By Martine Bates Sharp
Finding Faith
Produced by The Safe Surfin’ Foundation and JC Films. 2013. 111 minutes.
Inspired by actual events, this movie is sure to strike terror into any parent or grandparent who sees it. It is hard to miss the stories of predatory behavior in social media outlets, but this movie gives a chilling look at how an innocent family can be victimized by a cunning, evil person.
The story is one of Faith, an innocent 14-year-old girl who was abducted for sale to sex traffickers. Fortunately, this girl — the one whose ordeal the story is modeled from — was found safe after three days. The story is dramatic and gripping, with solid performances by Erik Estrada (remember the Latin heartthrob from the TV show “Chips”?), Stephanie Bettcher, who plays Faith, and Jamie Watson, who plays the girl’s dad. Other than those three and a handful more, the acting was uneven, with some actors overacting pretty seriously and others uncomfortably wooden — a la Randy Travis.
Although it is entertaining, the film was produced as more than entertainment; it was intended to educate parents and teens about Internet safety. It certainly met its goal with this grandmother. I intend to share the information with my children.
The movie was co-produced by Liberty University and Thomas Road Baptist Church, Lynchburg, Va., and includes music by Jason Crabb, Avalon and Charles Billingsley.
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