WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
When a circumstance is revealed that calls for action, would you take a stand? If confronted with heavy odds and the spectre of others being hurt for the benefit of unscrupulous men, do you find the fortitude within to stand tall and try to make a severe wrong right again? In the wake of his wife’s tragic passing and his young daughter, Emmy (Sierra Rose Smith) being taken away from him, down-and-out soul James Stevens (Joel Smallbone) has lost hope and faith in everything but striving to regain custody of his child and being a good father. Desperate for money after having no luck with consistent employment, James takes a shady deal driving a U-Haul truck to a specified destination with no idea what he is transporting.
When an incident occurs on the road that causes James to open the back of the vehicle, he is shocked to find two young women, Antonia (Bianca A. Santos) and her sister Maria (Amber Midthunder). Assuring them he means no harm, the journey to the drop off point becomes a budding friendship and building trust between them all. However, once arriving and handing the girls over to a less than amicable man, CJ (Travis Hammer), James ultimately realizes what the goal of his “job” was. Unable to reconcile just leaving it alone, James teams up with an in-the-know hotel owner, Dale (David Koechner), to try and take down the human trafficking group, lead by the ruthless Garo (Jim Parrack). Risking his life to save Antonia and Maria, the decision leads James to learn about sacrifice, faith in God, and the blessing of helping others.
Next, my Mind:
With a no-holds-barred approach to the primary themes being explored, director Ben Smallbone’s indie effort is an exercise in intense, eye-opening, heart-rending truths about the state of affairs in our world today involving sex trafficking operations. Willing to showcase the lies and deceit perpetrated upon young woman targeted by these organizations, luring them via false pretenses into a drug-addled life of prostitution, the film hurtles forth with visceral intent. However, it is also the journey of one man to faith, finding it within to go beyond his own hesitations and perceived limitations by listening to the voice of God calling his heart and conscious when coming to the shocking understanding of the hell he’s just left his two “deliveries” to face. In taking action to rescue them, it opens the door to an even greater, God-centered calling ahead.
Joel Smallbone delivers one excellent performance as James, a man torn by grief and loss whose own sense of self is at a low point, other than the iota of hope he has thanks to his daughter Emmy. In a time of this disheartenment, his unanticipated discovery of, and subsequent connection with, Antonia and Maria slowly begins to soften his spirit, and soon, the transformation he experiences is genuine, passionate, fueled by a desire to see a reprehensible situation corrected and people’s lives given a new chance. Santos is similarly excellent in her portrayal of Antonia, a protective, strong, and faith-filled woman who’s thrust into perdition quite involuntarily. Willing to do anything to protect her sister, she exudes steadfastness and trust in God despite the situation, and the earnestness Santos beings to the character is deeply affecting.
Parrack is all sleazy menace and egocentric bravado as the trafficker’s ringleader, Garo. Posing a potential danger to anyone around him, it is a formidable portrait of the heartless men who run these groups, and Parrack plays it to a “T”. Solid supporting turns are given by Koechner as James’ ally in the fight Dale, Midthunder shines as Antonia’s younger sister Maria, Hammer as Garo’s bad attitude-laden second in command CJ, and Smith as James’ true north, daughter Emmy. But when all is said and done, it is important to remember that the biggest message here is about combating human trafficking and, however possible, getting involved in the ongoing struggle against it.
Gut-wrenching and fiery in its premise but with a soul-stirring, emotionally charged, acutely impacting message of faith at its core, “Priceless” is a profoundly necessary film that this reviewer truly desires to see motivate people to engage in seeking out ways, whether through the associated End It Movement or other avenues, be a part of making it stop, finding faith, and watching lives get reshaped, rebuilt, and transfigured through love, God, and sincere hearts willing to help. See this film, folks, just see this film!
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
