User reviews

(please keep in mind that my vote pertains to the dramatic presentation of the movie, and not my feelings about the book)

I was lucky to see a sneak preview of this movie in Kansas City. It's based off of the books by Neale Donald Walsch about a different way of looking at life, god, love, and religion. It was professionally produced by Stephen Simon, the same man who produced Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, What Dreams May Come, and a few others about which I was less familiar. There were probably five-hundred people there at the sneak preview - I was impressed.

Good Movie! The acting and production were all well-done. The presentation of a spirituality inspired by an experience Neale had after some real down points in his life (including being homeless for about a year) was engaging and succinct, yet not too pushy (gentleness being at the core of his beliefs anyway).

I say see it. If you disagree on a religious/spiritual level, then at least it will be a way for you to confirm the beliefs you hold and why you hold them. If you find something to agree with in the movie, then perhaps it has something for you and perhaps the books (Conversations with God, Communion with God, Home with God - etc) will be a helpful tool for you. They were for me.

And finally, after the movie both Neale Walsch and Stephen Simon spoke. Both were very kind and fielded questions from the audience. Their only request was that when the movie opens on a National Level (and it will here in the next few weeks I believe), that anyone inspired or affected by the films/books do their best to inform their friends and neighbors, enemies and strangers to see the movie, and send a message in the only media Hollywood understands, the message of money, stating clearly that we as a people are tired of being fed the same formula of Sex, Violence, Fear, and Hate and wish to be shown more films about the importance of compassion and love.

Thanks for reading.

I saw a preview of this movie on Oct 22nd and very much enjoyed it.

Except for the main character's fake beard which I also found distracting (see someone else's post on this), this was a good, thought-provoking film. The overall theme should resonate with people who feel there's more to our existence and for that matter, what God is, than what we've been taught to believe in church. Probably not a movie for the extreme religious zealots out there or atheists either.

But, this is not some sort of exploitative, religious flick. You won't be hit over the head with a holier-than-thou guilt trip. And I'm not sure this or any other movie can change anyone's life either, as some may suggest. It is inspirational, though.

I've never read the books, but the author truly believes what happened to him and the movie simply chronicles his story. This sort of movie is a good way of sharing such a story with lots of others and hopefully this one was not produced just to pocket more profits.

I hope it is well-received and stays at the theaters for a long run.

This movie was good - thought provoking, touching and inspiring. I really liked it however i acknowledge that it will divide people - it's really for those who've read the book and respond to the authors message. If you relate to this and are interested in knowing more about Neale Donald Walsch's story, there's a good chance you'll be pleasantly surprised by this movie. I was. I thought it was well put together, gave due attention to the different parts of the authors story, didn't play him out to be some savior or evangelist and wasn't sugar coated. I don't agree with the infomercial comments, and I'm Australian and we have little tolerance for infomercials and cheesy sales pitches. Obviously its not a big budget movie and its more about the story and the message for those that hear it.

As I started watching, it seemed very cheesy at first: clips are shown of group seminars and the very small parts of the speech we are shown don't seem to make much sense.

However, once the flashbacks start it totally blew me away! The depictions of homeless life and the struggles to regain your life are all too real and identifiable.

The emotion here and throughout the film is very strong at many parts and you can feel the silence in the room, and the tears start to form in your eyes. Now, I'm not the emotional type, however seeing Henry trying not to lose it the first time he's forced to eat out of the dumpster is hands down one of the best acting performances I've ever witnessed on the big screen!

Also this movie kept you on the edge of your seat the whole time, just to see how the main characters' life changes so drastically from beginning to end. After witnessing the flashbacks, the rest of the movie begins to make more sense.

It does not matter if you believe in God, or if you believe God speaks to Neale. The words expressed in the 'Conversations with God' books and in the film are "take at face value". We are asked to question our beliefs about the world and find our own inner truth.

This is not a movie only for the 'religious' or 'spiritual', quite the contrary this film reaches all people and walks of life and opens the questions in life that we all can identify with.

I highly encourage EVERYONE to see this film. There's something for everyone. I do not doubt that this film and the books will change lives. After seeing the ending, it makes you want to see it from the start once more. Definitely a film to be watched again and again for all age groups, for ages to come!

10 stars for the book, 9 for the movie.

For the millions of readers of Neale Donald Walsch's superb trilogy, "Conversations with God" and his sequel, "Tomorrow's God," this film might have special meaning.

It chronicles in dramatic form, highlights from Author Walsch's rise from a struggling wannabe to a best-selling writer.

I've no idea how much of this is fact and how much dramatic license that Scriptor Eric DelaBarre took in fashioning his screenplay. However, I'm sure that structurally he spent too much time with Neale's rags and not enough with the transition to riches.

For over an hour our hero struggles bitterly, becoming an outcast homeless person. Then rather abruptly he's getting his writing inspiration and turning into a great success. This imbalance is probably because Eric saw the poverty part as more dramatic and emotion-driven.

Still, for those unfamiliar with Walsch and his writings, the movie may come off as not too interesting. Only when one is familiar with the writing product (for myself, the books should be included in "Great Books of the Western World" Series) that the bio takes on special meaning.

Fortunately, fine Canadian actor Henry Czerny is cast in the lead role. (Who can forget his mesmerizing performance in "Boys of St. Vincent"?) Yet, Czerny can't save the tedium of DelaBarre's script.

As for the film title, it has little to do with the book per se (how can one make a film of a book that consists entirely of dialog . . . Qs&As?).

In the end, it's appropriate that the film be judged as film and, according to that criteria, it deserves a less that satisfactory rating.

I was very familiar with much of the subject matter of the books by Neale Donald Walsch whose "human story" is portrayed in this movie. I was very curious to see how this mass of spiritual material would be integrated into a story based on the trans-formative phase of his life. What I found was a story that I could identify with and which had many of the universal elements of despair, cry for help, and a response. There was no element of preaching , but rather the message to look inside oneself to the answers which abide. The acting and the cinematography was exquisite in bringing out the depths and extremes of the human experience. These were/are real everyday people with real experiences with whom any one who has ever had a sense of hopelessness can identify. The movie left me touched and uplifted and open to possibilities.

Proving the so-called spiritual genre still has an awfully long way to go before feeling half has meaningful as underlying content would suggest, this quest for meaning and purpose remains ironically dull for it's intended purpose. Rather then adapting Neale Donald Walsch's massively successful spiritual dialogs, the film version of Conversations with God plays more like a biography, detailing the catalyst behind this reluctant author's unique journey which saw him living on the streets to becoming an international bestseller.

In a film plagued with bad choices, choosing to go the docudrama route proves one of the only wise decisions, producing a few of the Lifetime-worthy affair's only authentic and moving sequences. It is a testament to the inept direction then, when any and all emotional sincerity takes place during the initial struggling and unanimously subsides when relaying the inspirational turn of events that will fail to inspire the viewer. Proving quite contradictory indeed, the more Conversations with God presses on the book's inspirational themes of love, surrender, and other random insights, the less impact any previously watched glimmer of truth seems to reap.

There is just a massive divide between parlaying this intensely personal information in a way that does not feel trite, even laughably condescending, to all but the most ardent of sheep-fans... Meaning, until dedicated efforts into this budding genre begin translating our inner spiritual discussions more believably by refining their techniques into many more subtle shades of consciousness, they will continue to bare the new-age brunt of jokes, contradict what they so earnestly try to capture, and give moviegoers every which reason to extract spiritual qualities from other genres that unconsciously produce this sentiment so much clearer, with a lot less strain. For the few heartfelt moments that detail Walsch's struggle with homelessness, the film rises above the emotional sterile, Hallmark-prone manipulation that the majority seems to be. However, anyone who is not already begging to enjoy this movie, having been a rabid fan of the author's work, has every right to leer in cynical jest at the film's unintentionally ironic tone of detached insincerity.

Before seeing the movie, I have read Conversation with God written by NEALE DONALD WALSCH. Although I always had a very high spiritual life, these (3) books were a revelation to me. I was also talking to God but only in a form of monologue. The movie and the books show otherwise; God can actually make dialogs with you if only your heart is receptive. I was in that state of mind when I saw the film. A great story (like I was expected) in a small film. Being an independent low budget movie directed by a not very skilled director (S. Simon) did not bother me at all, because the emotion and the message went through and made this story as one of the most important film of the decade. To me the other great movie similar to this one is THE TRUMAN SHOW. None of these has or will make money. But that is not important. I am persuaded the CONVERSATION WITH GOD will touch thousand of people and that's the most important mission for this story. Figures set up to 7 million people, (and still counting) who read the books. My feeling is that at least several thousand of people will be deeply touched by the movie. As a viewer I believe in this s touching story for two reasons: the magic writing of Neale Donald Walsch but more than that the credibility of the character personified by a great actor Henry Czerny. ( Mission Impossible /Boys of St-Vincent) Neale Donald Walsch in real life was 50 years old with a broken neck when he first started living homeless. And Henry Czerny played that with a rare sensibility and a true conviction. Thanks to both Neale and Henry. Please go see that movie who ever you are either you read or not the books. You too can talk with God because God will always be there for you and …me

9/10 Roger Cardinal Canada.

The quality of the writing and production is about that of a reasonably good TV movie, and the acting turns particularly wooden every time someone has a moment where he "gets it." I wasn't familiar with Walsch's books at all, and after this movie I don't think I want to be. The opening lecture scene makes it all too clear whose "love versus fear" tripe was being lampooned in "Donnie Darko," and I seriously thought it was a self-parody that was going to turn out to be a nightmare sequence.

The treatment of physical suffering in the story is particularly dishonest. In the "conversations," one of Neale's first revelations is that all suffering is created by reaction to circumstance and not the circumstance itself. Up to this point, he's been portrayed as simply toughing out all his physical sufferings as though they made no real impact on him, with one moment of exception when he suffers the shame of finally breaking down and eating from the dumpster. It's rather poignant when he seems to recognize the soccer mom and her brat who look at him in disgust as part of the society he was working to build before he lost his job, but the whole thing is cheapened later by the insistence that his suffering really came only from his reaction to them.

What an uplifting and life changing film. If you are tired of typical Hollywood movies (fear and violence)and want to watch something meaningful and uplifting. Then this movie is a must see. The acting was great. The writing fantastic. You will walk out of the theater feeling better about yourself and humanity. You will feel capable of accomplishing your every dream. Bring the family. Bring anyone you want to feel better about themselves and other people. This movie is quite simply amazing. In the screening I went to the film received a standing ovation. Here is an opportunity to understand the true wisdom and love of God.

1. Many have judged this film in a variety of ways, usually in the negative and as propaganda by 'religious types', or as another attempt to make money on the 'religion' bandwagon. Over the years I have come to believe in one God, based upon unconditional love. Not man's versions based upon interpretations and founded in other countries.

2. This movie is what you make of it, just as your life is what you make of it. I have reviewed other movies I consider spiritual in meaning, of entertainment to my human spirit, without judgment, and from all societies and beliefs. And yet, I find that there is always going to be one or more people who will pass personal judgment instead of objective insight when reviewing a film.

3. We are free to express ourselves, within the guidelines of posting (which some of us will argue against also), and forget the bigger picture that we are about life. That when we write, we influence others, or hope to, or vent, or whatever. This is our opportunity to show others our personal qualities, beliefs, and values.

4. I have written and been challenged and ostracized before and will again. I am a college grad, retired military, former law enforcement, former mental health counselor, youth leader, half Japanese, military brat, etc. I have never been particularly religious but do believe in a Supreme Existence. This isn't about me. One thing I learned in my careers in my short 52 years is that when a crisis arises, there are no atheists and that man can show his best and worst. Through it all, people will gather and express thanks in some way.

5. This movie, in particular, does just that...it gathers people together to be entertained, to experience, to reflect, to spend some time connected in some way with others. This is a transformational film. It isn't about 'talking with God'. It is about going inside ourselves and thinking what it meant, what it provoked, what it caused us to feel, and then listen to that inner voice inside and the message received.

6. I received value from it because I chose to see it as having something to give to me. The mechanics of the film don't matter. If you feel drawn to it because of some issue in your life, or want to experience an alternative to what is out there then go with an open mind and heart. Don't go expecting the book. Go with no expectations and no pre-judgments. Just go, and take a friend, or make a new one at the movie.

7. This movie may be like your life, it's what you've made of it so far or not...and then write a review.

Conversations With God Movie is one of the Most Emotional,Heart Feeling, Loving movies in this Century today. It is based on the Awakening of a New Spirituality for Humanity! We all need to change the way we think about God and that God is all Good and Loving and that for the world to make Wars the thing of the past, we need to start to change our views on God! CWG Movie will help awake Humanity to this great change. I cried and weeped for hope for Humanity in this Film. Please take all your friends and Relatives and tell them to watch a film that was intended to be seen by God. CWG Movie will help Humanity wake up for a new change and it is a movie that is not your usual Hollywood Sex and Violence formula movie, but an all Loving and compassionate movie film that I believe will win an Academy Award for best film and Director for Stephen Simon and Best Actor with Henry Czerny. I have personally met Neale Donald Walsh and the Director Stephen Simon and the movie is an exact duplicate of Neale's love and Compassion for Humanity. The movie focuses more on how he is introduced to his Conversations with God Material and how he experienced the loss of everything in his life. I have now changed my views on Homeless people in this country today and will always help someone who is needing a helping hand and will never judge others again. Americans all over the country are experiencing Homelessness because of the loss of Jobs being Outsourced to other countries, we need to change our views on Humanity now, before we start outsourcing our views on God.

The entire plot of Conversations with God is simply preposterous. Any gems of wisdom that the author believes God spoke to him directly are merely regurgitation of spiritual clichés that people want so desperately to believe. The story and acting are both absurd, definitely had the feeling of the made for school movies I remember being forced to watch in middle school or a poorly made after school special. Next time the director should consider hiring some actors. The only reason my husband and I didn't walk out on this film is we started viewing it as a comedy and got curious to see just how bad it was going to get. Last time I checked, anyone who believes God is talking to them or through them could be diagnosed with a psychological disorder. Simply unbelievable how folks believe and lap this stuff up. My being an atheist certainly colors my review of this piece of garbage in a particular way, that aside, the acting was still horrible. If I didn't have a conscience, the fact that the book was published and this film was made makes me strongly believe I could just write up some hokey poke spiritual crap and make millions off of it by giving people "hope" that God will help them.

This is by far, the most extraordinary movie you will ever see! The timelines, script, cast, & producing were superb and pure perfection in the making of this spiritually inspired film!

I drove from Boston Massachusetts to New York City (4 1/2 hours) to watch the prescreening at Symphony Space and the movie was absolutely incredible. I personally felt as if I was personally experiencing Neale's life. All the sadness, pain, and heartache of his loss and homelessness to all of the exhilarating joy, dedication, and celebrations after overcoming his dark night of the soul and having his heartfelt Conversations with God.

Humanity cries out now for a God who loves all of us equally & unconditionally and this movie delivers this message to humanity at precisely the right time to provide us with a newer understanding of who we really are, how special and unique each of us is, and what we are capable of achieving, one thought, one word, and one action at a time.

It was really exciting to meet Neale Waslch and Stephen Simon and some of the cast and crew! It is crystal clear to me that "pure love" was the main ingredient that this talented group of individuals brought to the big screen! What a heartwarming and soul inspiring film.

10 thumbs up! Go see this movie!!!!

I wish I could recommend this movie because there aren't many "new thought" oriented movies, but there's nothing here. It's pointless. Nevermind using the cinematic medium to bring the message of the book to a wide audience, it fails to add anything at all. Even when preaching to the choir, it does nothing but reminisce about the book. A trailer for the book. I don't think the director knew why he was making this movie. Perhaps this illustrates one of the weaknesses of the book. It allows spirituality to appear as only words and beliefs, without the daily practice, service work, and the gift of a spiritual experience. When some of that is missing I tend to glide through life and projects rather than take it as a challenge to bring the courage and talent and energy it deserves. To connect with both hands to that high voltage line and let it explode in all its glory. Then maybe the movie would've demonstrated what it preached.

Having read and enjoyed the first three "Conversations with God" books, I was fully prepared to enjoy the movie as well. Although I gave it a 5 star perfect rating, I am fully prepared to accept the fact that many people will not have the same love for the film as I do. It is somewhat slow paced and there isn't much action in the movie. It deals mainly with the background details of Neale Donald Walsch, who after suffering from a broken neck after a car accident, soon loses his job as well as his home and becomes a homeless person scavenging for food and recyclables while living in a tent in a park. Things keep going badly for the soon to be published author as he finds a job only to have the business go bankrupt soon after. He is awakened one night by a voice in his head asking him if he had had enough yet. The voice sounds just like his voice and he is chagrined to learn the voice is coming from his head. He is even more shocked to find the voice is saying that it is God that Walsch is hearing. He grabs a nearby notepad and begins transcribing what he is hearing. This becomes the book, "Conversations with God," which is initially rejected by the publishing firm he contacts. The movie is a sincere, devout movie that I predict will totally upset traditional, mainstream churches and temples. Walsch's "God" is a modern God who is neither vengeful or angry, who seeks to teach Walsch about love and compassion rather than obeying rules and dishing out punishments. God speaks in such a way to sound reasonable, humorous, and more like a good friend than a strict father figure. If you liked the books, you'll love this adaptation as well. If you are not interested in matters of the spirit you might want to ignore this film. Well acted, directed and edited. A must-see for anyone interested in matters of the soul and what it means to be human.

"God, if you exist, why do you keep letting morons like Walsch get rich?', this is such a perceptive quote from New York Post critic Kyle Smith. The film starts out fairly well, and it means well, but about 50 minutes in, it falls apart with a preachy screenplay and over the top dramatics. The film never convinces, the production is purely amateur and is nothing more than a 109 minute infomercial. The score is particularly poor and the acting, for the most part is acceptable, but the central character needed a stronger actor than Henry Czerny. This is just another monetary notch in Neale Walsch's money belt. It is amazing how well religion can sell.

I saw a sneak preview of this movie on Maui last night. This was a really wonderful film. Any flaws that are seen in this film can simply be blamed on the fact that big money in Hollywood rarely backs little films that have such a blatant theme about God and Spirituality. By continuing making films like this one and having people support it, we can show Hollywood that we do want to think about deeper things, we want to connect to each other and understand why we're here.

Go see this film. Tell other people to see it. Blog about it. Talk about it. The atheists can rage but they'll think. Then they'll talk to other people and they'll think.

That's what we need to be doing.

Good job to the cast and crew. More More More.

Simply put, hedonism cloaked in spirituality.

My wife checked out this film out of curiosity in the title. We found that this bland movie was both boring and offensive. It has a decent cast who seem to have been given a novice scriptwriter and director. Editing is confusing, with segue-ways that are all but non-sensical. It plays like a Hallmark production with its glossy soft light colors and its message is horrible. I can't help but feel that this film is a way for Walsch (the author of the books the movie is based on) to justify why he had so many broken relationships and has so much wealth. The movie does not make his case well. His spirituality is self-serving. He claims no transcendence and therefore no meta-narrative to existence. According to him, there is no responsibility to others other than just doing a nice gesture every now and then. When "god" supposedly tells him to only do what he loves, I wanted to ask him to make that statement in poverty stricken countries where people have little choice to do anything except what they can to survive. And in the meantime, he lives cosily cushioned by his wealth. He was probably more in tune with himself when he was homeless. The author's form of spirituality could only have come from an economically fat and spiritually active society like the USA. We Americans are so spoiled by our wealth and freedoms that we think we can make God who we want him to be. But the living God is above our petty perceptions of Him. Most of the poor around the world would hate teachings like what Walsch gives. On top of this, the movie falls flat on a technical level. I have not read the books and I definitely have no intention of wasting my time doing so. What we need to change the world is a truth that humbles us. Read the Bible if you want to know what that is. Now there is a book that has truly transformed our world.

Blessings.

If you've been wondering whether this movie accurately reflects the beloved book series, wonder no more. I can confirm it absolutely does...very effectively! I saw the movie last month (September 2006) at an advance screening in Minneapolis. Stephen Simon (producer/director) has artfully interwoven the message of the books with Neale Donald Walsch's story of homelessness, healing and unexpected acclaim. If that's enough to launch you in the direction of the nearest theater showing "CwG," you can stop right here. Or if you'd like to hear more, keep on reading.

I'd never claim to be unbiased in my enthusiastic endorsement of this movie. Here's why: I met both Stephen and Neale during my years of working with WISDOM TV/Media Group (DISH Network, Ch. 264). I took an 8-week spiritual cinema telecourse from Stephen. And I worked a book signing for Neale after he wrote "Friendship with God." It was great to chat with both of them again in Minneapolis. As beings of compassion and integrity, Stephen and Neale just get better with the years. And I came home with a CD of the signature soundtrack (composed especially for the film by Emilio Kauderer) and an autographed copy of a beautiful coffee table book about the making of the movie (in Ashland, OR).

"Conversations with God" is wonderfully entertaining, dramatically moving, and oh-so-uplifting! Getting lost in our heads (a great way to retreat from the edge of our comfort zone) won't serve us here, or do justice to the incredible gift of this movie. Giving our hearts (and our imaginations) permission to let Neale's story become our own, if only for the 109 minutes this movie takes, just might. It did for me. I love abstract ideas, and I'm sure a lot of you out there do too. In this case, let the art of the movie do its own communicating...there's no way it won't! The movie is fabulous in its cinematics and message.

In his treatment of Neale's life story, Stephen also crafted a powerful cinematic statement about homelessness. It reflects Neale's real-life practice of compassion toward the homeless because of his own painful experience. (As Neale said to the audience after the screening, tongue-in-cheek, "You never know which next bestselling author you might be helping.") When Stephen asked Neale before production began what, in the end, his "CwG" experience had done for him, he replied, "It gave me back to myself." That this gift was a direct result of that down-and-out time in Neale's life is just one piece of the larger miracle. In case any of you remember Canadian actor Henry Czerny's name from the movie "Mission Impossible" (1996) or "Clear and Present Danger" (1994), his performance here as Neale is spectacular!

When you see the movie, I think you'll love Stephen's sensitive use of special effects to portray "giving Neale back to himself." These days the term "special effects" often means the slam-bam, shock-and-awe images of action films. Here Stephen demonstrates how such techniques can create incredibly tender effects with a goal 180 degrees from that. Check out his Spiritual Cinema Circle websites at www.spiritualcinemacircle.com; www.spiritualcinemanetwork.com...and treat yourself to a special night out at the movies!

Cheers, Mary