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I Can Only Imagine

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2:20

I Can Only Imagine

PG

Released Mar 16, 2018

1h 50m

Biography

Drama

Music

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

69%

Tomatometer

32 Reviews

91%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

Growing up in Greenville, Texas, Bart Millard suffers physical and emotional abuse at the hands of his father, Arthur. When Arthur becomes terminally ill, he finds redemption by embracing his faith and rediscovering his love for his son. Years later, Bart's troubled childhood and mended relationship with his dad inspires him to write the hit song I Can Only Imagine as singer of the Christian band MercyMe.

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Critics Consensus

I Can Only Imagine's message will have the most impact among Christian audiences, but overall, its performances and storytelling represent a notable evolution in faith-based cinema.

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Leslie Felperin

Guardian

[A] slickly assembled tale of redemption and reconciliation.

Rated: 2/5

Aug 8, 2018

Full Review

David Ehrlich

IndieWire

Art can be affirmation, but affirmation cannot be art.

Rated: C-

Mar 21, 2018

Full Review

Peter Debruge

Variety

The movie works for the same reason the song does: It lightens the burden of the pain people are shouldering today, and gives them something to look forward to.

Mar 18, 2018

Full Review

Hosea Rupprecht

Pauline Media Studies

Fortunately, this trend in faith-based filmmaking seems to be shifting to a more real, lived faith. I Can Only Imagine is a good example of this shift...

Aug 24, 2021

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

An inspirational drama that, unlike most faith-based endeavors, at least looks like a real movie rather than something even Ed Wood would have rejected.

Rated: 2.5/4

Aug 10, 2021

Full Review

Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

This is exactly what a faith-based film should be.

Rated: 3.5/4.0

Sep 11, 2020

Full Review

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Mario

We need more spiritual movies at the theaters. Loved it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/19/25

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Audience Member

This movie for me had me in drowning tears and also had me heartbroken,because it's a movie I can relate too in my own personal life as I was also abused as a child by my own dad who struggled with drugs , who had also abused my own mother, My mom also left my dad too but my mom took me with her. By the time I became a Christian and had tried to reach out to my dad for Jesus and invite him to church and had learned to forgive him. It was too late he had committed suicide and killed himself with drugs and he was found dead in his car. So the pain and the guilt is real of not being able to see my dad saved before he died still hurts today and that's what this movie meant to me. Don't wait too forgive your loved ones because it might be too late when you decide to forgive.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/24/25

Full Review

Stephen C

1 hour and 50 minutes of real musicians. Rated PG for Thematic Elements and Some Violence!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/24/25

Full Review

Joseph T

While not my favorite movie to date, “I can only imagine” captures the life of a kid growing and maturing, learning at a young age that life isn’t fair and that it wants to hurt him, and then shifting that idea, to the ideas of a Christian learning that it’s not life that isn’t fair it’s the actions of a few that make it unfair, early on this movie shows its potential creating very intense and emotional moments where we see the protagonist at a young age get abused and see his Mom leave, create a sort of funnel for the development to begin, we later see him reach to achieve his dreams of becoming a famous singer, failing multiple times until he finally overcomes his mountain finding God and getting the girl of his dreams. 4.5/5 The movie is great, could have been better had its plot not strayed off a little during the middle

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/22/25

Full Review

Debi M

Loved this movie! Really great. And Dennie Quaid was awesome in it. A wonderful true story of redemption.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/03/25

Full Review

Micki S

Really great movie! Tremendously loved it . I can watch over and over. .

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/08/24

Full Review

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Andrew Erwin

Director

Jon Erwin

Director

John Michael Finley

Bart

Madeline Carroll

Shannon

Dennis Quaid

Arthur

Trace Adkins

Brickell

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I Can Only Imagine: Trailer 2

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I Can Only Imagine: Trailer 1

2:14

I Can Only Imagine: Teaser Trailer 1

1:56

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Synopsis

Growing up in Greenville, Texas, Bart Millard suffers physical and emotional abuse at the hands of his father, Arthur. When Arthur becomes terminally ill, he finds redemption by embracing his faith and rediscovering his love for his son. Years later, Bart's troubled childhood and mended relationship with his dad inspires him to write the hit song I Can Only Imagine as singer of the Christian band MercyMe.

Director: Andrew Erwin, Jon Erwin
Producer: Kevin Downes, Cindy Bond, Daryl C. Lefever, Mickey Liddell, Pete Shilaimon
Screenwriter: Jon Erwin, Brent McCorkle
Distributor: Roadside Attractions, Lionsgate Films
Production Co: Kevin Downes, Mission Pictures International, city on a hill productions
Rating: PG (Thematic Elements|Some Violence)
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 16, 2018, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 5, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA): $83.5M
Runtime: 1h 50m
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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