Movie Review, CS Lewis: The Most Reluctant Convert

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” C.S. Lewis

Clive Staples Lewis. A profound Christian writer from Nania with its pure symbolism to The Screwtape Letters to Mere Christianity.  To this day his wisdom and faith is still quoted. It's crazy to believe that Lewis was once an atheist.  But he was.

C.S. Lewis lost his belief in God due to experiences in his youth.  Keeping his lack of faith to himself, Lewis simply went through the motions.  Religious rights and passages performed, silence within, all the while his hypocritical actions eating at him little by little.  As he grew his lack of faith was challenged.  Lewis also dabbled in the occult and what he witnessed as warning scared him away after the exploration.

In CS Lewis: The Most Reluctant Convert we learn about Lewis's faith struggle.  See him grow and challenged.  See him eventually accept wholeheartedly.  

This movie is based both on the one-man-show by the same name and "Surprised by Joy".  The man who acted as Lewis in the play, Max McLean, reprises his role for this film.  He's brilliant.  The movie is part narration and part action, seamlessly going between the two.  There's a trailer for the stage play if you want to see tiny clips, as it gives a window into his performance.  McLean breaks the fourth wall, taking us on Lewis's journey, speaking to us his thoughts and struggles.  When he stares at the camera we're pulled in.  For moments I forgot he wasn't Lewis.

The movie is 1h 25m, though I don't know if that includes the documentary that's shown before the start of the film.  I think it might, as the documentary felt to be at least 20 minutes (wasn't looking at the time), and the actual film felt short.  Being just over an hour seems about right.  I love behind the scene stuff, but as this documentary played I just wanted to see the movie.  Maybe the documentary should have been shown afterwards.  I just wanted more.  Frankly I didn't want to movie to end.

One thing, though, I wish there were more scenes showing the friendship between C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien.  Is there a movie that shows just that?  Tolkien is one of the motivators for Lewis to question his lack of faith.

C.S. Lewis is just so inspiring.

“There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” C.S. Lewis

The movie is still shown in limited release in a few theaters.