heals the world.

Such a good portrayal of how our relationship should be with the God the father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

Touching and intelligent. Very well done and very much needed!!

Wonderful movie and music.

Love this movie, its warm, sad, funny, full of emotions. I recommend it.

I read The Shack a few years ago but just wasnt ready to work through it/accept the whole version of God & pain & forgiveness. Watched the movie on Pure Flix a few months ago & it really pierced my heart. Im reading the book again & will undoubtedly watch this DVD again. Religious concepts that were pounded into my head as a child made everything related to God about His wrath, about Him being this unreachable force who was ready & willing to smite me whenever I mess up. While I was introduced to a real & loving God in my early adulthood, I never really felt like, well, like He actually cared/cares. This movie has opened up a new outlook for me - given me I believe a more accurate view of Jesus & God & the Spirit - & genuine Divine love. Very glad to have been reintroduced to Papa. Looking forward to getting to know Him better.

I enjoyed this book a lot. For me, it was unforgettable. It wasn’t until years later I got to see the movie. I liked both.

Great movie. Watched it more than 1 time. It was so good. The whole family liked it.

After I read the book 4 or 5 years ago, I hoped that this would someday be made into a movie so that the message of forgiveness, redemption, and His love so deep and awesome could be shared with millions more. (Too few people read a good book or The Good Book anymore.) When I heard the movie had been made, I waited to see it so that I could first let go of a bias I had that made me assume the movie would not do the book justice. Aside from a few details throughout the story, which the book went into more depth to develop and a couple a deviations in the movie compared to the book, the message of this story in both publications was spot-on the same. I only wish the actor that played the Son looked more like how He was described in the book, which was taken from the description given to us in Isaiah 53:2, and not the handsome man that played Him in the movie. I knew the Holy Spirit was going to be a challenging role to fill, given the books description as One more ethereal and not of solid bodily form. However, the movie did well to cast a shimmering light about the actress at times so I give it a pass. As for the one that played God, there isnt an actress alive today that could have filled this role better or aligned more perfectly with how the book described Him. The only major story line piece missing from the movie was when Mack (after his car accident at the end) directed authorities to the cave where they would find the remains of his daughter. Watch the movie. Read the book. You will love them both.

I enjoyed the whole story and the way it weaved the story was magical!