Found this movie cruising through the channels. Decided to give it a look and ended up watching the whole thing. If you can’t tell by the picture the trailer will make it very clear that this is a teen surfer movie. However, it is a Christian surfer movie. The plot is not terribly intricate or original but it is not bad either. Teenage surfer boy with his nerdy friend hang out on the beach, surf, go to school, etc. New guy in town is now rival surfer. Girl of interest is a Christian. Main character Luke, lives in a home where mom is Christian and Dad is basically one in name only. Luke is not a Christian.
Probably needless to say that there is tragedy and death in the movie. There are salvations and life change throughout as well as some revealing secrets.
Let me get to the Gospel message presented. Maybe the best part of it is the title of the film: Cutback. The youth pastor uses it to explain what one needs to do to be a Christian. A cutback is a surfer term for making an instant direction change. In other words, repentance. Luke asks whether the pastor thinks he’s a bad person and the answer is good if not followed up well. The pastor says he doesn’t think Luke is a bad guy but that the Bible says we all sin and fall short of the glory of God(Rom. 3:23). The problem is that most people if you throw out that verse either don’t see it as a big deal or get downright offended.
We need to let people know not just that we are all sinners but what that means. God has given us a mirror so that people can look into it and see their sin for what it is. That mirror is God’s law, or the Ten commandments. No one goes to human court with a simple charge of “law breaking”. You receive a detailed list of charges. God is the ultimate just judge and wants us to know what we are being charged with. Every lie makes us liars. Every thing taken that doesn’t belong to us makes us thiefs. Every lustful or hateful thought makes us adulterers and murderes respectively. The list goes on and each of us has a big list!
When you know your sin you recognize the justness of God punishment in Hell. This is where again the film falls short. There is no mention of Hell and consequences of sin. There is the typical modern message of, ‘God has a wonderful plan for your life, but you have to make a choice.’ This film like many try to tie Romans 8:28 to every person on the planet which of course isn’t biblical. All things only work together for good for those who love God, those called according to His purpose. If you aren’t called of and loving God, the plan for you is eternal torment in Hell. Jesus Himself commanded us to fear the one who can destroy body and soul in Hell(Mat.10:28).
Without showing the reality of our sinfulness according to God’s word, followed by the just penalty of that specific sinful life, the message of God’s forgiveness of sins carries little or no weight. Sadly much of modern evangelism has become offerring a cure for a disease we’re afraid to tell the patient they have.
There is also a good point where a surfer reveals he’s a Christian late in the film and Luke tells him he never knew he was. The surfer then appears kind of bummed and says he better work on his witness. Sadly Luke tells him no. Friends, we all blow it in our witness and God’s grace covers it. However, as film makers, let’s not do anything that people who feel convicted over their need to do as Christ commanded be told “no” as a balm for their conscience. The right line from Luke should have been something like: “I guess so bro!”, or “Yeah man, you should!”
They do give a hat tip to God’s sovereignty saying He’s in control depsite bad things happenning. This of course is where some of the surprises are revealed. What makes this movie theologically problematic is that it paints a picture that is unrealistic or at least uncommon.
In most of our life circles not everybody we know are Christians or end up as one. Also unlike this film, they are not going to come to Christ unless they are witnessed to and given a biblically based Law/Gospel picture of God’s holiness, our sinfulness, and His amazing grace to save us. There are three main Christian characters in Luke’s life outside of church. Not one of them presents the Gospel to him. Everyone seems to be banking on the church and the youth pastor.
One of the Pastor’s main jobs is for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry(Eph. 4:12). We as Christians should be preaching the word to all creatures as we are ALL commaded to by Christ(Mrk.16:15). Most people are not going to come to church or youth group and get saved. This is for movies. The stats show that most people are saved through the witness of close friends and family members. Sadly the stats also say that roughly only 2% of professing Christans share their faith. That of course is probably a big reason for the statistic that American church growth is also only 2% new converts. This movie goes further to promote church/youth group invitation rather than people obeying Christ and personally witnessing to friends and family and calling them to repenmt and believe in the Gospel(Mrk.1:15)as Christ commanded.
Overall Cutback was a well made(Production value)youth group oriented film. It is totally safe for family viewing and has some good surfing footage if you like that. There’s no language or sex. There is some drinking and threats as well as a tragic accident. The importance of family unity and healing is promoted as well. Despite the misguided Gospel presentation and wrong emphasis on Pastor led evangelism rather than individual evangelism it was an OK film that may bless some. I shed some tears and even found the production value and acting pretty good. Could have been better, but better than many out there. Catch it today of you wanna see it!
See Trailer here –> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQEErWqATfE
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