“The Shunning” is a Touching Movie
I watched Beverly Lewis’ The Shunning last night and found it to be a touching movie. While I’ve enjoyed reading Amish fiction (I’m fascinated by the simple and very different lifestyle of the Amish), I haven’t read the book this movie was based on. Perhaps I enjoyed the movie more for this reason, as I didn’t know the plot beforehand.
The film entertains and intrigues with an engaging story line and great acting by Danielle Panabaker, who plays Katie Lapp, a young Amish woman on the brink of marriage to a man she does not love. When an outsider comes to the quiet community asking questions and bearing a letter, a chain of events causes grief and turmoil for Katie and her family.
I will mention that I had a bit of trouble understanding some of the Amish accents, but obviously this speech was necessary for authenticity. Also, while the movie is titled The Shunning, the actual shunning does not occur till near the end of the movie and doesn’t last very long. Incidentally, when the movie ended, I wanted more, and when I searched online, I saw that there is indeed a sequel, The Confession, so I’m looking forward to finding out where the story goes from here.
All and all, I enjoyed this heartfelt and clean movie (a refreshing change from typical immoral movies); it rang true with real emotions that anyone can relate to, Amish or not, and the plot is captivating. Readers of Christian fiction will certainly enjoy this film!