I Heard the Bells (2022) User Reviews

Excellent little film

[ashcatash-39485 · 8/10 · 2 December 2022]

I came to the theater with no great expectations and was pleasantly surprised. The story was interesting and the acting was solid. I found myself interested and engaged throughout, plus I learned a lot about the life of Longfellow.

It's not a stellar blockbuster movie, but I would watch it again at Christmas time because it really does get you in the spirit. I liked how they included Longfellow's other poems throughout the film. And it was religious without being overly preachy or sappy.

A solid decent film. My mother also enjoyed it, as did the other audience members around me. I give it a happy 8 out of 10.

Merry Christmas!

Authentic in the best way

[dowdey-59096 · 8/10 · 8 December 2022]

I knew the story of Longfellow's life and his writing of the poem before seeing the movie, so I was apprehensive about how honestly and accurately they would tell the story. Also as someone who studies material culture of the mid-nineteenth century, I was afraid that obvious inaccuracies would be permitted. Fortunately neither of my fears or apprehensions were realized. The movie honestly shows the doubts and depression Longfellow had. The sets and costumes were more authentic than most big budget Hollywood films. Details like hats and hairstyles as well as the set were all correct. In one scene we noticed a picture had been hung over a modern light switch to make the room authentically 19th century. Kudos for the accuracy and the emotional authenticity.

An honest review of this movie

[bjsaint-34582 · 6/10 · 6 December 2022]

Sight and Sound Theaters are the pinnacle of theater. I've seen a couple of their shows in their main building in Lancaster, and I must say that their productions are so impressive, detailed, and talented that I suspect Broadway pales in comparison. I can't recommend them enough.

Their first foray into cinema isn't as grand, unfortunate to say.

I'm just being honest, here. When you branch out into cinema, you must go up against more than a century of experience. Hollywood owns the film sphere, so you must come out swinging. Sight and Sound Films and I Heard the Bells fall short.

The intro to this movie feels like you're watching a play through a TV screen. The acting is over the top, and the cinematography only elevates this feel. It feels like a Hallmark film, but less genuine. I constantly retained the fact that this film is a flagship for S&S Films, but it still broke my suspension.

This feeling continued until (SPOILERS) his wife, Fanny, tragically dies. Then the acting and the cinematography RAMPS up. I was enjoying it much, much more after this. The dinner scene and the soldier campfire scene stood out to me as very well-done moments.

Every now and then you get an actor who still delivers lines as if on stage, and also some moments where the script just feels illogical and characters make decisions that don't really make sense (I.e. Charley enlisting, proving himself, etc.)

When it comes to action scenes, if you're here to watch some high quality Civil War sequences, prepare to be disappointed. BUT this really isn't a war-focused movie and that the lack of quality action set pieces never bothered me in the slightest. Not why I watched this.

All in all, I really enjoyed this movie, mainly for some of the impressive cinematography later into the film, as well as some GREAT acting moments by the cast, which leads me to the message...

To me, it's no different than many other Christian movies out there. You go through hardship, blame God for your problems, someone says something about God has always been with you but you haven't felt His presence, you feel good again.

Not only is this a tired trope, it's not a good message. Not ONCE did anyone mention anything about sin. No depravity of man. No recognition of one's own wickedness. I understand that's not really a concept to explore here, but without this, the gospel message in this movie really fails. Thus treading out another "emotional gospel message". It's all about the feels. I hate this. We've seen it too many times. And WORSE, the times where we do see the depravity of man, is in HOLLYWOOD movies. And they do a better job of conveying this than most CHRISTIAN Movies do! Why are we allowing pagan organizations to explain to us the truth of right and wrong, when we are the ones who need to show THEM the truth that we have in the Gospel? That all men are cruel and desperately wicked and need the blood of Christ to save our souls? See we have this in I Heard the Bells, but only the second part, and barely that. It seems Longfellow equates his remedy of being able to right again to the fact that his wife is alive through his works. Hmmmm.

In short, S&S Films need to explore more deeply into the truths of the world and the art of His Creation and not stick exclusively to making feel good Christian movies. They're too many of those.

6/10. I'm hopeful for S&S Films, but scriptural if it's future.

A+ performance, historical tear jerker with a happy, inspirational twist!

[kyinzara · 10/10 · 2 December 2022]

I had the pleasure of seeing this movie (which was sold out) on opening night at the big screen with some family. I felt the need to write a review because I was certainly drawn in and engaged the entire movie. Firstly, I had never heard of this particular movie production group so because I was that impressed by their work, I am writing this review. My hope is that people will side step the assumption that because it's low budget, or because the production team is not Hollywood grade, it's not worth seeing. Instead, my hope is they will consider heading to the theaters to give this production group a chance. The acting was amazing, the music was on point and added to the dramatic effect of the movie. The plot line was not rushed or crammed, and faith, religion was included but not overly extensive. I was most impressed with the music, coloring, the landscape and overall the performance of the actors. I loved that the movie centered around Christmas but approached with a different perspective, rather than just the general jolly happy nature that Christmas movies usually display. Be warned, you may feel a rush of emotion due to the sad nature of what inspired this movie to begin with. The fact the team did a fantastic job to even produce emotions in the audience is why it's worth being an addition to your Xmas movie list this year! Great job Sight and Sound I really look forward to more of your work in the near future.

Touching Movie!!

[mkpeternel · 7/10 · 28 December 2022]

I think this movie was very touching and sweet!! A little long, but I also know they were very detailed in every shot! It is also very accurate based on the true story of Henry Longfellow! I think the cast is decent, it does have a little bit of Pureflix acting if you know what I mean, but most of the characters were decent overall! Please note that it starts off VERY slow so just prepare yourself! It starts to pick up around halfway and is a solid movie by the end!! Overall the Sight and Sound storyline was well written! Hope to see more of their movies in the future! (Definitely a Christmas movie!)

Near Perfect Execution

[jlinbu · 10/10 · 5 December 2022]

I'll start this by saying that sappy, feel-good movies are not my personal taste. Keeping that in mind, this film was a delight. The acting, costuming and script were all meticulous and successful in transporting the viewer to the world of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. While this movie was certainly Christmas-themed, and had moments of sappy merryness, the approach tied in strongly with character development and plot. The strong character development led to multiple tearjerker moments interspersed with a few appropriate moments of lightheartedness. I definitely appreciated the attention to detail present in this film, especially since Christmassy and religious movies often get a pass from viewers because the movie is generally "wholesome" or "Christian". I Heard the Bells definitely benefits from the atmosphere of Christmas but doesn't use it or Jesus in general as a crutch like oh so many other religious movies do. Highly recommended, especially for Christmas movie lovers who despise the genre's predicability and poor character development.

Note for potential viewers: there is roughly 10 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage after the credits.

Magnificent

[peggysue422 · 10/10 · 5 December 2022]

I was going to comment last night but I wanted more time to think on what I wanted to say. So strange that it had an 8.6 rating then and now just a 7.7🤔🤔🤔 No other reviews have been added since!

But anyway...I don't think ANY movie has touched me so deeply. The commonalities to my own made it almost unbearably hard to continue watching. Did some research and the movie was very factual to the accounts I could find. I just wonder if those were actual letters, and if so, are they on display at his home?? (Along with her diary.)🤔 I would only like to know if those letters and her diary are still intact and on display somewhere. Go see this! But take LOTS of tissue!!

Good Story; Kind of Corny

[ajamesflood · 5/10 · 28 December 2023]

I'm glad I know the story. I found it inspiring and faith-building. But it struggled throughout to come across convincingly. The start of it, in particular, was rough. The scenes, their life, the dialogue, the glances, etc. Were too "perfect." The writing and acting was kind of awkward and slightly cringeworthy. But movies often have trouble at the beginning when there is no conflict stated yet, so I wanted to give it a chance. It did improve once the conflict began, and the actors had something more meaningful to act about. But the "conflict phase," if you will, was also fraught with a lot of movie-making cliches, with characters going from very HAPPY... to...very SAD. My overall impression was of a group of writers, a director, make-up artist, and a cinemaphotographer who had experience and training, but were nonetheless still at the imitation level of their craft, relying on Hollywood tricks of the trade that they'd learned. I hate to say it, but it also had hints of modern evangelical aesthetics, a vibe that's hard to put one's finger on. But this segment of the church isn't exactly known for high art (and, yes, this is coming from a Christian). And then...the sugary sweet song at the end had that "contemporary Christiany" sound that many people find a little embarrassing, the one clear exception being the robust minority of fans who still like that tired style of music. But I'm giving it a 5 for making a movie on a worthy subject and for doing at least a half-way decent job.

Very Well Done!

[RaisedVintage · 9/10 · 5 December 2022]

This is Sight & Sound's first big film, they usually only do the big plays. For it being their first film it was a great production.

The film helps you better understand Longfellow's poetry and what was going on at the time for him to write it.

It had a great cast, I think not having a big name cast helped the film very well. Great costumes as well.

Usually films like this often "forget" the children exist - not so here and I am so glad they were present throughout the film.

I hope Sight & Sound continues to make more films! Can't wait to see what they do next!

Check out my Youtube channel (RaisedVintage) for more on this film and more!

Interesting movie

[jksederwall · 5/10 · 9 February 2024]

I enjoyed the movie from the historical perspective of the perilous times our nation was going through and the hope that the Lord gives us. I thought this movie was a somewhat typical "Christian" movie. Not the best acting and somewhat drawn out and predictable at times. Good as a Christmas movie. I was distracted by Henry's 'hair' (wig? Hairpiece?) which was just too fake looking. As someone who enjoys history, it was good to learn about Henry Wasdworth Longfellow...his life story and that of his family, and the tragedy they went through. The Civil War setting was very interesting. I'd give it a 5 star rating.

A moving story of sorrow and joy

[heffrontm · 9/10 · 3 December 2022]

This is a moving story of sorrow and grief, joy and redemption. The cinematography and score are beautiful, and Stephen Atherholt delivers a powerful performance in the lead role. The film combines elements of "Shadowlands" with "The Man Who Invented Christmas," delivering a drama that rings true with all the emotions of life. There is no cheap sentimentality here. This is a story of a man whose faith and hope are challenged and stretched to their breaking point by life's hardest trials. Where do we turn when love is lost, when right fails and wrong prevails? Is "peace on earth, goodwill to men" just an empty promise, or is it an anchor for the soul in the fiercest of life's storms? This film provides the inspiring answer, giving viewers a poignant Christmas gift.

An Awesome Christmas Movie to see year round

[libbyriggin · 10/10 · 10 December 2022]

What an outstanding movie! Not only amazing acting, but a historical movie. A wholesome and terrific movie for the whole family. This movie is worth your time and money. You will not be disappointed. This movie will make you believe again in Peace to human man kind. It will give you hope and happiness in the little things of life. This movie rival's the Christmas Carol. For one the movie brings out the struggles of our most inner soul. The time period this movie is taking place, was that our nation was divided between free man and slavery. United we stand, divided we fall. Merry Christmas to us all!

Wonderful Christmas Story

[rccurlee · 9/10 · 12 December 2022]

Such a wonderful film and heartfelt story. There are some scenes that might bring tears as well as a smile. Perfect timing for Christmas.

While, I was familiar with much of Henry Longfellow's majestic poetry, I didn't know much about his personal life. Beautifully filmed and acted with sets and costumes that made it feel like the 1860s. Glad that the production depicted the influence of Christianity and faith which had a profound impact upon his life and his family. Highly recommended for family viewing.

My wife and I enjoyed the movie thoroughly. I hope to see this in future Christmas seasons. I look forward to the movie becoming available for DVD and digital purchase and rent in the near future.

Inspiring

[wagnlaura · 9/10 · 10 December 2022]

I was incredibly surprised at what a great movie this was! Knowing that this was based on fact makes it that much more amazing. Such a incredible story of sadness and faith. I was in tears from the beginning of the movie to the end of the movie. Was cast really well and sets were very authentic looking. I honestly didn't think this was going to be a movie that I would be that interested in, but the ratings were good so we decided to see it. We were not disappointed!! What a nice inspiration of faith to start the Christmas season. One of the most powerful movies I've seen this year. I hope this company continues to produce more of these.

Beautiful Christmas film.

[tim-carey6 · 10/10 · 6 December 2022]

This is one I'll rewatch every year. What a touching story told so very well. The production quality was phenomenal, especially considering this is the company's first film. The story was so impactful, and the fact that it is a true story only adds to it's presence. It is full of heart and truth told in such a genuine way. You get sucked in to the film from the outset, and it doesn't let you go until it's pulled you through an emotional rollercoaster to that will leave you thinking and hoping long after you've left. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a truthful, genuine, and hope filling Christmas film.

Wonderful movie! Don't overlook this one!

[nannatwoleviluke · 10/10 · 4 December 2022]

Enjoyed this movie even more than I expected. My husband said he liked it a lot more than he thought he would. Outstanding cast! The production was just superb! Beautiful to watch! The storyline was compelling and held our attention. Although it was emotional at times, it only added to the tale. I was reminded all throughout the movie of Longfellow's great works. The historical events happening around him were superbly displayed. I was so drawn into the scenery and the score was spot on. Don't overlook this movie. Take the family for some Christmas spirit. You will be glad you did. Outstanding! A+

Great movie, and first one at that!

[sfatula2 · 10/10 · 11 January 2023]

Was shockingly surprised at the quality of this movie. We have been to Sight and Sound theaters many times, and heard they were making a movie. For a first movie, astounding. For those disliking preachy movies, this is not really that. It was a great story and both the wife and I had to stay over to see the making of the movie.

The characters were great, the acting was great. I actually don't remember the song but I guess I now vaguely do. Some of the movie was quite sad. I'd hate for any family to go through some of those hardships. I did think the ending was a little strange but the rest of the movie was so engaging it didn't matter.

Worth a watch!

[kellymassa · 10/10 · 12 December 2022]

I did not know what to expect, at all, when I went to see this movie. It was never slow or boring, steadily paced, with an excellent story line! Most everything was pertinent to the story and it was so well-written. The actors were cast perfectly. The lead actor who played Henry should receive props and accolades for his performance. What a powerful performance he gave.

It was the kind of movie that I think anyone who's been through anything difficult will resonate with, so most everyone can relate. If you've ever doubted God's existence or ability to bring beauty from ashes, then this movie is for you!

Really loved this

[mbbmswn · 10/10 · 24 December 2022]

Loved this movie. We wanted to watch something that wasn't entertaining but would touch us emotionally (in a positive way). This was so good to watch and take in his past and how the song (and the man) came to be. How God isn't gone when things happen you don't want or seen cruel...God is not dead. In the darkness of this fallen world, people need the light of Jesus more than ever! This movie does exactly that, but the acting isn't your 80's Christian movie and the music is very very good.

This will be a movie we buy and watch every Christmas and in between. I can't wait to see more from Sights and Sounds studio! 10/10.

A life changing film

[laurenkitchens-27153 · 10/10 · 21 December 2022]

A beautiful masterpiece. The acting was superb and storyline tremendous. Not a dry eye in the house. I had no idea of this historical event. They went to great lengths to portray the error and what actually took place so many years ago, no stone was left unturned. Not many movies are as deep and life changing as this one. There were times I was so touched by the content & overcome with emotion that my heart leapt in my chest. There were many a-ha moments for me that I left thinking about for days. I wish every family could see this film with their older children. The content is a bit mature for children under about 12.

Excellent Christmas Movie!!!

[JeffT1414 · 10/10 · 14 December 2022]

If you are looking for a Christmas movie the entire family can watch, "I Heard the Bells," is an excellent Christmas movie! I taught Longfellow literature to high school students, so I was somewhat prepared for the plot of this movie. However, I was not prepared for the quality found in the writing, the actors, and the cinematography! Wow! I was completely drawn into the Longfellow family. The scenes in the home with the children are heartwarming. The scenes of Charlie with his fellow Civil War soldiers were just enough and not over the top. The church and the bell serve as an incredible centerpiece of the movie, and the love and hope can be felt to the core! This is a movie that can be watched again and again for many Christmas seasons to come!

Excellent Film for Families

[sidmcbride · 10/10 · 13 December 2022]

Excellent movie. My children have been learning about Henry W. Longfellow at school this year. They have studied both "Paul Reveres Ride" and "I Heard the Bells". My children are in 9th, 8th, 4th, and 2nd and sat through the movie with great interest in what was on screen because of what they had learned in school. Even if you aren't a religious or faith person, this movie is worth the watch. The attention to the detail of the Victorian Era was exquisite. The acting was spot on. I will warn you, it is a tear jerker, so be sure to bring some tissues.

It was definitely refreshing and so good for a studios first movie production. I look forward to future films from this company.

Faith-based films continue to improve.

[AdultAudienceMember · 9/10 · 14 December 2022]

IHTB is a simple yet elegant telling of Longfellow's loss of faith, his depth of depression, and his return to faith as the result of the love of others. It is a noble entry into the burgeoning field of quality faith-based films. Longfellow was a brilliant man of letters, languages, and literature. This movie doesn't go far into the scope of his abilities. It limits itself to the pain of the loss of his believed Frances. The cinematography is good as is the acting. This is not a Hallmark-type movie. It is at times heart-breaking. Fortunately, it ends on a high note. The only distraction is that the girls do not age though the movie covers several years.

Gives me hope

[PaleRider981 · 10/10 · 28 November 2023]

A beautiful movie, perfect really. It gives me hope, a hope that great movies still can be made.

Right from the start you can see this is something different. Completely lacking the usual formulaic, politicized and short-term-profit-oriented approach of the Hollywood and the likes. Different from mainstream and yet with top-notch production. So refreshing. Both, the story and execution, are great. You'd really have to try hard to find any flaws anywhere.

Personally, I'd find it a bid sad if this kind of production remains limited to a single genre. In any case, I'm definitely looking forward for more of this!

A silenced pen

[rampagerhyno · 10/10 · 21 November 2023]

As a writer who finds the Holidays difficult, a good, true Christmas story is just what the doctor ordered! Seeing this actually gave me the inspiration I needed to start writing a book I had writer's block on! This movie may not be packed with an "All Star" cast, but it makes up for that with a superb soundtrack and the actors sharing a real story instead of a Hollywood remake that kills the original...lookin' at you Fast and Furious. Not many originals come out of Hollywood these days....they even recycle movies from the 1930s and people think they are new. Get some Hot Cocoa and enjoy this!