Noble MPAA Rating: PG-13 Entertainment: +3 Content: +2

Deirdre O‘Kane, Brendan Coyle, Sarah Greene, Liam Cunningham. Drama/Bio. Writer/director Stephen Bradley.

FILM SYNOPSIS: Born in the slums of Dublin, Christina Noble was to discover that her life was full of challenges. Her father is a mean drunk who can’t provide for her family, her mother dies, she and her siblings are taken from their home and separated into different institutions, she is raised by mean Catholic nuns and when she grows up, men use her, and she gets raped. But through it all, she maintains a prayer life that sustains her, as well as a love of music and Doris Day.

Despite life setbacks and heartaches, Ms. Noble (a very appropriate name) thinks of the plight of others, especially children. Based on a true story, this courageous Irishwoman went on to better the lives of over a million displaced and unloved street children in Vietnam.

Christina Noble is the founder of The Christian Noble Foundation, which has built more than 100 projects across Vietnam and Mongolia and helped improve the lives of more than one million children since 1991.

PREVIEW REVIEW: This is a hard one, folks, seeing unloved children or children with physical deformities is always difficult to sit through. But what a blessing seeing a film depiction of those who dedicate their lives to others. They rise above their own injuries, seeking to alive the hurt in their fellow man, or as in this case, little children. The film has won awards and despite the hard-to-view scenes, it deserves attention. Writer/director Stephen Bradley keeps the pacing and energy at a high level and knows how to move us without sermonizing. It’s a movie that makes viewers feel, and reminds us to “Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”

My only disappointment concerns the depiction of Noble’s prayer life. We only see her at times of travail when she angrily talks to Christ on a cross. There must be of a time of fellowship with Jesus other than just times of frustration. She builds her life on a caring for others, yet the reason for her resolve is never clear. There must be a spiritual component not dealt with here. Had just one such moment been included, it would imply that at times Christina has felt a loving embrace from God. But because any spiritual healing is left unaddressed in the film, the audience must wonder what motivates her to go across the world and spend a lifetime trying to mend broken lives.

That said, the film does show a person praying to God (infrequent in movies) and living for others – two good themes for modern-day moviegoers.

Preview Reviewer: Phil Boatwright
Distributor: Aspiration Media