By: Stephen Hillman
In 2020 Christian films saw Discarded Things make their way onto Pure Flix. Directed by Joanne Hock and Tara Lynn Marcelle the film follows Grace Wyatt, a well-accomplished music professor (played by Karen Abercrombie best known from War room) who suffers tragic circumstances and loses her esteemed position. She finds herself teaching once again but this time for at-risk youth at the Devlin house. Will she be able to help them with their trauma while also dealing with her own?
In an interview with Abercrombie by Leah Klett who also wrote and Produce the film she says “I always wanted to do something that deals with children Who have been tossed away you know because once they age out of the system there on the streets unless they can find a house like the Devlin House”.
When I watched the film it was a bit of a rollercoaster ride, not in that the movie was fast-paced but the range of emotion that I went through watching it. There is a main character arc but is intertwined with several other stories. Each one with a background worthy of flushing out. The film gets into issues of sexual assault, addiction, mental issues, and so forth. Honestly, the focus is not on anyone’s problem as the hopelessness of whatever situation they find themselves in. Something that I found interesting upon watching it the second time around was the lack of a come-to-Jesus moment. by that I mean concern Christian films there is the life of our protagonist before conversion and then the remainder of the story is afterward. usually, the conversion causing a positive output within the story. I don’t get me wrong the story certainly doesn’t dance around God or his role and a story. but there is a singular point that I can point to where God intervenes per se he is simply present throughout. the characters go through real harsh struggles and as the title would suggest feeling abandoned or discarded.
Karen Abercrombie delivered a great performance that the audience will appreciate,
I personally am glad that I washed the film and would highly recommend it.
