Hippiedom and films go hand in hand and have ever since the counterculture first appeared. Think Easy Rider and Alice’s Restaurant, which both released in 1969. However, marrying movie-making with hippiedom’s spiritual side has always been a tougher sell. The impending release of Jesus Revolution represents the latest attempt to reconcile the two.
Jon Erwin and Brent McCorkle’s drama about the Jesus movement that so energized young Christian believers in California during the 1970s stars a mix of Hollywood royalty and up-and-coming stars; the film is now in post-production and is slated for release early next year. Here’s what we know.
Jesus Revolution: The Plot
Jesus Revolution tells the true story of Greg Laurie, who converted to Christianity in the late 1960s and went on to be influenced by the burgeoning Jesus movement. Laurie was also influenced by pastor Chuck Smith, who, in real life as in the film, opened the doors of his church to a new generation of hippie followers and was supportive of the formation of communes that would eventually span the length and breadth of southern California in particular.
