For Love's Sake

A touching drama with a Christian theme, For Love's Sake also tells a cautionary story about falling down the rabbit hole in children's custody cases where single parents are unable to care for their kids. The story follows the aftermath of a minister's death one Christmas Eve in England, which leaves the man's clinically-depressed wife, Mary (Claire Walkington), incapable of handling their two young sons, James (William Wenlock) and Paul (Luke Foxall). Placed by the family's parish in a children's home, the boys eventually come to live with their atheist grandparents who own a bed-and-breakfast, a bad choice for all concerned, despite good intentions. With the boys' well-being on the line, Mary makes a heroic effort to pull herself together with the help of a church psychologist (Bruce Marchiano). While the story benefits from several strong performances (among them those of young Wenlock and Foxall), director Andrew Walkington has trouble keeping a lid on the bathos here. Still, For Love's Sake is a film that boasts many powerful scenes and will appeal to Christian viewers. A strong optional purchase. (T. Keogh)