Watch The Friends of Jesus - Thomas For Free

the audience applauded

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

It starts with a chase scene through the streets of Jerusalem. I don't remember any chases in the gospels. All is quickly explained then we're back in familiar territory. So it goes speculating then returning to the revered texts.This a kind of a TV movie treatment of the apostle Thomas. Aside from the Gospel anecdote the movie creates a pretty good story around his lack of faith and a search for the body of Jesus. Joseph of Arimethea is a compassionate figure in bridging the Jewish leadership, Romans and apostles. The supporting cast is quite good.Fans of The Life of Brian, like me, will get a kick out of the Romans speaking with low British accents. Some stilted dialog might cause amusement too. But the quality acting, visual flair and solid production values make this far superior to the earnest, dogmatic, artless though well meaning Christian productions in circulation.Historical and Biblical accuracy aside this is good storytelling.