Bart Millard’s quintuple platinum song, “I Can Only Imagine,” is the highest-selling Christian single of all time. The 2018 film of that name, co-written by Millard, tells his story, from growing up with a cruelly abusive father (played by Dennis Quaid), to meeting the girl who would become his wife at church camp, to starting a Christian rock band, to reconciling with his father before he died, and writing the song that brought him success. The name of the band is Mercy Me, which is what Bart’s grandmother said when he told her his career was going to be music.
This sequel picks up after that happy ending to ask, “Is there life after the happily ever after, when it all gets hard again, and the pain never goes away?” Broadway musical star John Michael Finley returns as Bart, now married to Shannon (Sophie Skelton, taking over from Madeline Carroll). They have young children, and he is torn about leaving the family behind when his band goes on tour. Their oldest son, Sam, asks, “Why do you always have to miss the good stuff?” On tour, Bart gets a frantic phone call. Sam is in the hospital. He is diagnosed with juvenile diabetes, which means constant monitoring.
The movie jumps ahead a decade, with new personal, medical, and professional challenges. Bart has been having trouble writing a new hit song. Sam (Sammy Dell) is a grumpy teenager who is unreliable about monitoring his blood sugar and resents his parents for nagging him. The struggle with Sam brings back unhappy memories of Bart’s difficulties with his own father; he has doubts about whether he has what it takes to be the father his children need. Mercy Me has been unexpectedly promoted to headliners on the Christian music circuit, and they need a new opening act.
They bring on Tim Timmons (Milo Ventimiglia), and Bart impulsively decides to bring Sam along on the tour bus as well. Tim quickly befriends Sam and encourages him to perform. And Bart tries to find a way to be the father Sam needs.
Finley, a pastor’s son who starred in “Les Miz” and “Book of Mormon” on Broadway, has a beautiful voice and sings Millard’s songs with meaning. The standout performances are Ventimiglia, who makes Timmons a vibrant, touching character, and real-life country singer Trace Adkins as the band’s manager, Scott “Brick” Brickell. The most moving scene may be when Timmons explains his unusual first-thing-in-the-morning ritual to ensure he always feels present and grateful.
The characters face so many difficulties, reconciling with the past, confronting grief and fear, that the storyline feels cluttered, especially when the problems are weighted so evenly that it seems the emotional and medical challenges are all there just to help Bart write another hit song. The movie tells better than it shows when it comes to Bart’s relationship with the musicians in Mercy Me, limited to a lot of frat-level pranks and wisecracks for bonding.
The characters’ relationship to faith is presented with sincerity but not depth. The dialogue is less gospel than a greeting card/fortune cookie. Bart tells Shannon about his fear that he will let Sam down: “I’m worried I might break him.” She replies, “Or he might fix you.” Bart, Tim, and Sam are all inspired by the 19th-century hymn “It is Well With My Soul,” written by Horatio Spafford, and the origin story, with Spafford writing the lyrics after devastating loss, is described with feeling. But the message is pretty much limited to “faith is good,” without getting too specific about teachings or insights.
This movie is designed for an audience already dedicated to the music of Millard and Timmons, and to the particular Christian tradition they represent. Those who are already fans will appreciate this chance to share his story, but those who do not know him may find it uninspiring. Bart is not preaching to the choir; he’s harmonizing with those who are already there.
