Promises To Keep

Set over Easter weekend, Evelyn and Jonathan, both widowed and in their fifties, meet again when their children fall in love with each other. They almost married each other in their twenties but Evelyn got cold feet. Later Evelyn married one of Jonathan's divorced friends, Thomas, and left her Catholic faith rather than wait for him to obtain an annulment. Jonathan had encouraged her many times to return to the faith during her marriage but she resisited. When Evelyn approached Jonathan insisting they try to stop their children's marriage, both Evelyn and Jonathan's true feelings for each other emerge. Will Evelyn return to the faith and marry Jonathan, or remain estranged?

Dove Review

“Promises to Keep” does a good job of showing how messy life can get, but how one can always “come home” to God. Jonathan has long been a good Catholic man and was a devoted husband to his wife. Before he met her, he was in love with Evelyn, “Evie,” who left the Catholic church and Jonathan behind as well. Now that her husband Tom has died, Evie and Jonathan rediscover each other. She wants to have sex, but Jonathan insists they need to take it slow and be married.

The movie features some comedic elements and is, honestly, a bit soap opera-like in its approach. There was a possible abortion in the past by a woman, then we learn that no, she had the child and put him up for adoption. Jonathan’s daughter Lisa and Evie’s son Aaron like each other but have a falling out. Evie tells Jonathan she really loved Tom, and Jonathan says he really loved his deceased wife, yet they have feelings for each other now. The point is made: life can be messy, and people can make bad decisions, but they can also always return to God.

Due to a few sexual moments and comments in the film, we are awarding the Faith-Friendly Seal for ages 12-plus to this film. “Promises to Keep” makes it clear–God always honors his own promise to be faithful.

Dove Rating Details

Faith

None

Integrity

None.

Sex

A man passionately kisses a woman and pressures her to have sex but she refuses; a man says, "It's just sex"; when a middle-aged couple rediscover each other and she wants to have sex with him, he insists on them waiting for marriage when she starts to remove her top; several kissing scenes; an unmarried man and woman kiss in bed and he lies on top of her, both fully clothed, but they stop; the mention of a man having sex with previous girlfriends and a young woman admits she lost her virginity but remained pure afterwards; a man and woman talk in bed, clothed, and they fall asleep; a couple talks of how they slept together before they broke up.

Language

G-1; G-1; geez-1; A-1; H (as a Biblical place)-1; H-2; criminy-1; a man talks about "frickin' religion" and "kooky a** religious fanatic" but later is converted;

Violence

None.

Drugs

Several scenes involving the drinking of wine; a woman becomes drunk from wine testing and admits she was drunk the next day; wine bottles are seen in several scenes of the film; the mention of a wine gallery and of drinking wine; bar scenes; a comment about being "three sheets to the wind"; the mention of hair of the dog;

Nudity

Mild cleavage; man in boxers.

Other

Tension between characters and arguments; a man assumes a woman had an abortion but she did not; death and grief; a woman is bitter with God over the death of her husband and says she doesn't want to trust Him; Catholic faith and confession is portrayed.

More Information

Film Information

Genre

Drama

Runtime

103

Rating

N/A

Reviewer

Edwin L Carpenter

Actors

Arizona Craycraft, Christine Jones, Chuck Gillespie, David Baum, Mitch Teemley, Warren Bryson

Writers

Michael C. Mergler

Directors

Marc Leif

Producers

Richard Uber

Studios

St. Michael Movies