849:
424:
but to take the emotional truth of the circumstance and recreate that for audiences. People who have never been to church or never been poor or never been to
America should feel what it would be like rather than only know the facts and details of the news
499:
called the film "bleakly spare, powerful" and noted, "The fact-based story, which is allowed to quietly unfold in a series of extended takes, has been stripped of all artifice, especially in regard to the pared-back performances of
Harewood and Findley."
31:
509:
gave the film a grade of "B+/A-" and remarked, "This small, slow-paced film, deeply upsetting and narrow in scope, is a hard watch. But
Mahaffy's uncompromising approach, and the quality of its performances, make it a rare and valuable testament."
531:
s critic wrote, "Mahaffy's film paints a portrait of institutional failure on multiple fronts, leaving society's castoffs in free fall. He shows authorities becoming involved only in times of crisis, or to stifle good deeds with red tape."
598:
489:
stated, "The movie's realism owes much to the lived-in locations and its two excellent leads, who fill in the gaps with nuanced emotional texture; the script doesn't tell you much about who these people are, but the actors do."
519:
described the film as a "searing, skeptical but roundly compassionate ecclesiastical drama" and commented, "Superb, skin-prickling performances by the three principals contribute invaluably to the pic's stern believability."
338:, Wilkins is not only forced to confront the seemingly incurable illness of the child, but his own inescapable demons as well. And the more he prays, the more things seem to spiral out of his control.
1037:
588:
967:
334:, Pentecostal minister Abe Wilkins tries to perform a miracle. When Melva Neddy, a single mother on the brink of profound desperation, brings her tormented young son to church for
944:
466:
420:
I had been raised religious and then deconverted, so I felt I have both the familiarity and objectivity to represent this situation. The point is not to make a reenactment or
556:
307:
1268:
1098:
560:
311:
1004:
1223:
1273:
1248:
1238:
794:
552:
303:
664:
1293:
700:
1288:
564:
315:
1027:
544:
291:
192:
911:
1233:
1121:
1243:
1208:
1218:
934:
1263:
267:
written, directed, and co-edited by Jake
Mahaffy. An international co-production between the United States and New Zealand, it stars
1278:
631:
1228:
1203:
1193:
1283:
1253:
1088:
548:
319:
878:
834:
1258:
1213:
1198:
994:
761:
756:
433:
264:
589:""You Plan to Make a Film and Then You Try Not to Make the Film You Planned on Making": Jake Mahaffy on Free in Deed"
295:
1188:
784:
474:
654:
1060:
999:
690:
524:
437:
901:
789:
593:
968:"Venice Review: Jake Mahaffy's Distressing, Desperate True Story 'Free In Deed' With David Harewood"
1183:
723:
477:, assigned the film a score of 81 out of 100, based on 5 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".
906:
695:
515:
485:
441:
1157:
939:
495:
458:
331:
299:
167:
1093:
659:
416:
on an eight-year-old boy in 2003. Jake
Mahaffy said about adapting the story into the film:
284:
825:
462:
362:
935:"Review: Tortured souls seek human contact in deeply felt spiritual drama 'Free in Deed'"
848:
621:
830:
480:
353:
347:
276:
272:
268:
90:
85:
294:
on
September 11, 2015, where it won the Orizzonti Award for Best Film. It was given a
1177:
1126:
1065:
728:
380:
335:
106:
1032:
875:
63:
30:
275:, and RaJay Chandler. It is based on true events, and tells the story of a lonely
1122:"Memphis-filmed drama Free In Deed Nominated for Four Independent Spirit Awards"
861:
816:
409:
870:
470:
972:
626:
505:
421:
405:
751:
1168:
1162:
432:
was produced by
Greyshack Films and Votiv Films, in association with the
413:
1151:
280:
1028:"Venice film festival 2015: Golden Lion goes to Venezuela's From Afar"
469:
of 9 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.0/10.
302:. It received positive reviews from critics, and was nominated for
283:
when a young woman asks him to heal her son from a seemingly
1089:"2017 Film Independent Spirit Awards Nominations Announced!"
582:
580:
248:
240:
223:
213:
174:
163:
140:
132:
112:
102:
78:
56:
48:
40:
23:
902:"Review: Faith Found and Lost in 'Free in Deed'"
1061:"Free In Deed Wins Big At Venice Film Festival"
655:"Don't-Miss Indies: What to Watch in September"
418:
298:in the United States on September 8, 2017, by
543:won the Orizzonti Award for Best Film at the
8:
597:(Interview). Interviewed by Scott Macaulay.
408:minister Ray Hemphill, who was convicted of
933:Rechtshaffen, Michael (September 7, 2017).
847:
785:"Five Lessons from a Ten-Year Film School"
29:
20:
684:
682:
1101:from the original on September 28, 2023
732:(Interview). Interviewed by Chris McCoy
576:
545:72nd Venice International Film Festival
292:72nd Venice International Film Festival
290:The film had its world premiere at the
1040:from the original on November 20, 2023
724:"Indie Memphis Thursday: Free In Deed"
622:"The True Cost of Making Free in Deed"
601:from the original on February 21, 2024
1224:American films based on actual events
1026:Pulver, Andrew (September 12, 2015).
1007:from the original on December 7, 2022
966:Kiang, Jessica (September 12, 2015).
881:from the original on January 23, 2022
797:from the original on January 29, 2023
764:from the original on February 2, 2024
547:, beating out 34 other films. At the
7:
1269:Films about mother–son relationships
947:from the original on August 13, 2021
914:from the original on August 13, 2021
783:Mahaffy, Jake (September 16, 2014).
691:"Venice Film Review: 'Free in Deed'"
634:from the original on October 4, 2023
620:Mahaffy, Jake (September 13, 2017).
587:Mahaffy, Jake (September 13, 2017).
1059:McCoy, Chris (September 15, 2015).
900:Dargis, Manohla (August 31, 2017).
837:from the original on March 29, 2024
653:Tham, Su Fang (September 6, 2017).
404:is based on the real-life story of
279:minister who attempts to perform a
1274:Films about single parent families
1249:English-language independent films
1239:Drama films based on actual events
1120:McCoy, Chris (November 22, 2016).
1087:Warren, Matt (November 22, 2016).
722:Mahaffy, Jake (November 3, 2016).
386:Darius Wallace as Health Inspector
14:
995:"'Free in Deed': AFI Fest Review"
703:from the original on May 27, 2022
689:Lodge, Guy (September 13, 2015).
667:from the original on May 26, 2022
1294:Films shot in Memphis, Tennessee
551:, it garnered four nominations:
1289:Films set in Memphis, Tennessee
549:32nd Independent Spirit Awards
412:for his attempt to perform an
320:32nd Independent Spirit Awards
1:
1234:New Zealand independent films
1244:English-language drama films
1209:2010s English-language films
493:Michael Rechtshaffen of the
330:In the distinctive world of
183:September 11, 2015
757:New Zealand Film Commission
434:New Zealand Film Commission
198:September 8, 2017
1310:
1219:American independent films
392:Alex Coker as Officer Buff
368:Prophetess Libra as Mother
296:limited theatrical release
1264:Films about faith healing
314:(for Berkofsky), and the
28:
16:2015 film by Jake Mahaffy
1279:Films about spirituality
371:Helen Bowman as Isabelle
1229:New Zealand drama films
1204:2010s New Zealand films
389:Jon W. Sparks as Doctor
359:RaJay Chandler as Benny
1194:2015 independent films
1000:The Hollywood Reporter
557:Best Supporting Female
525:The Hollywood Reporter
427:
377:Kathy Smith as Pearlie
308:Best Supporting Female
1284:Films set in churches
1254:Religious drama films
565:John Cassavetes Award
438:Principal photography
316:John Cassavetes Award
1259:Films about exorcism
1214:American drama films
1199:2010s American films
1003:. November 6, 2015.
206: (United States)
561:Best Cinematography
383:as Senior Detective
332:storefront churches
312:Best Cinematography
907:The New York Times
790:Filmmaker Magazine
594:Filmmaker Magazine
486:The New York Times
444:in February 2014.
442:Memphis, Tennessee
940:Los Angeles Times
503:Jessica Kiang of
496:Los Angeles Times
459:review aggregator
453:Critical response
374:Zoe Lewis as Etta
300:Gravitas Ventures
285:incurable illness
256:
255:
168:Gravitas Ventures
1301:
1189:2015 drama films
1139:
1138:
1136:
1134:
1117:
1111:
1110:
1108:
1106:
1094:Film Independent
1084:
1078:
1077:
1075:
1073:
1056:
1050:
1049:
1047:
1045:
1023:
1017:
1016:
1014:
1012:
991:
985:
984:
982:
980:
963:
957:
956:
954:
952:
930:
924:
923:
921:
919:
897:
891:
890:
888:
886:
858:
852:
851:
846:
844:
842:
813:
807:
806:
804:
802:
780:
774:
773:
771:
769:
748:
742:
741:
739:
737:
719:
713:
712:
710:
708:
686:
677:
676:
674:
672:
660:Film Independent
650:
644:
643:
641:
639:
617:
611:
610:
608:
606:
584:
555:(for Harewood),
530:
475:weighted average
306:(for Harewood),
205:
203:
190:
188:
33:
21:
1309:
1308:
1304:
1303:
1302:
1300:
1299:
1298:
1174:
1173:
1148:
1143:
1142:
1132:
1130:
1119:
1118:
1114:
1104:
1102:
1086:
1085:
1081:
1071:
1069:
1058:
1057:
1053:
1043:
1041:
1025:
1024:
1020:
1010:
1008:
993:
992:
988:
978:
976:
965:
964:
960:
950:
948:
932:
931:
927:
917:
915:
899:
898:
894:
884:
882:
860:
859:
855:
840:
838:
826:Rotten Tomatoes
815:
814:
810:
800:
798:
782:
781:
777:
767:
765:
750:
749:
745:
735:
733:
721:
720:
716:
706:
704:
688:
687:
680:
670:
668:
652:
651:
647:
637:
635:
619:
618:
614:
604:
602:
586:
585:
578:
573:
559:(for Findley),
538:
528:
473:, which uses a
463:Rotten Tomatoes
455:
450:
399:
363:Preston Shannon
344:
328:
310:(for Findley),
236:
216:
209:
201:
199:
186:
184:
177:
170:(United States)
159:
158:
152:Greyshack Films
145:
143:
128:
98:
74:
36:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1307:
1305:
1297:
1296:
1291:
1286:
1281:
1276:
1271:
1266:
1261:
1256:
1251:
1246:
1241:
1236:
1231:
1226:
1221:
1216:
1211:
1206:
1201:
1196:
1191:
1186:
1176:
1175:
1172:
1171:
1160:
1147:
1146:External links
1144:
1141:
1140:
1112:
1079:
1051:
1018:
986:
958:
925:
892:
853:
831:Fandango Media
808:
775:
752:"Free In Deed"
743:
714:
678:
645:
612:
575:
574:
572:
569:
553:Best Male Lead
537:
534:
481:Manohla Dargis
454:
451:
449:
446:
440:took place in
398:
395:
394:
393:
390:
387:
384:
378:
375:
372:
369:
366:
360:
357:
356:as Melva Neddy
354:Edwina Findley
351:
350:as Abe Wilkins
348:David Harewood
343:
340:
327:
324:
304:Best Male Lead
273:Edwina Findley
269:David Harewood
254:
253:
250:
246:
245:
242:
238:
237:
235:
234:
231:
227:
225:
221:
220:
217:
214:
211:
210:
208:
207:
196:
180:
178:
175:
172:
171:
165:
164:Distributed by
161:
160:
157:
156:
153:
149:
148:
146:
141:
138:
137:
134:
130:
129:
127:
126:
123:
122:Michael Taylor
120:
116:
114:
110:
109:
104:
103:Cinematography
100:
99:
97:
96:
95:RaJay Chandler
93:
91:Edwina Findley
88:
86:David Harewood
82:
80:
76:
75:
73:
72:
69:
66:
60:
58:
54:
53:
50:
46:
45:
42:
38:
37:
34:
26:
25:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1306:
1295:
1292:
1290:
1287:
1285:
1282:
1280:
1277:
1275:
1272:
1270:
1267:
1265:
1262:
1260:
1257:
1255:
1252:
1250:
1247:
1245:
1242:
1240:
1237:
1235:
1232:
1230:
1227:
1225:
1222:
1220:
1217:
1215:
1212:
1210:
1207:
1205:
1202:
1200:
1197:
1195:
1192:
1190:
1187:
1185:
1182:
1181:
1179:
1170:
1166:
1165:
1161:
1159:
1155:
1154:
1150:
1149:
1145:
1129:
1128:
1127:Memphis Flyer
1123:
1116:
1113:
1100:
1096:
1095:
1090:
1083:
1080:
1068:
1067:
1066:Memphis Flyer
1062:
1055:
1052:
1039:
1035:
1034:
1029:
1022:
1019:
1006:
1002:
1001:
996:
990:
987:
975:
974:
969:
962:
959:
946:
942:
941:
936:
929:
926:
913:
909:
908:
903:
896:
893:
880:
877:
873:
872:
867:
865:
857:
854:
850:
836:
832:
828:
827:
822:
820:
812:
809:
796:
792:
791:
786:
779:
776:
763:
759:
758:
753:
747:
744:
731:
730:
729:Memphis Flyer
725:
718:
715:
702:
698:
697:
692:
685:
683:
679:
666:
662:
661:
656:
649:
646:
633:
629:
628:
623:
616:
613:
600:
596:
595:
590:
583:
581:
577:
570:
568:
566:
562:
558:
554:
550:
546:
542:
535:
533:
527:
526:
521:
518:
517:
513:Guy Lodge of
511:
508:
507:
501:
498:
497:
491:
488:
487:
482:
478:
476:
472:
468:
464:
460:
452:
447:
445:
443:
439:
435:
431:
426:
423:
417:
415:
411:
407:
403:
396:
391:
388:
385:
382:
381:Billie Worley
379:
376:
373:
370:
367:
364:
361:
358:
355:
352:
349:
346:
345:
341:
339:
337:
333:
325:
323:
321:
317:
313:
309:
305:
301:
297:
293:
288:
286:
282:
278:
274:
270:
266:
262:
261:
251:
247:
243:
239:
232:
230:United States
229:
228:
226:
222:
218:
212:
197:
194:
182:
181:
179:
176:Release dates
173:
169:
166:
162:
154:
151:
150:
147:
139:
135:
131:
124:
121:
118:
117:
115:
111:
108:
107:Ava Berkofsky
105:
101:
94:
92:
89:
87:
84:
83:
81:
77:
71:Brent Stiefel
70:
68:Michael Bowes
67:
65:
62:
61:
59:
55:
51:
47:
43:
39:
32:
27:
22:
19:
1164:Free in Deed
1163:
1153:Free in Deed
1152:
1131:. Retrieved
1125:
1115:
1103:. Retrieved
1092:
1082:
1070:. Retrieved
1064:
1054:
1042:. Retrieved
1033:The Guardian
1031:
1021:
1009:. Retrieved
998:
989:
977:. Retrieved
971:
961:
949:. Retrieved
938:
928:
916:. Retrieved
905:
895:
883:. Retrieved
876:Fandom, Inc.
869:
864:Free in Deed
863:
856:
839:. Retrieved
824:
819:Free in Deed
818:
811:
799:. Retrieved
788:
778:
766:. Retrieved
755:
746:
734:. Retrieved
727:
717:
705:. Retrieved
694:
669:. Retrieved
658:
648:
636:. Retrieved
625:
615:
603:. Retrieved
592:
541:Free in Deed
540:
539:
523:
522:
514:
512:
504:
502:
494:
492:
484:
479:
456:
430:Free in Deed
429:
428:
419:
402:Free in Deed
401:
400:
329:
289:
260:Free in Deed
259:
258:
257:
215:Running time
119:Jake Mahaffy
64:Mike S. Ryan
52:Jake Mahaffy
44:Jake Mahaffy
24:Free in Deed
18:
410:child abuse
277:Pentecostal
233:New Zealand
155:Votiv Films
125:Simon Price
57:Produced by
41:Directed by
35:Film poster
1184:2015 films
1178:Categories
871:Metacritic
571:References
563:, and the
471:Metacritic
397:Production
265:drama film
263:is a 2015
219:98 minutes
202:2017-09-08
187:2015-09-11
142:Production
49:Written by
973:IndieWire
627:Talkhouse
536:Accolades
506:IndieWire
448:Reception
422:docudrama
406:Milwaukee
365:as Bishop
252:$ 230,000
224:Countries
144:companies
136:Tim Oxton
113:Edited by
1169:AllMovie
1099:Archived
1038:Archived
1005:Archived
945:Archived
912:Archived
879:Archived
835:Archived
795:Archived
762:Archived
701:Archived
665:Archived
632:Archived
599:Archived
461:website
414:exorcism
326:Synopsis
241:Language
133:Music by
79:Starring
1133:May 15,
1105:May 15,
1072:May 15,
1044:May 15,
1011:May 15,
979:May 15,
951:May 15,
918:May 15,
885:May 15,
841:May 15,
801:May 14,
768:May 14,
736:May 14,
707:May 14,
696:Variety
671:May 14,
638:May 14,
605:May 13,
516:Variety
457:On the
336:healing
318:at the
281:miracle
244:English
200: (
185: (
425:story.
249:Budget
193:Venice
191: (
529:'
1158:IMDb
1135:2024
1107:2024
1074:2024
1046:2024
1013:2024
981:2024
953:2024
920:2024
887:2024
843:2024
803:2024
770:2024
738:2024
709:2024
673:2024
640:2024
607:2024
467:100%
342:Cast
1167:at
1156:at
483:of
1180::
1124:.
1097:.
1091:.
1063:.
1036:.
1030:.
997:.
970:.
943:.
937:.
910:.
904:.
874:.
868:.
833:.
829:.
823:.
793:.
787:.
760:.
754:.
726:.
699:.
693:.
681:^
663:.
657:.
630:.
624:.
591:.
579:^
567:.
465:,
436:.
322:.
287:.
271:,
1137:.
1109:.
1076:.
1048:.
1015:.
983:.
955:.
922:.
889:.
866:"
862:"
845:.
821:"
817:"
805:.
772:.
740:.
711:.
675:.
642:.
609:.
204:)
195:)
189:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
