Review - Little Hope Was Arson

In five short weeks, 10 buildings burned to the ground in East Texas.

Sure it would be a story if it was convenience stores or houses.

It really would have been a story if it was schools.

But it became a major story in the Bible belt when it had churches burning to the ground.

Churches have always seemed to been untouchable, and for good reason. They don't generally get robbed and they absolutely don't burn to the ground at the hand of any human.

The church as a place of worship is a gathering point. It's a place where fallible men and women come together as one body. And sure, as we here in the new film Little Hope Was Arson, the church is the body of believers more than any building. But it sure stings when someone has put a direct target on the backs of Christians at their house of worship.

It was January 2010, and the largest criminal investigation in East Texas history was getting started. Terror overcame residents of these small town churches as no one could understand or assign any motive to what was going on. All they knew is that their faith was about to be tested.

As director Theo Love unfolds the story in front of us, we find that everyone is on edge in this documentary. While dealing with true facts, Love is able to reveal the pieces of the story at his pace from finding out who was setting the fires, to the response of church members and pastors that were impacted the most.

My heart broke as we see footage of a pastor who felt responsible for things. I wanted to virtually hug him through the screen and tell him it wasn't his fault.

There are moments in the film that Love delivers that will stay with you for days. From the family situation of one of the boys that had to deal with death and suicide attempts. To the woman who had to find the courage to help the authorities.

And there was the Pastor that exhibited a power of forgiveness for the actors, while not condoning the actions while his wife could not yet get past the fear and anger that was generated inside her.

And we get summed up in the words of on man who struggled all his life, doing his best, by saying "Thank God, the God we serve is a God of second and third chances."

The film had me intrigued and wondering what was around every corner. Sometimes I saw it coming and others...I got blindsided.

Kudos to the team for bringing this story to the screen. Search this film out at theaters in parts of the country or rent it from Itunes/Amazon or other online retailers.

Little Hope Was Arson

B+

Directed by: Theo Love

Little Hope was Arson is in select theaters November 21, 2014. Or online at Itunes, Amazon and other rental sites. Visit http://www.littlehopewasarson.com for more on the film.