BELIEVE (2016)
An uplifting Christmas drama about faith, sacrifice, and doing right.
Should You Watch It?
BELIEVE is an entertaining Christmas movie with a strong Christian and moral center. It celebrates faith, prayer, sacrifice, humility, and doing the right thing when life falls apart. Its story gives families a hopeful way to reflect on Christian faith during the Christmas season.
The film is not flawless. Unnecessary flashbacks create plot issues, and the young boy’s faith sometimes seems to promote believing in something you want and then making it happen. Still, the movie’s larger message is about trusting God and living faithfully through adversity.
If your family wants an uplifting holiday drama for older children and adults, BELIEVE is worth the trip.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESMatthew Peyton’s family has produced the Christmas pageant in his town for years. But when Matthew’s business suffers, he may have to close it and stop supporting the pageant.
After Matthew is attacked by men from his company, a homeless young boy named Clarence and his mother, Sharon, take him in. Their faith amid hardship begins to change Matthew. Now he must decide whether the pageant can continue, even after he has lost almost everything.
Is It Any Good?
Three stars means BELIEVE is an entertaining, worthwhile holiday movie with noticeable flaws. The story is uplifting, and the acting is generally good. Isaac Ryan Brown gives a particularly strong performance as Clarence.
The main weakness is structural. Some flashbacks feel unnecessary and create plot issues. Even so, the movie’s positive message and professional acting make it a pleasant choice for families celebrating Christmas.
The Worldview
BELIEVE presents a strong Christian, biblical, and moral worldview. It promotes faith, prayer, sacrifice, humility, and doing the right thing in the middle of adversity. Matthew must lose almost everything before he can humble himself and ask God for help.
The film also presents Clarence as a boy with remarkable faith. At times, however, that faith seems to resemble a Gnostic prosperity Gospel: believing in something desired and then making it happen. That idea can distort biblical trust in God by turning faith toward desired outcomes rather than faithful obedience. Overall, the film’s central message remains one of trusting God and doing what is right.
BELIEVE’s longing for faith in hard times connects with Scripture: “for we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Strong Christian, biblical, moral, capitalist worldview includes Bible verses, prayer, sacrifice, doing the right thing is extolled, and an emphasis on having faith, with some prosperity Gospel; no foul language; a man is pushed and punched by a group of men who also light his car on fire, fire, woman pushed down stairs, man runs into a fire to save a boy; no sexual content; no nudity; light drinking done by the villains; no smoking nor drug use; and, villains lie.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Matthew has to become humble and ask God for help. Why can hardship make humility difficult, and what does Scripture say God gives to the humble?
James 4:6 · 1 Peter 5:5–6Clarence and Sharon continue to have faith even when they have very little. What is the difference between trusting God and assuming God must give us what we want?
Matthew 6:31–33 · 2 Corinthians 5:7The Christmas pageant brings joy to the community. How can your family use its gifts to encourage others this Christmas?
1 Peter 4:10 · Galatians 6:9–10Matthew must decide whether to do the right thing when it costs him. What helps you choose faithfulness when obedience is difficult?
Micah 6:8 · Galatians 6:9The Final Word
BELIEVE is an imperfect but hopeful Christmas movie. Its flashbacks and occasional prosperity-Gospel ideas deserve discussion, but its message of faith, prayer, sacrifice, and doing right can encourage your family. For older children and adults, WORTH THE TRIP.
