Saint John Bosco: Mission to Love- Movie Review

Before I watched this movie, Meredith picked it up and said "This is three hours and 20 minutes long."

"It is?" I said.

And it had subtitles. And the opening scene was poorly acted.

But this was a movie made with love. No doubt some editing of the overused flashbacks would have resulted in a shorter film, but at the same time, that might not have portrayed the work that Don Bosco did with the abandoned youth of Turin as well. Perhaps there wouldn't have been time to show how he stood up to church and state authorities, time after time, simply to provide places for the youth to play and learn, a mission that began after a chance visit to a youth prison where not even the light of day penetrated the crowded, inhumane institution. Or time to have a scene where Don Bosco holds out his empty hand to a boy, striking it in half and saying he would share what he had.

"But you have nothing," the boy said.

What he had was love.

John Bosco, a born student, was put to work in the fields after his father died by an older brother who kept telling him the world was hard and he better learn that. He studied for a time with an older priest, and afterward ran away from home to study for the priesthood. His calling came from God, not from man. At odds with authorities constantly, he turned down assignments and sought ways to help the youth on the street and in jail, such as offering to take groups out of the prison, at the risk of having to go to jail himself if any of them ran away.

His superior kept telling him "You must not insist" whenever Don Bosco tried to change the status quo . But his insistence led to the establishment of the Salesian order and its founding members were some of the youth that he so lovingly protected.

The length of this movie immerses the viewer in stark scenes showing Don Boso working with the children juxtaposed with how authorities saw what he was doing. He was censured for disobedience, labeled a fool, and taken to task for having too much pride. And most of all he was criticized for showing trust toward these abandoned youths, who came to him in droves, seeking a piece of bread, and leaving with an education.

Don Bosco could have chosen not to follow the call of God to help these youths. What I loved about this movie is that his joy of doing so was so clearly shown.
[image description: A picture of the actor playing Saint John Bosco is shown, wearing black robes. Behind him is the actress who played his mother and a group of boys are shown in the background. The words : The Story of the Apostle of Youth are shown on top. Below the title of the film is shown: Saint John Bosco: Mission to Love.]