Courageous Information

Courageous is a 2011 independent Christian drama film, directed by Alex Kendrick, produced by Sherwood Pictures, and released to theaters on September 30, 2011. It is the fourth film by Sherwood Pictures, the creators of Flywheel, Facing the Giants, and Fireproof. Filming in Albany, Georgia concluded in June 2010. The film was marketed by Sony's Provident Films, which also marketed their previous films.

The film was directed by Alex Kendrick, who co-wrote its screenplay with his brother Stephen Kendrick. Kendrick also stars in the film, along with Ken Bevel, Kevin Downes, and former running-back Tony Stallings. About half of the cast and crew were volunteers from Sherwood Baptist Church, while the remainder were brought on through invitation-only auditions.

The film was produced with a budget of $2 million, but on its opening weekend it grossed $2 million in pre-sales alone and grossed $9.1 million total for the weekend. It grossed a total of $34.5 million, over 17 times its budget. The film opened to mixed reviews from critics, but a rare A+ CinemaScore rating from filmgoers.

Plot

As the police force of Albany, Georgia, attempts to stop gangs and drug dealing activity in the city, the sheriff urges his deputies to spend time with their families, citing research that shows fatherless children are several times more likely to get into trouble in life, including crime. Among his deputies are Adam Mitchell (Alex Kendrick), Nathan Hayes (Ken Bevel), Shane Fuller (Kevin Downes), and rookie David Thomson (Ben Davies). Mitchell adores his nine-year-old daughter, Emily, but is distant from his fifteen-year-old son, Dylan. Hayes never knew his biological father but would risk his life to save his three children; however, his teenage daughter Jade (Taylor Hutcherson), resents him because he has strict rules about dating. Fuller is divorced, as were his parents, and has joint custody of his son. Thomson is young and single. The group also befriends Javier Martinez (Robert Amaya), an immigrant struggling to provide for his family, and Mitchell recommends him to a new full-time job, where he is hired.

One tragic day, Emily is killed by a drunk driver, devastating Mitchell and his family. Following his daughter's death, Mitchell reads a lot about fatherhood in the Bible. He decides he must be a better father and crafts a detailed "Resolution" to honor God in every aspect of his family. Mitchell, Hayes, Fuller, Thomson, and Martinez join him in his resolution at a formal ceremony conducted by Hayes's neighborhood mentor, the man he thinks of as a father. Mitchell rebuilds a relationship with his son and receives some relief of his guilt at his daughter's death. Hayes mends his relationship with his daughter and presents her with a purity ring that he asks her to wear until she is married. He also visits the grave of his biological father who he had never met and forgives him. Fuller improves his relationship with his son. Thomson reveals that he fathered a child in college and deserted the mother after she refused to have an abortion. He writes the mother a letter seeking a relationship with his daughter and encloses some support money. Martinez's factory employer offers him a promotion on the condition that he falsify inventory documents. Martinez refuses, and his boss reveals that the request was a test of Martinez's integrity. The boss promotes Martinez and gives him a raise.

Mitchell discovers that Fuller has been stealing drugs from police evidence. Mitchell decides he must honor his Resolution and decides to report the corruption. He sets up a sting leading to Fuller's arrest and imprisonment. Mitchell visits Fuller in jail where Fuller takes responsibility for his actions and asks Mitchell to look after his son, which Mitchell agrees to do.

During a minor traffic stop, Hays and Thomson unknowingly confront the armed leader of a gang they have been repeatedly encountering. The incident turns into a roadside gun battle, and the gang leader attempts to take a young girl hostage. Mitchell and other officers arrive as backup. The girl's father helps Hays subdue a suspect, and Mitchell assists in arresting a second suspect. One of the gang members is Derrick Freeman (David Howze), a teenager who Hays had earlier prohibited from dating his daughter; Derrick attributes his decisions to his lack of a father.

At a Father's Day church service, the men present the Resolution and Mitchell urges the fathers in the congregation to be a Godly influence on their families. Mitchell runs in a 5K race with his son and Fuller's son. Hayes reads the Bible in prison with Derrick. Thomson meets his daughter for the first time. The film ends with a quote from Joshua 24:15: "Choose today who you will serve, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

Cast

• Alex Kendrick as Adam Mitchell
• Ken Bevel as Nathan Hays
• Kevin Downes as Shane Fuller
• Ben Davies as David Thomson
• Renee Jewell as Victoria Mitchell
• Elanor Brown as Kayla Hayes
• Taylor Hutcherson as Jade Hayes
• Robert Amaya as Javier Martinez
• Rusty Martin as Dylan Mitchell
• Angelita Nelson as Carmen Martinez
• Lauren Etchells as Emily Mitchell
• David Howze as Derrick Freeman
• Tony 'T.C.' Stallings as T.J.
• Ed Litton as Pastor Rogers

Awards

2012 San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival

• WON- Best of Festival
• WON- Best Feature Film

2012 Epiphany Prize

• WON- Most Inspiring Movie

2012 Grace Award

• WON- Most Inspiring Performance in Movies, Alex Kendrick
• NOMINATED- Most Inspiring Performance in Movies, Robert Amaya

Production

Announcement

The title and plot of Courageous were announced on November 15, 2009 by Alex Kendrick, Michael Catt, Jim McBride and Stephen Kendrick. Sherwood Pictures stated that "After much prayer, creative brainstorming, more prayer, wise counsel, and still more prayer, Sherwood Pictures is ready to move ahead with their fourth motion picture." Before the announcement, the filmmakers launched TheNextSherwoodMovie.com, which contained teasers for Courageous. At the time the announcement, the Kendrick brothers stated that they had completed "about 80 percent of the plot", and they had planned to finish the script by the end of 2009.

Casting

In previous Sherwood Pictures films, almost all of the cast and crew were composed of members of Sherwood Baptist Church, with Kirk Cameron being the notable exception with his lead role in Fireproof. For Courageous the producers expanded their search for acting talent. Roughly half of the cast are volunteers from the church, but the other half were through invitation-only audition sessions. The lead roles in the film are played by Alex Kendrick and Ken Bevel, both of whom have appeared in past Sherwood Pictures productions. Kevin Downes, who has appeared in various other films, played the role of Shane Fuller. Ben Davies, a student athlete at Samford University, played the role of David Thomson. Tony Stallings, former running back and winner of Animal Planet's King of the Jungle reality show, made his film debut.

The actors were still volunteers. The film would have likely cost several times more if they had used professional assistance. Director Alex Kendrick said, "With volunteers no one is watching the clock and we're all in it together."

Filming

Filming of Courageous began on April 26, 2010 and concluded on June 25, 2010. The majority of the film was shot in Albany and Dougherty County, Georgia area. Some scenes were shot in the Dougherty County Jail. More than 170 media outlets, such as Inside Edition, visited the set. The Duggar family from TLC's 19 Kids and Counting were extras during a father-son 5K race. Jim Bob Duggar and seven of his ten sons joined hundreds of other fathers and sons in filming the scene. Their involvement in the film was shown on 19 Kids and Counting in "Duggars go Hollywood". The Duggar daughters acted as extras in a funeral scene at Sherwood Baptist Church that involved several police officers in uniform.

In order to enhance the quality of the film, the production crew is using a new camera technology, "Red One", by the Red Digital Cinema Camera Company. Kendrick estimated the production budget would exceed $1 million "? double that of Fireproof. The final budget has been reported at $2 million.

Rating

In December 2010, the Motion Picture Association of America rated the film PG-13 for "some violence and drug content". That rating was surrendered a few days later, but was later reinstated. Courageous is the first film by Sherwood Pictures to receive a PG-13 rating.

Promotion

The contemporary Christian band Casting Crowns released a song titled "Courageous" to promote the film with a video featuring scenes from it.

Tony Dungy, a Super Bowl-winning football coach, mentioned the film in an article he wrote about fatherhood for USA Today. He said, "As men, we could all take a lesson from [the fathers in Courageous] and ask ourselves, 'What can I do today to be a more involved dad?'"

Release

Box office

Courageous was released on September 30, 2011 to 1,161 theaters, grossing $3.1 million on its opening day and debuting in fourth place with an actual gross of $9,063,147 for the opening weekend, the best opening of all new movies released that weekend. It sold over $2 million in pre-sale tickets, the most of the weekend on Fandango, beating out The Lion King 3D, Moneyball, Dolphin Tale and Drive.

After its opening weekend, Entertainment Weekly wrote, "...Courageous is the real success story of the weekend...Courageous earned a strong $8.8 million, outdoing the $6.8 million opening of Sherwood's 2008 picture Fireproof, which became the highest-grossing independent film that year with $33.5 million total. Shown in 1,161 theaters (yet, notably, just one theater in Manhattan), Courageous earned the best per theater average of any wide release with a robust $7,580." Courageous beat out all three Hollywood movies which opened on the same weekend: 50/50, What's Your Number?, and Dream House, which were produced with budgets of $8 million, $20 million, and $50 million, respectively. According to Box Office Mojo, its opening weekend ranks fifth all-time among Christian movies, behind The Passion of the Christ and the three Chronicles of Narnia films.

As of December 11, 2011, the film has grossed $33,333,639, over 16 times its budget.

After the Kendrick brothers' previous films were either released to DVD after the theatrical run, the movie started an international theatrical rollout which began November 10 in Argentina, Australia, and New Zealand. The movie debuted at #18 in Argentina, #16 in Australia and #21 in New Zealand, with weekend opening grosses of $19,536, $107,781, and $10,529 respectively. The movie opened in Mexico on December 2, ranking 31st with a total of $6,911 from 15 screens. As of December 4, the international gross for the movie is $219,977.

Reception

The film received mixed reviews from critics, but has received a rare "A+" rating in audience polls conducted by CinemaScore. Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 35% based on reviews from 20. On Metacritic, the film holds a score of 42/100 based on 10 reviews.

Roger Moore of the Orlando Sentinel, gave the film a mediocre review, saying "the film travels far beyond its dramatic climax, aiming for an altar call finale." Kam Williams of NewsBlaze gave the film four stars, saying the film was a "moving, modern parable not to be missed by anyone who's always wondering why they don't make wholesome movies with uplifting messages anymore." Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter said Courageous demonstrated the Kendrick brothers' "growing expertise as filmmakers with its skillful blending of moving drama, subtle comedy and several impressive action sequences, including a well-staged foot chase and a harrowing shootout between the cops and bad guys." Hannah Goodwyn of the Christian Broadcasting Network rated Courageous 3 out of 5, saying "Courageous' biblical message is clear and good. Unfortunately, its delivery is weakened by some rookie acting and excessive dialogue." Adam R. Holz of Focus on the Family Plugged In Online said Courageous has "A compelling story line with plenty of action and just the right amount of humor. The Film underscores the importance of fatherhood...plus I like how it creatively weaves in the Gospel. I am happily giving Courageous 4.5 shiny badges out of 5 for family friendliness."

Alex Kendrick and Robert Amaya were nominated at the 20th Annual Movie Guide Awards under the category of Most Inspiring Performance in Movies in 2011, with Kendrick winning and the film was named the Most Inspiring Movie of 2011.

Home media

The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray on January 17, 2012 as an "Exclusive Collector's Edition" and was #1 in disc sales in the US the week ending January 22, 2012 according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Related books

Two film tie-in books were written for Courageous; "The Resolution for Men" by Stephen and Alex Kendrick, and "The Resolution for Women" by Priscilla Shirer. "Courageous Living" by Michael Catt, "Rite of Passage" by Jim McBride, and a film novelization by Randy Alcorn were also released.