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| Faith Like Potatoes |
Film Details:
Starring:
Frank Rautenbach, Jeanne Neilson, Hamilton Dlamini
Written by:
Angus Buchan
Directed by:
Regardt van den Bergh
Starring:
Frank Rautenbach, Jeanne Neilson, Hamilton Dlamini
Written by:
Angus Buchan
Directed by:
Regardt van den Bergh
Rated: PG (some thematic material, an accident scene,
mild language, and brief smoking.)
mild language, and brief smoking.)
[DVD Release Date: April 7, 2009] (Sony / Provident )
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Faith Like Potatoes is based on the inspiring true story of Angus Buchan and his
autobiographical, award-winning novel. This inspiring true story of a rugged South
African farmer, Angus Buchan, is set in South Africa amongst the Zulu tribes. Angus'
manic quest for material success is slowly transformed into a wild love for God and
people, as he wrestles with faith, hope, natural disasters and tragic personal loss.
The film was adapted for the big screen by award winning actor and director Regardt
van der Bergh and weaves together the moving journey of a man who, like his potatoes,
grows his faith, unseen until the harvest. After a South African farmer suffers a series of
seemingly insurmountable losses, he forges an unlikely friendship with his Zulu farmhand
and discovers the key to healing himself and learning to accept others lies in his
unwavering belief in the power of faith.
I have to admit that the title kept my interest as much as anything as I wanted to see how
the obscure reference about 20 minutes into the movie by Angus’s brother Fergus: “you
should plant potatoes” would become the title of the movie. I didn’t learn the answer
until the last 10 minutes. The accents of the actors and subtitles require you to pay
pretty close attention to the pretty interesting true story. Early on, you learn that Angus
is very self-reliant and doesn’t have a strong faith background. His wife however makes
several references to God and about how having faith is the key to dealing with the
hardships facing the family. They are of Scottish descent but live as farmers in South
Africa, originally planting maize (corn), which doesn’t require too much water. Since
they often have droughts that is an important key to the film title as potatoes require
much water to grow properly. Angus’s relationship with the native Zulu farm workers is
also turbulent early on as he has a quick temper and tends toward violent reactions when
things don’t go his way. About midway through the film, Angus finds his faith in a
stirring scene where he is saved at a church service. From that point on, Angus leads
his family, the town, his Zulu farm workers and fellow farmers with many examples of
what it means to live by faith including an intense scene fighting a brush fire where
Angus prays for rain during a drought. His prayers are answered and the rain comes
pouring down to extinguish the raging fire.
Angus goes on to become a preacher, first preaching at his local church and then
traveling around including an extensive trip to Scotland (which we don’t see), leaving his
wife and children in the care of the Zulu farm workers. The main example of faith is the
farmer rally that Angus wants to hold at the King’s Park Stadium (holds 55,000 people)
which normally cost $2 million to use. Angus makes a plea to use the facility and
ultimately his faith is rewarded. There are several touching and inspiring scenes and
Frank Rautenbach’s passionate acting as Angus kept my interest. The editing for me
was a little choppy as I felt at times I missed out on some of the story. For example, I
never heard Angus speak with his own children until the last 30 minutes of the movie.
Also, his wife Jill, well-acted by Jeanne Wilhelm, hardly has any lines in the middle 45
minutes of the movie.
Closing Thoughts:
Faith Like Potatoes won the People’s Choice Award at the 2006 Sabaoth International
Film Festival. Overall, pretty good documentary style true story.
autobiographical, award-winning novel. This inspiring true story of a rugged South
African farmer, Angus Buchan, is set in South Africa amongst the Zulu tribes. Angus'
manic quest for material success is slowly transformed into a wild love for God and
people, as he wrestles with faith, hope, natural disasters and tragic personal loss.
The film was adapted for the big screen by award winning actor and director Regardt
van der Bergh and weaves together the moving journey of a man who, like his potatoes,
grows his faith, unseen until the harvest. After a South African farmer suffers a series of
seemingly insurmountable losses, he forges an unlikely friendship with his Zulu farmhand
and discovers the key to healing himself and learning to accept others lies in his
unwavering belief in the power of faith.
I have to admit that the title kept my interest as much as anything as I wanted to see how
the obscure reference about 20 minutes into the movie by Angus’s brother Fergus: “you
should plant potatoes” would become the title of the movie. I didn’t learn the answer
until the last 10 minutes. The accents of the actors and subtitles require you to pay
pretty close attention to the pretty interesting true story. Early on, you learn that Angus
is very self-reliant and doesn’t have a strong faith background. His wife however makes
several references to God and about how having faith is the key to dealing with the
hardships facing the family. They are of Scottish descent but live as farmers in South
Africa, originally planting maize (corn), which doesn’t require too much water. Since
they often have droughts that is an important key to the film title as potatoes require
much water to grow properly. Angus’s relationship with the native Zulu farm workers is
also turbulent early on as he has a quick temper and tends toward violent reactions when
things don’t go his way. About midway through the film, Angus finds his faith in a
stirring scene where he is saved at a church service. From that point on, Angus leads
his family, the town, his Zulu farm workers and fellow farmers with many examples of
what it means to live by faith including an intense scene fighting a brush fire where
Angus prays for rain during a drought. His prayers are answered and the rain comes
pouring down to extinguish the raging fire.
Angus goes on to become a preacher, first preaching at his local church and then
traveling around including an extensive trip to Scotland (which we don’t see), leaving his
wife and children in the care of the Zulu farm workers. The main example of faith is the
farmer rally that Angus wants to hold at the King’s Park Stadium (holds 55,000 people)
which normally cost $2 million to use. Angus makes a plea to use the facility and
ultimately his faith is rewarded. There are several touching and inspiring scenes and
Frank Rautenbach’s passionate acting as Angus kept my interest. The editing for me
was a little choppy as I felt at times I missed out on some of the story. For example, I
never heard Angus speak with his own children until the last 30 minutes of the movie.
Also, his wife Jill, well-acted by Jeanne Wilhelm, hardly has any lines in the middle 45
minutes of the movie.
Closing Thoughts:
Faith Like Potatoes won the People’s Choice Award at the 2006 Sabaoth International
Film Festival. Overall, pretty good documentary style true story.
Review Written By: Kevin Davis [kevin.davis@christianmusicreview.org] Date Written: April 5, 2009 (DVD)
DVD Reviews
Review & Recommendations
DVD features:
• Documentary on the Real Life
of Angus Buchan
• Commentary with Filmmakers
• Featurette: The Making of
Faith Like Potatoes
• Documentary on the Real Life
of Angus Buchan
• Commentary with Filmmakers
• Featurette: The Making of
Faith Like Potatoes
| [Film Review] |
|
Content:
Action/Violence:
Moderate
Profanity:
None
Sex/Nudity/Adult Material:
Some (Thematic Material)
Drugs/Alcohol:
Some (Smoking)
Action/Violence:
Moderate
Profanity:
None
Sex/Nudity/Adult Material:
Some (Thematic Material)
Drugs/Alcohol:
Some (Smoking)
| Running Time: 97 Minutes |
3.6 out of 4
2.5 out of 3
1.6 out of 2
0.7 out of 1
8.4 out of 10
Message
Story/Plot
Acting
Production
Overall Score
| 84% B |
Review Rating
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