Canaan Land

CANAAN LAND is a film so well-acted and well paced it had me captured for its full 113 minute running time. Richard Rossi's nuanced acting was stellar as con man Brother Billy. His womanizing and hustling was despicable, yet somehow his childlike qualities and subtext of brokenness made me like him and want to see him redeemed. Rebecca Holden was lovely as Sister Sara, the sincere Christian, and she did a great job both acting and singing the Oscar-worthy duet end title song "A Much, Much Greater Love" produced by Grammy winner Joel Diamond, and Rebecca's duet singing partner is Grammy winner Jason Crabb. I am supporting this underdog Oscar contender because it truly breaks out of the formula of so many movies to tell a real story based on minister-turned-moviemaker Richard Rossi's pain and past experiences as a former faith healer. Rossi takes the concept of a religious faith-based film and turns it on its head, while still delivering a spiritual message of hope and faith.