For Love's Sake is a semi-autobiographical story from writer/director Andrew Walkington. It takes a look at the effects that severe depression can have on a family, when the mother of two young boys is unable to cope, after the sudden and tragic death of her husband. The hope for the family comes from their strengthening faith in Jesus over the course of the movie as the mother, Mary Walker, fights to gain back the custody of her children from social services.
First of all, it needs to be said that this film was made on a very small budget, and most of the actors are amateurs, which sometimes cannot help but show through in some of the performances. That being said, the actors playing the two young boys are excellent in their roles, perfectly cast as brothers who seem to sit on opposite sides of the fence. James is quiet and soulful, struggling internally with the weight of so many questions about his emerging faith, particularly given his last words to his father shortly before his death. Paul on the other hand is angry, and destructive, doing all manner of things that might draw attention to the pain he is feeling over his loss. Newcomers William Wenlock and Luke Foxall are perfectly cast, and it is a testament to Walkington's skill as a director for spotting their talent, and drawing performances out of them that sit just on the right side of sentiment.
It's also Walkington's skill as a writer here that ensures that the actors all have great material to work with, although there is a slightly misjudged 'comedy' sequence half way through, that doesn't quite sit well with the tone of the rest of the film. However, given that that tone is quite a sombre one, it's understandable that the filmmakers wanted to inject some lighter moments into the narrative.
Other standout performances come from Claire Walkington as the clinically depressed mother, Christopher Lee Power as the rather demonic head of social services, and Robert Purdy as John Dunkhill who brings a lot of warmth to proceedings. It's also nice to see Bruce Marchiano in a role other than Jesus, although he brings that same level of charisma that so engenders trust from those who are watching. The only gripe with casting him in the role is that his American accent instantly seems out of place among the otherwise all British cast. Still, it is good to see him involved, and his name in the credits would certainly help draw some much deserved attention.
The strength of the film is that you never feel like you are being preached to, except for a couple of scenes set in a church, when characters literally are preaching. This is something that a few American faith-based movies could learn from. Instead, we get a movie that is rich in character development, relying on the strength of the story at its heart. That story is ultimately one of hope; a hope that we can all find when we learn to stop relying upon ourselves and instead put our trust in God.
One final point that is worth noting is that some of the things that happen, particularly the way that social services act and the way that Mary's depression is viewed, might seem unbelievable in this day and age. But the movie is set nearly 35 years ago, and things were so very different back then.
For Love's Sake is a beautifully written film about the hope that can be found from trusting in Jesus. I would highly recommend it to anyone who would like to see something different, from the mainstream images of sex and violence, which is usually crammed down are throats.
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