MusicDrama

I Can Only Imagine

- The song you know. The story you don't.

Growing up in Greenville, Texas, Bart Millard suffers physical and emotional abuse at the hands of his father, Arthur. When Arthur becomes terminally ill, he finds redemption by embracing his faith and rediscovering his love for his son. Years later, Bart's troubled childhood and mended relationship with his dad inspires him to write the hit song "I Can Only Imagine" as singer of the Christian band MercyMe.

Release Date : 2018-02-14

Language :EnglishPortuguese

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Kevin Downes ProductionsMission Pictures InternationalCity on a Hill ProductionsImagine RightsLD Entertainment

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Bart Millard

Original Name : J. Michael Finley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Arthur

Original Name : Dennis Quaid

Gender : Male

Character Name : Memaw

Original Name : Cloris Leachman

Gender : Female

Character Name : Young Bart

Original Name : Brody Rose

Gender : Male

Character Name : Shannon

Original Name : Madeline Carroll

Gender : Female

Character Name : Dr. Avondale

Original Name : Gianna Simone

Gender : Female

Character Name : Singleton

Original Name : Kevin Downes

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mike

Original Name : Jason Burkey

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jen

Original Name : Rhoda Griffis

Gender : Female

Character Name : Adele

Original Name : Tanya Clarke

Gender : Female

Character Name : Amy Grant

Original Name : Nicole DuPort

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mrs. Fincher

Original Name : Priscilla C. Shirer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Young Shannon

Original Name : Taegen Burns

Gender : Female

Character Name : Brickell

Original Name : Trace Adkins

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nathan

Original Name : Mark Furze

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jim

Original Name : Randy McDowell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Robbie

Original Name : Cole Marcus

Gender : Male

Character Name : Kent

Original Name : Alexander Dominguez

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rusty

Original Name : J.R. Cacia

Gender : Male

Character Name : Coach

Original Name : Mark Robert Ellis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Young Kent

Original Name : Samuel Sadovnik

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nurse

Original Name : Kerry McCormick

Gender : Female

Character Name : Bill Layton

Original Name : David Norona

Gender : Male

Character Name : Radio DJ #2

Original Name : Bill 'Bubba' Bussey Jr.

Gender : Male

Character Name : Michael W. Smith

Original Name : Jake B. Miller

Gender : Male

Character Name : Coach (uncredited)

Original Name : Ed Spinelli

Gender : Male

Reviews

There-Can-Be-Only-One

@There-Can-Be-Only-One

2021-06-23

*Disclaimer: This isn't any sort of "official" review. This is just one ordinary movie-goer's opinion... Lovely movie. 😊 I honestly wasn't expecting much, but I wanted to support MercyMe, and I always like to throw my support whenever a movie theater plays a good, clean movie like this one. I was actually quite amazed by the production. It had the look of a big budget film (I have no idea how much the budget was), and was lacking the cheese element prevalent in so many Christian movies. It was remarkably well cast, and I was particularly impressed by both guys who played Bart - the 11 year old Bart (Brody Rose), and the teenage/20something Bart (J Michael Finley). I also LOVED Trace Adkins as Brickell. I took my non-believer friend to it, because he likes MercyMe, and has enjoyed Bart's testimonies whenever I've taken him to a concert, and he liked the movie as well. He even teared up, and he is NOT an emotional guy! I cried too, but I'm an emotional girl! 😉 I definitely recommend it. I'm not a person who enjoys going to the movie theater, and usually will only go in special circumstances. I think mainstream America playing a Christian movie in the theater is a special circumstance, and if you want to see more of this happening, I hope you'll go support it.

Simon Foster

@Simon Foster

2021-06-23

"Though it will never be championed as an insightful work of either religious art or patriarchal psychology, I Can Only Imagine does manage to be a good film about a great song..." Read the full review here: http://screen-space.squarespace.com/reviews/2018/3/23/i-can-only-imagine.html

Wuchak

@Wuchak

2021-06-23

***The story behind the popular Christian band*** Released in 2018, “I Can Only Imagine” is a biopic of Bart Millard (J. Michael Finley) of MercyMe, spanning his childhood, the abuse of his father (Dennis Quaid), meeting his true love (Madeline Carroll), starting the band, low-rent touring, acquiring a manager (Trace Adkins) and eventual success with the band’s titular hit. While this semi-modest inspirational flick is nowhere near as good as “Coal Miner’s Daughter” (1980) or even “La Bamba” (1987), it’s almost on par with the Johnny Cash biopic “Walk the Line” (2005), although it cost five times LESS and lacks the polish. Finley is an otherwise unknown actor, but he makes for a fine protagonist. And Carroll is winsome and curvy; unfortunately, her part is small. It’s too by-the-numbers, but I could relate to the father/son issues and the story builds to an inspiring and emotional performance of their hit song. The film runs 1 hour, 50 minutes and was shot entirely in Oklahoma. GRADE: B-/C+