Taliesin Jones MPAA Rating: PG Entertainment: +3 Content: +3

Produced in the Wales region of England with Welsh performers, TALIESIN JONES is one of the most engrossing and meaningful films released in recent years. This beautiful story delves into such profound spiritual issues as the existence of God, the validity of religious faith, and divine healing. It centers around a 12-year-old boy named Taliesin Jones (John Paul Macleod), who lives with his parents (Geraldine James and Jonathan Pryce) and older brother (Matthew Rhys) on a rural hill farm in Wales. Being an intellectually curious boy, Taliesin becomes interested in the matter of divine healing when he observes Billy Evans ( Ian Bannen), his elderly music teacher, heal an ailing woman in Gods name. And when some warts on Taliesins hands disappear after Billy prays over them, Taliesin becomes a true believer in God and miracle healing. But both Taliesins father and brother question the existence of God and whether the healings were true miracles. Still convinced, Taliesin organizes a believers club at his school, although he is harassed by the school bully who doesnt believe in miracles. While Taliesin struggles with the matter of miracle healing, he and his family are going through a difficult time as Taliesins mother decides to leave the family. How all these issues and events are brought to a conclusion makes for a very moving and thought-provoking story. TALIESIN JONES will strongly appeal to religious groups, particularly Christians, but non-believers will also find it stimulating.

Much of the appeal of this story comes from its honest, straight-forward investigation and commentary on the validity of God and divine healing. Taliesins father says that warts come and go and that the healings could have taken place without prayer. And Taliesins brother insists that divine healings must be proved to be believed. Billy, the piano teacher and divine healer, is portrayed as being very sincere and psychologically sound. And he concedes that his healing prayers are not always successful. When Taliesins piano teacher dies, Taliesin asks the local minister to resurrect him, but the minister says he isnt Jesus Christ and not able to bring people back to life. In a very touching development, the school bully eventually comes privately and asks Taliesin to have God restore a part of his finger which has been cut off. When the first healing prayer is not successful, they agree to try again later. And when a diabetic member of the boys in the Believers Club quits taking his insulin, believing he will be divinely healed, Taliesin gets into a lot of trouble. However, narration in the film suggests that it is reasonable to hold certain beliefs without proof. Only one obscenity slightly mars this film. Both Christian and secular viewers will find TALIESIN JONES immensely enlightening and thought-provoking as it explores many aspects of faith and belief.

Preview Reviewer: John Evans and Mary Draughon
Distributor: Impact Entertainment, 3939 S. Harvard Ave., Tulsa OK 74135