Joshua (2002)

22% of critics liked it
(23 reviews)
75% of users liked it
(2,762 ratings)

A mysterious stranger brings both spiritual comfort and a certain level of distrust to a small community in this drama based on the spiritual best-seller by Joseph Girzone. A mysterious man named Joshua (Tony Goldwyn) arrives in the small Midwestern town of Auburn sometime in the late 19th century.… More A mysterious stranger brings both spiritual comfort and a certain level of distrust to a small community in this drama based on the spiritual best-seller by Joseph Girzone. A mysterious man named Joshua (Tony Goldwyn) arrives in the small Midwestern town of Auburn sometime in the late 19th century. Joshua sets up a carpentry shop in Auburn, and soon develops a reputation for his kind and unselfish nature; after bad weather nearly destroys a church in the town's African-American neighborhood, Joshua offers to help repair the building, and has soon persuaded much of the community to offer their support, including Father Pat (Kurt Fuller), a priest at Auburn's Catholic church. Father Pat's superior, Father Tardone (F. Murray Abraham) is also struck by Joshua's talent, charm, and humble desire to help others, and asks him to carve a new statue of Saint Peter for their church. However, while much of the town is following the good example set by Joshua, when people begin to ascribe supernatural powers to the town's new carpenter, Father Tardone begins to become suspicious, and wants to know who Joshua really is and what he really intends to do in Auburn. Joshua features an original song score by popular contemporary Christian musician Michael W. Smith. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: G, 1 hr. 30 min.
Directed By: Jon Purdy
Written By: Brad Mirman
Genres: Drama

In Theaters: Apr 19, 2002 Wide
On DVD: Oct 22, 2002
Studio: Artisan Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times
It's a persuasive spiritual journey, sentimental at times but never hopelessly cloying.
Chris Willman, Entertainment Weekly
Christians sensitive to a reductionist view of their Lord as a luv-spreading Dr. Feelgood or omnipotent slacker will feel vastly more affronted than secularists, who might even praise God for delivering such an instant camp classic.
Al Brumley, Dallas Morning News
Overall, it's a very entertaining, thought-provoking film with a simple message: God is love.
James D. Davis, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
The film falls short on tension, eloquence, spiritual challenge -- things that have made the original New Testament stories so compelling for 20 centuries.
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul), St. Paul Pioneer Press
The script covers huge, heavy topics in a bland, surfacey way that doesn't offer any insight into why, for instance, good things happen to bad people.
James Sanford, Kalamazoo Gazette
Ultimately, we're left with 90 minutes worth of good intentions and sweet sentiments that never coalesce into an involving story.
Jeffrey Bruner, Des Moines Register
What would Jesus do if He was a film director? He'd create a movie better than this.