The Nativity Story (2006)

Well paced with strong characters and actors...

By Peter Menkin  Apr 23, 2007

Pros: The Tone was excellent, the movie is a class act portrayal

Cons: Moves along gentlly and simply, but this works, too

Mary is a wonderful figure in the Bible who suffers and is the mother of Christ. She travels with him from childhood to adulthood--to say nothing of birth. She accedes to the Lord God and bears the child that is born by the Holy Spirit. With these b...asic facts down, we learn of a love between Joseph and Mary, chaste and true. We find a kindness in Joseph, and there are miracles in the movie that are handled tastefully. These are registered with this viewer as meaningful and inspiring. Nothing cheap or trashy in this film. The actress playing Mary does an excellent job throughout the movie portraying a woman of serenity, and a woman of humility. She is a quiet Mary, this Mary of the movie. A young Mary, too. This fits my perceptions of her, helping to make the movie more believable. Mary accepts God. She says, "Let it be unto me..." and those words are enough. A statement born of, and honest to, the Bible. She shows mature obedience, for though a woman she is really the age of a girl. She shows a quietly deep faith. Afterall, we have a movie of faith, evil, spiritual journey, and great story. Many threats come the couple's way, and their cruelty is chilling. The settings are well done, and the garb of the characters convincing enough to set the scenes. We see how simply the people live, their poverty and need which they work to satisfy, and in their relationship with God find themselves satisfied with the cultural and religious parts of their devoted Hebrew practices. Joseph and Mary are good people, decent, and we learn special people whom angels visit to help them along their way in God's plan for mankind. This movie is for all ages. I recommend it as a taste of Mary's life and an introduction to the birth of Christ--miraculous! --Peter Menkin, Easter 2007 Read more Less