The new movie, “The Imposter,” tells the age old music industry story: sex, drugs and rock and roll, and the rise and fall of a star. Except this time, we’re not talking about some mainstream act; we’re talking about Christian music.The movie centers on musician Johnny C (Kevin Max), husband, father and frontman for popular Christian rock band Grand Design. The group plays all the major Christian churches and venues, sells records and has loyal following. Johnny C has everything an artist could want. He also has an addiction to painkillers and women. When his wife leaves him and his band kicks him out, Johnny C finds himself broke, homeless, and at rock bottom. Befriended by a church janitor who doesn’t pull any punches and a homeless eccentric he can’t shake no matter how hard he tries, Johnny C eventually turns his life around.Well, starts to, anyway. Because that’s one of the beautiful things about this movie: no happy ending.”The Imposter” has it’s faults, to be sure. The acting is a little weak at time and Kevin Max looks … well, bad; the costumes make him look huge … but the story is spot on, and for a small budget film definitely one of the better ones. Not just because most of us can relate to a story about doing stupid things and suffering the consequences, but because it gives viewers an inside look at Christian music you might not see otherwise.The average Christian music fan believes that a band that sings about God follows God, and that huge crowds and record sales are all a blessing on a band that’s doing ministry. But the reality is that sometime fame and success are curses, and have nothing to do with God.Believe it or not, there are Christian music artists who don’t understand the first thing about God, grace and redemption, who have never personally experienced the things they sing about night after night. (I interviewed Bryan Duncan recently for an article in the Christian Examiner, and he told me, “”I think of all the years I expounded Scripture through music and talked about God’s marvelous grace and those kinds of things. I never had much experience on it. I just borrowed what I said and I just cut and pasted what needed to be there to be acceptable in Christian circles. I preached to thousands and lost my own soul.”Yup, there are groupies in the Christian music community who would sleep with a Christian artist if offered the chance. (I once worked with a Christian band that was propositioned more by girls in churches than when they played in bars.) And yes, there are artists struggling with drugs, alcohol and other additions.That’s not to condemn an entire industry. But there is a myth in our culture that all Christian music artists are perfect, holier than the rest of us, with a special mission from God. After all, they are Christian musicians with big platforms, right?”The Imposter” does a great job of telling a story about the church, for the church; this isn’t necessarily one of those evangelistic movies Christians should be dragging their non-Christian friends to see in the hopes of “getting them saved.” It’s a film that Christians should watch and then afterwards, examine their own motives about God, Christian music music and everything related to the Christian culture.Sure, non-Christians will definitely get the message, but ironically there’s not “come to Jesus” moment. Johnny C doesn’t run down the church aisle at an altar call. No big weepy prayer scene. No happy ever after ending. In fact, not much in his life changes – his wife doesn’t want to get back together, he doesn’t have a band, his money and fame are still gone. But his relationship with God changes, and we’re left seeing the direction that change of heart is taking him.The film features original music from Kevin Max and Jeff Deyo (who plays Grand Design bandmate James) as well as four songs from Downhere, and a new version of “Carry On Wayward Son” by Kansas’ Kerry Livgren (who plays Prof, the janitor who gives Johnny C the swift “kick in the butt” he needs, with love of course), You can learn more about the movie The Imposter on the film’s website.YOU be the interviewer! Here’s your chance to ask your favorite Christian music artist a question when I head to Nashville for the 2009 Gospel Music Week. And don’t forget to follow me on Twitter!
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posted April 7, 2009 at 8:59 am
Kevin,
Who are the three most influential people in you life….why….
posted April 9, 2009 at 1:29 pm
M.E. – I posed the question to Kevin via his publicist and this is the reponse I got:
“Unfortunately, Kevin read the review of ‘The Imposter’ and he was bothered by the criticism of his weight. As a result, he has declined to respond to the request below. Sorry!”
Joanne
host of the GS blog
posted April 9, 2009 at 3:45 pm
Hi Joanne, I appreciate your review and it pleased me to see that, at it’s heart, you got the message of the movie.
posted April 9, 2009 at 5:17 pm
Hi Kevin,
PLEASE IGNORE THE QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR WEIGHT, THAT IS NOT MAKE ANY SENSE, YOU ARE A GOOD SINGER, MOST OF PEOPLE THEY WANT TO SEE SUPERFICIAL , BUT SOME OF US WE LOOKING IN YOUR GREAT TALENT,AND THE GREAT PERSON WHO YOU ARE.
SINCERELY,
JESUS NORIEGA ( FROM TIJUANA – MEXICO )
MY E-MAIL : jnoriega_75@hotmail.com
GOD BLESS YOU.
posted April 9, 2009 at 7:06 pm
Jesus, listen, I was not making a comment about his weight – but the costuming, which made him look huge. I don’t know that he’s even gained weight in reality. But the jackets they had him wearing were big, so that the shoulders out of place and the sleeves super long. I figured it was just costuming to make him look like the character, who was abusing his body. But he looked terrible.
On the other hand, the best part of the film is the soundtrack. Kevin Max is an incredible artist. About that there isn’t any question, that’s for sure!
Joanne
host of the GS blog
posted April 10, 2009 at 1:16 pm
Very good article. You got the point of the movie. As far as Kevin, if your readers watch secular movies (which I am sure you do), the actors change their appearance and clothing to fit the character. I am sure that is what was done here. I have seen the movie in special showings and really felt that Kevin WAS the Johnny C character. For what I think was a first time acting role, I thought he looked and showed the part he had to play. I felt sorry for the character- a guy who doesn’t quite get it, yet- and Kevin really conveyed it well, I thought.
posted April 11, 2009 at 9:54 am
I saw the movie, and was overall, quite impressed! We got a bonus feature, in that an assistant director accompanied the film, as he’s our pastor’s brother-in-law! He filled in some wonderful details about how the film was made, etc.
The movie gave me pause to reflect on my own life, as I go through some real crises right now. ANY of us can get off at any time, and the Lord uses crises to get us back on track. To this I say, “Hallelujah!”
It is, indeed, sad to think that our idols are not perfect — in fact, fame can get one even farther off-
track. I’ve experienced this first-hand, albeit on a VERY limited basis!
On another subject: If this movie had a conclusion, it would have been another “Fireproof”. To me, “Fireproof” may well be the best Christian movie EVER, IMHO. But I’m going to put “The Impostor” in the same conversation, because of the way it handled reality.
Kevin: OUTSTANDING job! I hope we see
you in films many more times!
Kerry: Wonderful to see you there, too!
Jeff: Likewise!
“Popeye”: I would LOVE to meet you in real life — I have a feling we would do an awful lot of laughing together! MARVELOUS!
To the rest of the cast: You all did well! Thank you for getting this old geezer to thinking about his own life!
Eric in MN
posted April 12, 2009 at 7:48 pm
[Hopefully, I dd not double-post this comment -- my computer is being weird!]
I saw the movie, and was overall, quite impressed! We got a bonus feature, in that an assistant director accompanied the film, as he’s our pastor’s brother-in-law! He filled in some wonderful details about how the film was made, etc.
The movie gave me pause to reflect on my own life, as I go through some real crises right now. ANY of us can get off at any time, and the Lord uses crises to get us back on track. To this I say, “Hallelujah!”
It is, indeed, sad to think that our idols are not perfect — in fact, fame can get one even farther off-
track. I’ve experienced this first-hand, albeit on a VERY limited basis!
On another subject: If this movie had a conclusion, it would have been another “Fireproof”. To me, “Fireproof” may well be the best Christian movie EVER, IMHO. But I’m going to put “The Impostor” in the same conversation, because of the way it handled reality.
Kevin: OUTSTANDING job! I hope we see
you in films many more times!
Kerry: Wonderful to see you there, too!
Jeff: Likewise!
“Popeye”: I would LOVE to meet you in real life — I have a feling we would do an awful lot of laughing together! MARVELOUS!
To the rest of the cast: You all did well! Thank you for getting this old geezer to thinking about his own life!
Eric in MN
posted May 1, 2009 at 7:26 pm
c’mon people. Kevin Max is yesterday’s new and the movie is horrible.
posted August 20, 2010 at 4:23 pm
I even haven’t seen the film yet but I know and love its music and lyrics and the trouble what is the film about. I also desperatly wanted to be a real Christian but I wasn’t able to give up my alcohol addiction andbulimia for years. Finally it succeded, but it was a very tough work an wrestling mainly for myself. When i listen to these songs of the film i feel deep compassion to these kind of Christians and i know that our Lord doesn’t forget anyone of us who really wants to be His and follow Him. This is why i think this film great for the road usually narrow and tough not jsut for the rock stars but for the everyday believers as well. this film can give a little help so just don’t give up,we will be with Him!
posted September 3, 2010 at 12:49 pm
I give this film an overall B+ personally. It didn’t have an ending. And I don’t just mean a “happy” ending. It just fizzled out. I was still expecting more when the credits ran. However, the whole storyline up until the non-ending was great and very well executed. However, the biggest problem with this movie was all of the hypocrisy of his family and friends. They said they forgave him, but left him to remain homeless. This isn’t showing love. Even as Prof pointed out, what you say means nothing. What you do is what counts and none of these characters showed Johnny any love at all. I understand his wife is done, and his band is getting along without him, but if they were really his friends they would have helped him get right instead of leaving him to fend for himself and stay homeless even after he got clean
posted January 31, 2011 at 11:26 am
Straight up Christianese cornball. It will be sold on TBN in like 3 months for a love offering of any amount…
posted April 6, 2011 at 12:51 am
Where can i watch this film online?
posted November 29, 2011 at 11:19 am
Saw the movie a few months back and was pleased with the multiple Christian taboo subjects it addressed (or at least exposed). Been in and around Christian music since the 70′s and have seen and heard ‘it all’. People are people and without the Life of Christ living inside us, we are as lost as the Devil. God has seen fit to give gifts and talents to everyone, there’s a lot of preachers who would come out better at the judgement if if they where car salesman. The movie end was a dissapointment but with so many plot lines going it would take a miracle of screen writing to bring the story to a satisfying conclusion. Life is hard, our choices have consequences, Jesus is the only Way, Truth and Life.
Peace and Love
Jeff N