Here are three descriptors for a movie that you thought you’d never see placed together: “faith-based,” “comedy” and “produced by WWE Studios.” Somehow, “The Resurrection of Gavin Stone” fits all three. It’s the story of a washed-up, hard partying former child star, Gavin Stone (Brett Dalton), who finds redemption at a church in his small hometown. He initially shows up to perform some court-mandated community service hours, and sticks around to participate in a church play, playing Jesus Christ himself. Turns out that all that getting into character can’t help but rub off on him.
Christian-themed cinema has been evolving as of late, with higher quality, more mainstream projects like the Easter period epic “Risen,” and the Jennifer Garner-starring medical melodrama “Miracles From Heaven.” But many have stayed in the lane of remarkable true stories or Biblical adaptations. That’s why “The Resurrection of Gavin Stone,” directed by Dallas Jenkins, will be a breath of fresh air for Christian audiences — it represents what modern Christian life looks like, with a sense of irreverence and a knowing point of view.
Anjelah Johnson-Reyes, a stand-up comic who appeared on sketch comedy show “MADtv,” plays the pastor’s daughter, the director of the play. She’s kept on a short leash as the uptight Kelly, an immovable force on whom Gavin attempts to use his charm.
The WWE connection comes in the presence of Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels, aka The Heartbreak Kid, a practicing Christian, who turns in a supporting performance as churchgoing tough guy Doug.
