Blue Like Jazz

In his book, Blue Like Jazz, Donald Miller writes down his thoughts and experiences with Christianity using stories somewhat like parables. Not exactly a book that could normally be turned into a movie.

However, the film brilliantly takes his "parables" and experiences and blends them to create a beautiful story about a young man who struggles with the ideologies of his religion and faith at an unusual place, where "religion dies", Reed College.

Taking his mother's affair with his church youth pastor hard, he bails on the idea of going to Trinity University and drives for miles to Reed College in Portland, Oregan. There, he is introduced to all sorts of people, including Penny, a young girl who is a part of many campaigns and organizations that benefit human rights. Slowly and surely, he draws away from his faith and relationship with God and, after he learns about his mother's pregnancy with his youth pastor, cuts any ties with not only his mother but his Heavenly Father as well. But, with the help of Penny, realizes he cannot live the life that he wants without a relationship with God and starts a road of recovery.

Though the movie uses Miller's ideas and thoughts from the book itself, it still has a lot of fictional things in it to create a storyline. I think the most important thing though is that some of the messages that Miller created in the book should translate through the film, which it successfully has, because even if you haven't seen it, you will benefit from the messages it portrays.

Brilliantly filmed and directed, Blue Like Jazz is a movie worth seeing, even if you haven't read the book.