Loneliness can make the struggle we face seem even more insurmountable, nearly impossible to deal with, paralyzing even. The loss of a job or a struggle with faith can make life seem like it’s not worth living–and that’s where we find ourselves in Believe. We are lost, unable to find our way–but when just the right person comes along, everything can change for the better–and it just might. Based on a true story, Believe is a journey of passion, belief, and resilience.
Believe is an incredibly emotional journey–and from the opening moments of the film, viewers are taken on a ride that will likely hit a series of nerves and make them feel those emotions along with the characters on screen. Lucas (Lawrence Kochoa) has found himself depressed, incapable of finding an answer–but one day he hears about a book that may just be able to save him from the rest of his life, and along with that book comes a man named John (Daniel Martin Berkey). Early on in Believe, viewers know that this will be an emotional tale, that the content will likely be difficult to swallow–but it’s when Lucas and John meet for the first time that the emotions hit a high, and there’s no turning back from there.
From that moment forward Believe transforms into something so emotionally relevant (if you give it a chance) that it seems impossible not to appreciate what is being said and done. Let’s be clear, Believe is driven heavily by religion, and if religion isn’t something that speaks to you, then this might be difficult to appreciate. It’s important to look past this aspect of the film, however, if that doesn’t appeal to you, because the messages are relevant regardless. What Writer-Director Edward Monge creates is gut wrenching, and incredibly powerful–but once again, I believe that the religious aspect of the film may not appeal to some potential viewers. What will work wonders for some will cause some viewers to struggle–but its purpose is understood regardless, and that’s a testament to the dialogue and the scenarios that Monge is able to create throughout.
Berkey finds himself in a role something unlike anything that I’ve seen from him before. Berkey often does a great job of bringing unique characters to life in a way that can sometimes feel larger than life, bigger than anyone else in the room–but Believe sees him in a different light. He’s played a wide range of characters that exist all over the spectrum, but this one, the role of John, seems to be the calmest that I’ve ever seen from him. He’s laid back, even keeled, and one of the more down-to-earth characters that I’ve ever seen on screen. He ultimately plays the voice of reason throughout Believe, and he conveys emotion and promise with great poise throughout his tenure in the film.
Part of what allows Berkey to be so successful in this role is the chemistry that exists between him and Kochoa. While it’s made clear that the two characters are just meeting for the first time, the ability of both Kochoa and Berkey on screen to create a bond something akin to a father and son or long-time friends is truly wonderful. Believe, and all that it hopes to convey to viewers, comes alive as a result of this relationship. This is a beautiful pairing, and it’s the heart and soul of the entire film.
All things come together wonderfully throughout the course of Believe–and the majority of that comes to be as a result of Berkey and Kochoa. The writing is simple, understandable, and relatable–and as Believe plows forward, throwing a series of emotions at viewers, the messages that Monge develops are touching and welcome.
Written & Directed by Edward Monge.
Starring Lawrence Kochoa, Daniel Martin Berkey, & Shannah Catalano.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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