Greater (2016)
Summary
Greater (2016) is a biographical film based on the life of Brandon Burlsworth, rising football star for the Arkansas Razorbacks, who died tragically in a car accident before he could sign onto the NFL. The movie is focused on how he lived his life as a faithful Christian through hard work and impacting others with not just his kindness, but also the high — but not unfair — expectations he had for his fellow Christians and teammates.
Assessment
Grater (2016) depicts the life of Brandon Burlsworth from his first days playing football as a kid to his early death just before signing on with the NFL. The movie is built of the narrative frame of his older brother Marty’s grief before the funeral, wrestling with doubts about God and His plan for Brandon’s life. Using flashbacks, the movie bounces expertly between the present and past, allowing the audience to uncover the full context of Marty’s anger and resentment towards God for taking away his younger brother.
The theological element of the story is very present and avoids sermonizing to the audience. It is less coherent than it could’ve been, with a message scattered between different kinds of doubt and faith. The message is still good, just not quite as refined.
Light-o-Meter
Writing: 5 out of 7 Little Lights
Filmmaking: 6 out of 7 Little Lights
Acting: 5 out of 7 Little Lights
Cleanliness: 5 out of 7 Little Lights (a few cuss words, brief depiction of alcoholism and hints at child abuse)
Theological Message: 5 out of 7 Little Lights
Overall: 5 out of 7 Little Lights
Talk
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. The cinematography was great, the acting superb (it’s got Neal McDonough as the good guy!), and while the theological element was a little scattered, the Christian faith of this movie is undeniable and a little bittersweet. There is life and there is death, and the characters must wrestle with their faith in God in the midst of terrible events and hard times.
There are typically two ways biographical movies handle the death of the person they are depicting. The first way is they eke out the tension, starting from the beginning of the person’s life or career and leaving their death for the end. The audience knows this person dies (particularly if they died unnaturally), so the biography uses that to their advantage. The other way is to start with the person’s death and sort of work backwards through their life, usually through the eyes of someone close to them.
For myself, I much prefer the latter, as it puts the focus on the person, not the sensational nature of their story. Greater does just that, opening with Brandon’s funeral and using the lens of his brother’s grief and faith as a way to tell the story. This was a brilliant decision and allowed the rest of the movie to focus on what Brandon did with his life, rather that have the audience on the edge of their seat, waiting for his death. It also set the tone for the rest of the movie, which is more of a celebration and testament of Brandon’s life.
The movie definitely includes the football element of Brandon’s life, however, it doesn’t go into the nitty-gritty details of the sport. If sports are not your thing, this would still be an excellent movie to watch and enjoy.
Wrap-up
Great (2016) is a biographical movie about Brandon Burlsworth, American All-Star college football player and aspiring Indianapolis Colts linebacker, who died tragically after being drafted. With beautiful cinematography and solid acting, this movie describes his inspiring faith and work ethic, as well as his brother’s faith journey after his death.
Where to Enjoy
Streaming
Netflix: Watch Greater
Tubi: Watch Greater (2016) - Free Movies
DVD
Amazon: Greater : Neal McDonough, Leslie Easterbrook: Movies & TV
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