Main Review
Hollywood meets Christian (or faith-based) film meets backwoods town in Saskatchewan, Canada. That's the best way I
can sum up the new release Rust, which is available on DVD on October 5th. What started out as a journey personal to
the film's writer/director/actor Corbin Bernsen, panned out as a film that an entire town stood behind and backed. The
town of Kipling, Saskatchewan, Canada not only serves as the backdrop for this suspense drama, but all but a few
people involved with the film were actually not from Kipling. The town's desire to help bring Bernsen's vision to life, as a
homage to his own father, was uplifting in itself even aside from the story.
Bernsen, the "man-of-many-hats" in the film plays James Moore, a burned out pastor who feels as though God has
abandoned him when he needs him the most. The beginning dialogue really sets up the movement of the story. James
does what some of us have been guilty of at times in our lives as Christians. Taking God's silence as a sort of response
that He's not concerned with our problems. Only after realizing that it's those times when God appears to be most silent,
that He's doing the most work.
Though the film doesn't specify how long he was away, James comes back to Kipling sometime later just after a tragedy
has occurred involving a family who had only recently moved to the area.
Glen, Moore's friend from childhood (played by actor Frank Gall), is now a member of local law enforcement, and
unfortunately has the evidence needed that implicates another childhood friend, Travis (brilliantly portrayed by newcomer
Lloyd Warner). I must point out that I didn’t realize until after watching the film that Lloyd is really mentally handicapped in
real life. That made his performance all the more mesmerizing, in that even in what we would label as a "disability", truly
shined and showed us that we should never judge a book by its cover. Looking into the future a bit, it’s only fitting that
Corbin brings Lloyd back in a role that he wrote specifically for him in the upcoming film, Barlowe Mann (2011).
Travis has been jailed and is the only suspect in a house fire that claimed the lives of an entire family. Knowing Travis all
his life, James questions the validity of the charge and goes on a fact-finding mission to prove his theory true and
ultimately – Travis’ innocence.
Not to give the movie away, but the ending was not one I saw coming and once the credits started rolling, the outcome
reminded me of the scripture found in John 15:13 when Jesus is talking with His disciples. “Greater love has no one
than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (NKJV)
It’s after discovering this, that James Moore turns back to God and back onto the path that he started walking so long ago.
Closing Thoughts
This was a great film, and though the references to God are very generic (never mentioning Christ by name, only in a
written prayer in the end) and mainstream, I felt that there was still a very good take away message from it. It reminds us
that when we’re truly saved, it’s possible to feel we’ve lost the faith and even walk away from God. It’s then that we are
reminded, just like the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) and the eventual return to the Lord after a life full of
wondering, turmoil and heartache.
While I thought that this film could be used as a way to show the message of restoration, I would advise parents to be
cautious as far as the younger viewers go. The adult content and thematic material (teen suicide) might be a little much
for the little ones.
Review Written By: Jay Heilman [jay.heilman@christianmusicreview.org] on 10/1/2010
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