I Can Only Imagine (2018)
The song you know. The story you don't.
Director: Jon Erwin, Andrew Erwin · Writers: Alex Cramer, Jon Erwin, Brent McCorkle
Growing up in Greenville, Texas, Bart Millard suffers physical and emotional abuse at the hands of his father, Arthur. When Arthur becomes terminally ill, he finds redemption by embracing his faith and rediscovering his love for his son. Years later, Bart's troubled childhood and mended relationship with his dad inspires him to write the hit song "I Can Only Imagine" as singer of the Christian band MercyMe.
Where to watch
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Apple TV Store
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YouTube
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Trailer
Director
Jon Erwin
Andrew Erwin
Cast
J. Michael Finley
Bart Millard 
Madeline Carroll
Shannon 
Dennis Quaid
Arthur 
Trace Adkins
Brickell 
Cloris Leachman
Memaw 
Jason Burkey
Mike 
Mark Furze
Nathan 
Randy McDowell
Jim 
Cole Marcus
Robbie 
Alexander Dominguez
Kent 
Brody Rose
Young Bart 
Taegen Burns
Young Shannon User Reviews (3)
*Disclaimer: This isn't any sort of "official" review. This is just one ordinary movie-goer's opinion... Lovely movie. 😊 I honestly wasn't expecting much, but I wanted to support MercyMe, and I always like to throw my support whenever a movie theater plays a good, clean movie like this one. I was actually quite amazed by the production. It had the look of a big budget film (I have no idea how much the budget was), and was lacking the cheese element prevalent in so many Christian movies. It was remarkably well cast, and I was particularly impressed by both guys who played Bart - the 11 year old Bart (Brody Rose), and the teenage/20something Bart (J Michael Finley). I also LOVED Trace Adkins as Brickell. I took my non-believer friend to it, because he likes MercyMe, and has enjoyed Bart's testimonies whenever I've taken him to a concert, and he liked the movie as well. He ev…
"Though it will never be championed as an insightful work of either religious art or patriarchal psychology, I Can Only Imagine does manage to be a good film about a great song..." Read the full review here: http://screen-space.squarespace.com/reviews/2018/3/23/i-can-only-imagine.html
***The story behind the popular Christian band*** Released in 2018, “I Can Only Imagine” is a biopic of Bart Millard (J. Michael Finley) of MercyMe, spanning his childhood, the abuse of his father (Dennis Quaid), meeting his true love (Madeline Carroll), starting the band, low-rent touring, acquiring a manager (Trace Adkins) and eventual success with the band’s titular hit. While this semi-modest inspirational flick is nowhere near as good as “Coal Miner’s Daughter” (1980) or even “La Bamba” (1987), it’s almost on par with the Johnny Cash biopic “Walk the Line” (2005), although it cost five times LESS and lacks the polish. Finley is an otherwise unknown actor, but he makes for a fine protagonist. And Carroll is winsome and curvy; unfortunately, her part is small. It’s too by-the-numbers, but I could relate to the father/son issues and the story builds t…
