Charisma News Brief: Angel Studios’ ‘The Shift’ Brings Redemption and Hope to the Cinema
In an exclusive interview with Charisma News, actor Neal McDonough and director Brock Heasley shared how this story is meant to draw people in with a greater understanding of how God does see and care for His people even when there are times of turbulence and silence.
Birthed out of a short film from Heasley about eight years ago, the film shows the testing of a man in a similar fashion to Job.
“I had this guy who would have this incredible experience with God, where he realized that God is real, God cares about me and God sees me,” Heasley said. “And that’s kind of where we find Job at the beginning of his story. And then Job is tested, and then he starts to wonder where in the world did God go. And so that’s the journey that we see happen in the film where Kevin has had this experience and then he’s just, from his perspective, abandoned.”
In the story, McDonough plays “The Benefactor,” the equivalent of Satan in the book of Job. McDonough’s portrayal is nothing short of stellar, drawing on his extensive acting career that spans characters ranging from Lieutenant Buck in “Band of Brothers,” to the Jonathan Stonagal in “Left Behind: Rise of the Antichrist.” For McDonough he wants to give glory to God in every role he plays and every project he accepts, and The Shift” is no exception to that practice.
“I kind of pride myself on giving everything I can on screen so I never let anyone down, especially God because He gave me this gift,” McDonough said. “And you think, Well, you just played the devil? How could that give glory to God? Well, first I said no to it. And then my wife convinced me to do it by saying, ‘you know, you’re one of the best villains; you have a great relationship with God. This is a chance for you to amplify that light through playing Lucifer.'”
McDonough shared how one particular scene of “The Shift” showcased the devil’s amazement at the main character for being able to resist temptation, causing a powerful moment on screen.
“It’s one of my favorite moments I’ve ever had on screen because it really gives glory to God. Although I’m playing a very dark character, it amplifies life because that’s what this film is about,” McDonough said.
“The Shift” premieres in theaters December 1. {eoa}
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Abby Trivett is a marketing copywriter and coordinator for Charisma Media.
