Looking Back

REVIEW: TURNIPSEED is a movie about a young man in jail and his story up to that point. The story opens with John Turnipseed in jail. Then, it shows why he’s in jail. It depicts John as a child at home where his father is abusive to John’s mother. It shows a disturbing scene of the husband belting his wife. The father notices John watching and slowly closes the door on him so that he can’t see the beating.

Throughout his childhood, John witnesses and hears the beatings continue and prays to God to make it stop. Since his father wasn’t a very good role model, John looked to others his age or a little older as models. He befriends a young man who has already started his criminal career dealing drugs, getting involved in prostitution, and robbing stores.

This life ultimately leads to a breaking point for John. He ends up in jail and loses his own wife. Another man takes John’s place at his wife’s side and kills John’s own child. John has one final talk with his abusive father while on the hospital bed. This proves to be a turning point for John in his life.

The quality of TURNIPSEED is high for an independent Christian movie and other independent movies. The lighting and cinematography are phenomenal and engaging. The music is also interesting. It adds strong emotion to an already emotional story. Also, the script is well developed, showing characters with deep problems that need to be resolved. This adds a profundity to the movie that’s compelling.

Before the redemptive ending in TURNIPSEED, there’s a slight humanist element to the criminal characters John encounters. They teach John to earn his own respect. They also tell him that the only one looking out for him is himself. This humanist element, of course, leads to more problems for John, which is a proper portrayal of such false teaching. Eventually, this gives way to the movie’s strong Christian, moral elements. While his father is on the hospital bed, John forgives him for what he did to him and his mother. The ending scene shows John in his jail cell, praying to God.

TURNIPSEED shows how a bad family life can cause tremendous problems, but that God offers hope. Caution is advised for younger children because of some of the movie’s subject matter.

SUMMARY: TURNIPSEED is a short movie about a young man’s journey through a hostile domestic environment into a life of crime and ultimately to a redeemed character relying on God. TURNIPSEED is an emotionally compelling, well-acted, inspiring movie with high production values and a strong Christian, moral worldview.

IN BRIEF: TURNIPSEED is the story of a young man’s journey. The young man journeys through a hostile domestic environment into a life of crime and ultimately to a redeemed character relying on God. The story follows John Turnipseed’s struggles in dealing with his abusive father. This leaves John empty, with no idea of what it means to be a man or a father. John gets involved with a young criminal. His life of bad choices eventually leads him to a sentence in jail. There, he spends time contemplating the life he’s lived.

Before the redemptive ending in TURNIPSEED, there’s a humanist element to the criminal characters John encounters. They teach John to earn his own respect. They also tell him the only one looking out for him is himself. This false teaching clearly leads to John’s troubles. Thus, there’s a strong Christian, moral element to John’s story. Especially when he sees the wrong he’s done, forgives his father, and turns toward God. TURNIPSEED has high production values, excellent acting, and an emotionally powerful story. It shows how a bad family life can cause tremendous problems, but that God offers hope.