Mike Vogel stars in a scene from the movie "The Case for Christ." The Catholic News Service classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents.(CNS /Pure Flix)

By Catholic News Service

As his wife (Erika Christensen) undergoes a gradual conversion to evangelical Christianity, sparking discord in their marriage, an aggressively atheistic Chicago journalist (Mike Vogel) uses his investigative skills to try to disprove the Resurrection, and with it the faith.

Director Jonathan M. Gunn’s screen version of Lee Strobel’s memoir intertwines intelligent apologetics with the story of a headline-grabbing criminal case (Renell Gibbs plays the defendant) the reporter is working on as well as with a low-key study of the central duo’s strong bond and the problematic relationship between the protagonist and his father (Robert Forster). While not as heavy-handed as many message movies, the film, which is acceptable for a wide audience and makes a potentially valuable educational resource, succeeds more as a vindication of the rationality of belief in Jesus than as entertainment.

Graphic descriptions and images of scourging and crucifixion, a single crass term. The Catholic News Service classification is A-II — adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

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