The Least of These : The Graham Staines Story - Movie Review

I like faith-based films. They have gotten better in recent years. I had high expectations for The Least of These, but was honestly a little bit disappointed. With such solid films in this genre recently, I was expecting more. The story is a great story. It is a true story. The delivery didn't have the polish that I hoped for.

Graham Staines (Stephen Baldwin) was a missionary to India during the 1990s. His work focused on healing lepers, who were considered dead by society. He and his wife Gladys (Shari Rigby) ran a leper treatment center with their three children. Growing anti-Christian sentiment was focused on illegal conversions. Conversion to Christianity in India was only legal if it was not induced or coerced. A young reporter, Manav Banerjee (Sharman Joshi) is intent on exposing Staines. In the process, he learns about love and redemption. Staines gives everything for people who have been rejected by their own communities, paying the ultimate price simply for choosing to love.

The Least of These is a compelling story. It is a true story, which makes it all the more poignant. Staines understood the risk, yet he chose to expose himself not only to leprosy, but to religious oppression as well. The story is framed through the lens of a reported, who is attempting to expose Staines for breaking the law. Staines knows the law and is careful not to violate it. Many of the people he works with do not convert. That was never a condition for the help he offered. Creating a protagonist in the form of a local journalist added dimension to the story, but it felt choppy to me. Even forced at times. I thought the story itself was endearing, but the characters didn't really appeal to me as much as they could have. The screenplay needed a bit of work.

I like Stephen Baldwin. However, his affected Australian accent in this film was distracting. His delivery seemed off at times, as well. I don't know if it was merely the poor sync quality between the sound and the film or whether it was just his performance. But he was disappointing to me. Joshi was solid, although I didn't care for the character he portrayed. It seemed inconsistent at times. But the performance was solid. I think the best performances, what little they were, came from the children. Those performances felt the most natural. This film could survive with an unknown cast. It just needed a bit of work. Baldwin wasn't horrible, but he wasn't at his best.

The MPAA tagged The Least of These with a PG-13 rating. As a faith-based film, there wasn't much objectionable to be found here. The story itself, which deals with the murder of a missionary and his two children is tough subject matter. The film depicts them being burned alive, although not graphically. The film also shows the aftermath, but not the actual bodies. It is careful to not leave an indelible mark, while giving the factual elements to the core facts of the story. This film would be okay for any age category. Just be prepared to discuss why people would murder children because of what they believe. Run time is one hour, 52 minutes.

The Least of These is a compelling story. While the delivery could have been better, the fundamentals of the story are moving. There was a point in the film where I felt moved. While there were times when the screenplay felt forced or choppy, the broader story stands on its own merit. I liked this film, fundamentally. I did not know the story. It highlights the persecution of the church even today. While the film has a Hallmark bent, it has enough value to recommend. It had room for improvement, but it isn't bad. IMDb has the film at 7.8 currently. I think it will eventually drop below 7. I am not sure why the rating is so high right now. Maybe I am a bit harsh because of my expectations, but I am fairly certain it will settle around 7 (or below). I will go with 7/10.

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