M is for the Music Writer

Funny story- This movie review should have been done last week, but due to a change of address snafu, I only just received it and watched it last night.  And yet, my review and giveaway fit so nicely into my Blogging Through the Alphabet, that I had to smile.  Sometimes, things just work themselves out!

Rich Mullins!  Does the name sound familiar?  It did to me, which is one of the reasons I was eager to watch the movie.  I knew he wrote songs for Amy Grant (Doubly Good to You and Sing Your Praise to the Lord) and I knew Awesome God made him pretty famous in the Christian songwriting world.  That is where my knowledge stopped.

Through Ragamuffin, a movie based on the true life of singer and songwriter Rich Mullins, you get to see more of the man behind the talent.  Unfortunately, much of the behind the scenes are pretty tragic.  Much of Rich's childhood was plagued by a rocky relationship with his father.  Scenes of verbal abuse are at times very harsh, hence the PG-13 rating.  While Rich's childhood experiences and love of music drove him to a Bible college, they also drove him to a life of depression that made him, it seems, quite an emotionally charged man.  Rather true or not, the video portrays him as almost a tortured soul and throughout the movie my heart broke for him.  Despite his occasional humor and his obvious love for Jesus, he seemed sad, from childhood to his tragic death at age 41.  Rest assured though, God can use anything and anyone, and that He did with Rich.  He ministered to the poor and needy, living off very little and giving away the rest he made.  He worked with Navajo children on an Indian reservation and sought to live a life free of the temptations that fame can bring.

This is not a feel good movie.  It is a movie about a talented man who made it his life's passion to know and love Jesus and to try to share that knowledge and love with others.  One of the most poignant parts of the movie for me is where Rich sings the simple truth- Jesus Loves Me, to a church audience. A word of caution- This movie is rated PG-13.  There are some intense, emotional scenes throughout as well as drinking and smoking.  The word d**n is used at least 6 times by Rich's father. One of the most interesting things of this film for me is an interview on the bonus features of Dave Mullins, Rich's brother who discusses why they included such things.  I would encourage you to actually watch that part before viewing the movie! You can find Ragamuffin here-

Official website: http://ragamuffinthemovie.com 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/richmullinsfilm

Twitter: https://twitter.com/richmullinsfilm

You can purchase a copy of Ragamuffin at http://ragamuffinthemovie.com/buy/.

•About Rich Mullins:

Singer and songwriter Richard Wayne “Rich” Mullins was best known for his worship song “Awesome God” which has been embraced as modern classics by many Christians. His music has been covered by many artists, including Caedmon’s Call, Amy Grant, Jars of Clay, Michael W. Smith, Third Day, John Tesh, and Hillsong United. Mullins’ musical career formally began with Zion Ministries in the late 1970s, where he wrote music and performed with a band called Zion.  Mullins first solo hit, “Awesome God,” appeared on his third album and brought his music to a wider audience. Rich Mullins was inducted into the Hall of Fame by the Gospel Music Association (GMA) on April 29, 2014.

You also have a chance to win a copy of Ragamuffin simply by leaving me a comment telling me what your favorite Rich Mullins song is! A random winner will be drawn on Friday!

Blessings,

Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

 Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”