I STILL BELIEVE
Heartrending love, beautifully filmed and deeply Christian.
Should You Watch It?
You should see I Still Believe if your family can handle a deeply painful story about love, faith, prayer, and suffering. The film is based on the true story of Christian singer Jeremy Camp’s marriage to Melissa, and it presents Jeremy’s commitment as an extraordinary example of sacrificial love.
The movie is beautifully filmed, very well acted, well edited, captivating, and engaging. Its music is especially strong, including the final end-credit song to Jesus. But Melissa’s struggle with cancer is extremely painful, and younger children may find the heartrending progression overwhelming.
For older children and up, this is a moving Christian drama that can strengthen faith and love. The practical answer: see it with your family if they are ready for its serious medical suffering.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESJeremy Camp leaves his family to attend a Christian college in California, hoping to pursue music after being inspired by a famous Gospel musician. At a concert, Jeremy meets the musician and gains an unexpected opportunity to help with his career.
Jeremy also meets Melissa, a young student connected to the musician. As their relationship develops, the couple faces a life-changing medical crisis that tests their love, faith, and understanding of prayer.
Is It Any Good?
Four stars means this is a beautiful, very well-acted, heartrending, and engaging film. It is very well edited and captivating, with great music that helps carry the emotional power of the story.
The film does violate some rules of filmmaking, but the source review says this does not diminish the movie. Its strongest achievement is the way it portrays Jeremy’s sacrificial commitment and Melissa’s painful struggle with cancer. The result is a polished, emotionally powerful Christian drama.
The Worldview
I Still Believe presents a very strong Christian worldview. It exalts love that endures, faith that sustains love, prayer, commitment, and the belief that true love never fails. Jeremy’s marriage to Melissa is portrayed as an extraordinary expression of Christian sacrificial love.
The film also acknowledges difficult questions. Prayers appear not to be answered, and Jeremy becomes angry with God. His father explains that God’s ways are not our ways, giving the story a Christian framework for suffering and unanswered prayer.
The movie’s central longing is for love that lasts through suffering. Scripture says, “Love never ends” (1 Corinthians 13:8).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements
Very strong Christian worldview showing that love never fails and that belief sustains love forever
Foul Language
No foul language
Violence
Woman dying of cancer includes hospital scenes, coughing up blood and other painful moments
Sex
No sex scenes or sexual immorality, just some kissing between couple when engaged and when married
Nudity
No nudity
Alcohol Use
No alcohol use
Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse
No smoking but medical drugs administered, including pain medication;
Miscellaneous Immorality
Prayers apparently not answered, lead character gets angry at God, lead character who’s a singer being helped by a famous singer falls in love with the singer’s girlfriend who falls in love with him.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Jeremy’s commitment shows sacrificial love. What does it mean to love someone faithfully when life becomes painful?
1 Corinthians 13:4–8 · John 15:13Jeremy struggles with prayers that seem unanswered. How can we bring anger and sorrow honestly to God while continuing to trust Him?
Psalm 13:1–6 · Romans 8:26–28Jeremy’s father says that God’s ways are not our ways. What can we learn about God’s wisdom when we do not understand His work?
Isaiah 55:8–9 · Romans 11:33–36The film says that love sustains and endures. How should Christian love shape our commitments to family and friends?
Colossians 3:12–14 · 1 John 4:7–12The Final Word
I Still Believe is a beautiful, heartrending story of Christian love and faith. Its cancer scenes are painful, so younger children may need to stay home. For older children and adults ready for the subject matter, this is WORTH THE TRIP.
