Movie review: I'm in love with a church girl
I’m in love with a church girl is a 2013 drama film with a Christian theme. Steve Race directed the film that stars Adrienne Bailon (Vanessa Leon) and Jeff “Ja Rule” Atkins (Miles Montego). The film involves a love story between Miles, formerly a drug dealer and Vanessa, a church girl. The following is an analysis of the film.
The film has some contradicting or controversial biographies and promotes a controversial culture. Since it is an interracial film, there is the likelihood that viewers can take the use of Miles to play a drug dealing character as an acceptance of stereotyping that African Americans overwhelmingly engage in drug dealing.
The Christian culture is different from the worldly cultures and as such, there is stark contrast between the lives of Miles and Vanessa. This shows that one has to adjust strenuously in order to fit the culture of the other if they are to be in a relationship.
Symbolism
Vanessa and Miles overwhelmingly dress in white and black respectively in order to symbolize their contradicting lifestyles. This aspect, though a subtle one illustrates that there would have to be massive adjustments by both parties if they were to stops becoming opposites in character and lifestyle.
Irony
It is ironical that Miles had stated “God doesn’t want somebody like me in His church” yet it seems that the church was the very place that God wanted to see Miles since he (Miles) later became a pastor! (Rose). The life of drugs and guns that Miles lived prior to meeting Vanessa is a stark contrast to the kind of life he lived after joining the church. Miles went ahead and started talking to former drug dealers in prison to become Christians yet he led most of them in drug dealing. The irony aids to show the transformation in Miles’s life and hence the purpose of the film.
Allusion
The moment Miles saw Vanessa; he pictured her as his loving partner. He insinuated to her that he envisaged a loving relationship with her, and this formed the foundation for the plot of this story. Vanessa took would suggest in the kind of character he wanted in Miles and this compelled both parties to makes some adjustments in order to accommodate each other.
Sound Effect
The film has thematic Christian music playing in the background in several instances. The music creates a sense of hope that the relationship between Vanessa and Miles would reach a common ground and more so that Miles would eventually become a Christian. Though sung in a hushed tone, the music also sounds like a love song to indicate the blossoming love between Miles and Vanessa. These sound effects give the movie a joyful mood.
Significance of a setting in the plot
The scene where Vanessa tries to convince Miles to go to church is very significant to the film’s plot. She asks, “What is so wrong about going to church?” to which Miles replies, “God doesn’t want someone like me in His church” (Rose). The two were arguing and speak in raised voices. This setting shows that the principal issue that they disagreed about was faith and going to church. As such, a resolution of this thorny issue would form the mainstay of the story. The other issues such as the death of Mile’s mother and Vanessa’s accident are geared to push Miles to change his beliefs and become a Christian. Eventually, when Miles becomes a Christian, he marries Vanessa and three years later, he is shown as a pastor.
Works Cited
Race, Steve. I'm in Love with a Church Girl. Perf. Adrianna Bailon, Jeff "Ja Rule" Atkins. 2013. Film.
