Review - The Book of Ruth: Journey of Faith

The Book of Ruth: Journey of Faith was recently released on DVD to the home and church markets by PureFlix Entertainment. It holds fairly well to the biblical account with the added twist that it’s told from the perspective of Obed encouraging future king David out of the doldrums. The film opens with Obed sharing Ruth’s true-life story and closes with the encouraging words having improved David’s slingshot marksmanship.

While I admire director Stephen Patrick Walker’s attempt at bringing a new twist to the biblical account of Ruth, his creative effort fell flat. The excruciating slow pace finally picks up when Carman hits the screen as Boaz, thanks to his natural charismatic appeal. His playful interpretation of Boaz brings new life and rhythm to the film.

There are a handful of scenes where the director probably desired another take, but due to the low budget and fast paced shooting schedule, weaker scenes are salted throughout the film. Thankfully the characters of Naomi (Eleese Lester) and Ruth (Sherry Morris) are played in a pleasing manner, as they dominate time on screen.

I was disappointed in the scene where Ruth says to Naomi, “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” I always envisioned it as the female version of Charlton Heston as Moses saying, “Let my people go.” Unfortunately, the scene didn’t come close to bringing the emotional power to the screen that I expected.

Over all, the story of Ruth powerfully inspires integrity and purpose in life, but sadly only a few actors come close to delivering the goods on screen. If you can get past the slow pace, you will certainly find the positive message worth your time. And, the good news is that a free study guide can be downloaded for families and churches to ignite conversations about devotion and faith.

I received this DVD free from PURE FLIX ENTERTAINMENT as part of their marketing program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”