Do You Believe?
HeartGuard score
How suitable a title is for Christian viewers, from 0 to 100. It weighs the content meters and the worldview.
- 80–100RecommendedThis film
- 60–79Watch with care
- 35–59Think it through
- 15–34Strong caution
- 0–14Not recommended
HeartGuard score
How suitable a title is for Christian viewers, from 0 to 100. It weighs the content meters and the worldview.
- 80–100RecommendedThis film
- 60–79Watch with care
- 35–59Think it through
- 15–34Strong caution
- 0–14Not recommended
Worldview score
What the story celebrates or condemns.
Why +2 for this film
The film explicitly presents the cross of Christ as the answer to sin, grief and despair. It shows repentance, forgiveness, sacrificial love of enemies and active faith being rewarded, while crime and cynicism lead to emptiness.
- +2Affirms faithThis filmPresents faith in God positively and as true
- +1Positive valuesHonesty, sacrifice and family win out
- 0Mixed or neutralNo clear stance
- −1AmbivalentShows sin without judging it either way
- −2Glamorises sinMakes sin look attractive and rewarding
Age guide
How suitable this film is for each age group.
Why 12+ for this film
Several characters are shot dead, a major crash and a death after childbirth are shown, and two people go to a bridge intending to end their lives. These moments are emotional rather than graphic.
- Under 8Wait
- Ages 8–12With a parent
- Ages 13–15Yes
- Ages 16–17Yes
- AdultsYes
An earnest, openly evangelistic ensemble drama in which a dozen strangers' lives meet at the question of what believing in the cross really means. There is no bad language, but shootings, a major crash, several deaths and suicidal despair make it heavier than its message might suggest.
Watch guide
What's in it?
LanguageNo profanity
No swear words are heard in the dialogue. The harshest words are mild insults such as fool, freak and dork.
BlasphemyMild, mostly sceptics
There is one relieved exclamation of thanks to God. Sceptical characters make a few dismissive or mocking remarks about Jesus, and the story clearly challenges these. Everything else is reverent.
Sex and nudityNone
There is no sexual content, innuendo or nudity. A pregnant runaway teenager is a main character, but how she became pregnant is not discussed.
RelationshipsMarriages under strain
Two married couples argue over money, grief and faith, and both reconcile. A tentative, chaste friendship grows between two lonely people, and an absent father who neglects his daughter is a source of pain.
ViolenceShootings, crash, deaths
A gang robbery ends in a police raid, and two gang members are killed. Later a young convert is shot dead by his former friend, and a pastor is held at gunpoint. Other scenes include a man fatally crushed in an industrial accident, a veteran choking his sister during a nightmare, and a major multi-vehicle crash with a vehicle in a river and a fire. Violence is not lingered on, but several characters die on screen.
Frightening scenesDeath and despair
Two characters separately go to a bridge intending to end their lives, and a teenager is treated after deliberately eating something she is allergic to. Several deathbed scenes follow, and a young mother bleeds to death after giving birth at the crash site. A child is trapped in a car during the crash. These moments are emotional rather than horrific, but could upset younger children.
Drugs and alcoholDrink-driving referenced
A couple's daughter was killed by a drunk driver, and this is discussed with grief. No drug use or drinking is shown.
AttitudesCrime shown as dead end
Gang robbery, a stolen bag of money and threats feature, and the story firmly condemns them. A lawyer is openly driven by money and a wish to stop Christians sharing their faith, and an arrogant doctor belittles people. Honesty, generosity and forgiveness are held up throughout.
OccultNone
There is no witchcraft, magic, fortune-telling or other occult practice. The film is a straightforward Christian drama, and its miracle and talk of angels belong to faith rather than the occult.
- To knowContent to know about
- Skip for kidsSkip for younger viewers
- DiscussWorth discussing
- 0:02
Self-harm theme
A teenage girl is treated in A&E after eating something she is severely allergic to. Cuts on her arm are noted, and a doctor jokes that it was deliberate.
- 0:24
Shooting
A gang robbery ends in a police raid and two young gang members are killed. The scene is intercut with a sermon on the cross.
- 0:30
Sharing faith
A paramedic tells a man dying under a fallen tank about Jesus. This later leads to a legal case against the paramedic.
- 0:51
Death and lossSkip if under 12
Two strangers meet on a bridge where each has come intending to end their life. They talk instead and go for coffee.
- 0:56
Abortion theme
A pregnant runaway explains that she fled a clinic where her stepmother wanted her to have an abortion.
- 1:31
Death and lossSkip if under 12
A young convert is shot dead by his former gang friend after refusing to stop speaking about Jesus. Earlier, a pastor is held at gunpoint.
- 1:35
Crash and death
A multi-vehicle crash leaves a child trapped in a car, a vehicle in the river and a fire. A young mother gives birth at the roadside and dies from blood loss.
- 1:45
Miracles
A man declared dead in hospital returns to life, and a sceptical doctor refuses to call it a miracle.
How to play
- 1. Draw a cardOne person reads the question out loud.
- 2. Everyone answersThere are no wrong answers. Listen before you reply.
- 3. Pass it onThe next person draws, until the deck is done.
Faith & story
What does it say?
What's it about?The plot, without the ending
In Chicago, a pastor is shaken when an elderly street preacher asks whether he truly believes in the cross of Christ, and what he intends to do about it. His next sermon spreads outward into a dozen lives. These include a widowed mother and her young daughter living in their car, a grieving older couple, a paramedic whose faith lands him in legal trouble, a young gang member wanting out, a troubled war veteran, a pregnant runaway teenager, and a sceptical doctor and his lawyer partner. As their stories cross, each faces the question of whether faith is only words or something worth acting on, whatever it costs.
Through a faith lensHow it connects to the Bible
This is an openly evangelistic film, and its central claim is plainly biblical: belief in Christ's death for sin should change how we live. Repentance, grace for sinners and a call to take up one's cross run through every storyline. Faith is shown as active hospitality, in J.D. and Teri taking in a homeless family and Joe giving up his place in the queue. It is also shown as reconciliation, in Grace apologising and Percy returning stolen money, and as costly witness, in Bobby facing ruin and loving his enemy. The film does not pretend faith removes suffering. Samantha's doubt is treated gently rather than mocked. Families may wish to talk about a few things. Conversions are often sudden and neatly resolved. Unbelievers, especially the lawyer, can come across as cartoonish. The talk of angels watching over people is presented as a straightforward sign, and Scripture encourages us to weigh such claims carefully. The legal subplot raises real questions about how to share faith wisely and respectfully at work. The film's overall picture is warm and sincere: grace is offered to everyone, from gang members to sceptics.
Fruit of the SpiritWhich fruit does it show?
7 out of 9 fruits ripe in this film
Ripe grapes are shown in the film, buds are missing
- Joy
- Goodness
Sacrificial love and kindness drive most of the story: a stranger gives up his place for a sick child, an older couple open their home, and a paramedic shows kindness toward someone who has done him harm. Faithfulness under pressure is central to Bobby's storyline, and Joe faces death with quiet peace. Patience and gentleness appear in how J.D. and the grandmother guide those around them. Self-control is most clearly missing in the gang storyline, where greed and anger lead to killing, and the film shows where that path ends.
The charactersExamples to follow or avoid
Pastor MatthewTed McGinleyA comfortable pastor challenged to put his belief into action. His sermon sets the other stories in motion, and he stays calm and forgiving when held at gunpoint.
JoeBrian BosworthA kindly, terminally ill man on release from prison who befriends Samantha and Lily. He carries regret over the daughter he lost touch with and faces death with simple trust in Jesus.
BobbyLiam MatthewsA paramedic who prays with a dying man and then refuses to apologise, at great cost to his family. He learns he has neglected his own wife while witnessing to others.
Percy ('Pretty Boy')ShwayzeA young gang member who turns to Christ after a robbery goes wrong. He tries to return the stolen money and urges his friend to change.
SamanthaMira SorvinoA widowed mother living in her car with her daughter Lily. Grief has hardened her towards God, but she slowly opens up to the kindness of others.
How Christians are portrayed
Christians are portrayed sympathetically and form most of the cast: pastors, a street preacher, a praying grandmother, a generous older couple and a paramedic. They are not shown as flawless. Grace first turns away a girl in need and later apologises, Bobby neglects his wife, and J.D. and Teri have let grief turn inward. Non-believers, especially a lawyer openly hostile to Christians, are drawn more simply and mainly serve as foils.
Community
What other Christians think
What did you notice?
A sex scene, shown or clearly implied?
Is this appropriate for Christians to watch?
Thinking of children? Add the youngest age you'd show it to.
Review
Helpful reviewer
The star beside a name
Given to members whose reviews 25 or more people have marked Helpful.
It rewards reviews that help other families decide, not how many someone writes. It's a sign others have found their reviews thoughtful, not a verdict on anyone's faith.
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Details
Film details
- In theatres
- Mar 20, 2015
- On streaming
- Jun 8, 2020
- Cast
- Tracy Melchior, Mira Sorvino, Sean Astin, Alexa PenaVega
- Director
- Jon Gunn
- Studios
- Toy Gun Films, Believe Entertainment, 10 West Studios
- Genre
- Drama
- Run time
- 1h 55m
- Age rating
- US PG-13 · UK 12
How we analysed this
We counted language, blasphemy and other content in the film's dialogue and read it with the plot and film details, then rated each content area against our rubric and worldview scale, using AI models calibrated on reference titles. Not yet reviewed by our team. Confidence: high.
Score = 100 − 16 × content concern (1.96) + 8 × worldview (+2) = 85
This is a guide to help families choose with wisdom, not a verdict on anyone's conscience ().
Updated 2026-10-14