“He has brought down rulers from their thrones and has exalted those who are humble.”

From The Nativity Story.

Mary (Keisha Castle-Hughes) is a Jewish teenager struggling to survive with her family under the Roman rule of Israel.  Even though life is extremely difficult under King Herod’s (Ciaran Hinds) rule, Mary is able to enjoy some of life’s special moments in regard to her family, friends, and faith.  The village carpenter, Joseph (Oscar Isaac), falls for Mary and the two become engaged; as was the custom, the two are to be engaged for a year, living separately until the wedding, but committed to each other.  When an angel visits Mary to tell her that she has been chosen to be the mother of the son of God, she is terrified of what everyone will think (especially Joseph and her family), so she goes to stay with a cousin for several months.  When she returns, she is unable to hide her pregnancy, but because an angel informs Joseph that Mary is telling the truth about the baby’s conception, he moves forward with the marriage.  A census is ordered for the whole country which requires each family to return to their ancestral hometown, so Joseph and a very pregnant Mary head off on the long journey to Bethlehem.

Telling a story that has been told thousands of times in a way that is new and memorable is a difficult task, but this movie manages to tell a well-known story in a manner that is engaging to all audiences.  Many scenes are dialog-free which allows the actors and background locations a chance to truly shine.  Without a doubt, The Nativity Story is one of the most visually stunning movie adaptations of the Christmas story.  The setting is harsh and barren, reminding the viewer that it was a difficult time to be alive.  The story follows the Biblical account of the events of Jesus’ birth, but it is not a cut-and-paste retelling; Christian viewers will be satisfied with the movie and other viewers won’t get lost because of assumed background knowledge.  A balance of humor and sincere moments are woven in to create a captivating movie that can be enjoyed all year round, not just during the holiday season.

| Rated: PG | Running Time: 101 minutes |Genre: historical/family/drama |

||Family Viewing||Cursing: 0 of 10|Nudity: 0.2 of 10|Sexuality: 0 of 10|Gore: 1 of 10

|AVAILABLE FOR HOME VIEWING|