Faith Based 2020

Comedy

Rank

#11,498

Runtime

92 min

Language

English

Directed by

Vincent Masciale

Made by

Gravitas Ventures

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Faith Based Plot Summary

Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Faith Based (2020). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.

Luke and Tanner were childhood friends who, now in their 30s, share a rental home in Reseda where the days drift by with plenty of marijuana and a sense that something bigger could be possible. Luke’s adoptive father, a church pastor named Mike, often rails at his son for a perceived lack of motivation, even as the church itself teeters on the edge of financial trouble. Mike’s worries aren’t just about rent or bills; he’s seen churches gain money and attention by embracing a different kind of storytelling, including faith-inspired films. This observation plants a seed in Luke’s mind: what if they could craft a Christian film that paid for the church’s needs and perhaps kept his father’s ministry afloat?

The two friends decide to explore the possibility and set up a meeting with Jane, the head of acquisitions at ChristFlix, a distributor known for faith-centered cinema. Jane lays out a clear, almost procedural blueprint for what she considers a successful Christian film. The formula is practical and specific: an openly Christian star, a title that includes unmistakable Christian terminology, a peril-driven plot that grips audiences, and, above all, a compelling, explicit treatment of Christian themes. Armed with this knowledge, Luke and Tanner begin to imagine a project that would tick every box while still telling a story with room for character, ambition, and faith.

With the plan taking shape, they settle on a working title—and a plot line—that would maximize those elements. They envision A Prayer in Space, a story about an astronaut stranded on Mars and praying for rescue, a premise designed to make him the first person to pray outside of Earth. The concept is bold, almost allegorical in its reach, and it’s crafted to resonate with a broad audience while remaining squarely within the formula Jane described. To bring the role of God to life, they recruit Butch Savage, a once-dynamo action star whose career has started to wane, believing his presence could lend the kind of gravitas and familiarity that the project’s target audience respects.

As the idea grows from a casual conversation into a concrete plan, Luke and Tanner see two intertwined goals: to create something commercially viable within the Christian film marketplace and to secure a financial lifeline for Mike’s church. The project represents a collision of art and practicality, faith and commerce, all filtered through the lens of friends trying to navigate a difficult moment in their lives. The result is a pitch that promises not only entertainment but also a potential rescue, a chance to turn personal history into a hopeful future.

Faith Based Timeline

Follow the complete movie timeline of Faith Based (2020) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.

Luke and Tanner live in Reseda

Childhood friends Luke and Tanner share a rental home in Reseda in their 30s, spending a lot of time smoking marijuana. Luke lacks motivation, and his adoptive father Mike, a church pastor, constantly berates him. Mike worries that Luke's inertia could jeopardize the church he leads.

Reseda, California

Pastor Mike confronts Luke

Pastor Mike admonishes Luke for his lack of drive and warns that the church's future is at stake. He also notes that some congregations have achieved financial success by producing faith-based films, hinting at a possible path for Luke. The conversation underscores the tension between Luke's directionless life and his father's religious responsibility.

Pastor Mike's church

A plan takes shape

Mike's remark about faith-based films sparks an idea in Luke: create a Christian film to generate profits that could help save Mike's church. The notion reframes Luke's motivation from personal indifference to a potential mission. The seed of a movie project begins to take root in his mind.

Reseda, California

Meeting with ChristFlix

Luke and Tanner meet Jane, the head of acquisitions for ChristFlix, who specializes in Christian cinema. Jane outlines how studios evaluate a film's potential and what traits help a faith-based movie reach audiences. The encounter exposes them to the world of faith-friendly distribution.

ChristFlix offices

Jane's formula for success

Jane enumerates the elements she believes make a Christian film work: an openly Christian star, a title with Christian terminology, a peril-driven plot, and a clear discussion of Christian themes. Luke and Tanner absorb these criteria and realize their project must follow the formula to have any chance. The lesson sets up the structural goals for their pitch.

ChristFlix offices

The film's title and premise

Luke and Tanner decide to call their project A Prayer in Space. They pitch a story about an astronaut trapped on Mars who prays for rescue, positioning the protagonist as the first person to pray outside Earth. The concept crystallizes around a perilous journey rooted in faith.

Reseda home

Casting a god

They recruit Butch Savage, an actor whose action-film career is waning, to play God in the film. The casting choice reflects both the need for a big-screen presence and the desire to revive a fading star's career. The collaboration marks a key step in assembling the film's creative team.

Casting office

Butch Savage's career context

The narrative notes that Butch Savage's career in action cinema is on the decline, which motivates his involvement with the project. His decision to join the film serves as a catalyst for the plan to pursue a faith-based vehicle. The pairing hints at the commercial logic behind the project.

Casting office

Profit motive and church salvation

With the project underway, Luke and his allies intend to use the profits from the film to save Mike's church. The plan reframes their creative ambition as a financial lifeline for a community they care about. This motive aligns personal stakes with financial incentives.

Reseda, California

Faith Based Characters

Explore all characters from Faith Based (2020). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.

Luke (Luke Barnett)

Luke is a well-meaning but directionless friend who wants to use a Christian film to save his church. He grapples with motivation, responsibility, and the pull between faith and pragmatism as he pursues a dream that could either redeem or ruin him.

🎯 Ambition 💡 Creativity 🤔 Morality

Tanner (Tanner Thomason)

Tanner is Luke's equally practical friend who becomes a partner in pursuing the faith-based project. He blends humor with stubborn determination, pushing the plan forward while questioning the costs.

🤝 Friendship 🎯 Loyalty 🧭 Go-getter

Mike

Mike is Luke's adoptive father and a church pastor under pressure to keep his church afloat. His frustration with Luke's lack of motivation motivates the film's central plan, revealing the cost of faith under financial strain.

👨‍👦 Family 💼 Pressure 🙏 Faith

Jane

Jane is the head of acquisitions at ChristFlix who explains the rigid formula for a successful Christian film. She represents the business side of faith-based entertainment and drives the characters toward a market-driven approach.

🧾 Business 🗣 Negotiation 🎯 Strategy

Butch Savage

Butch Savage is an actor whose action-film career is fading who is recruited to play God in the duo's movie. He embodies industry realities and the temptation to chase stardom again.

🎬 Veteran 💥 Comeback 🤔 Paradox

God

God is the on-screen role within the film that Luke and Tanner craft, reflecting their attempt to frame faith as a rescue mission. The character represents the theological backbone of their project, even as it sits within a manufactured narrative.

🎭 Divine ✨ Faith 🕊️ Spirituality

Faith Based Settings

Learn where and when Faith Based (2020) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.

Location

Reseda, Los Angeles, California

Reseda, a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, serves as the film's setting. Luke and Tanner share a cramped rental home there, reflecting their modest means and stalled dreams. The city environment provides an everyday backdrop that contrasts with their ambitious plan to make a faith-based film.

🏡 Suburban setting 🎬 Film industry backdrop 🕊️ Faith-related community

Faith Based Themes

Discover the main themes in Faith Based (2020). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.

🎬

Faith-Based Film Industry

A central theme is how religious messages are packaged for commercial audiences. Luke and Tanner chase the formula the distributor demands, balancing overt Christian terminology and peril-driven plot with genuine belief. The film comments on how faith can become a marketable product and what that means for sincerity. The result is a satirical look at faith-based entertainment and its impact on communities.

🤝

Friendship and Ambition

Two childhood friends navigate adult responsibilities and shared dreams. Their partnership drives the plot and fuels their risky plan to save a church. The dynamic tests loyalty, trust, and the line between collaboration and competition.

🎭

Authenticity vs. Performance

The characters' effort to perform faith on screen mirrors their real lives. They choose a dangerous equation: a star, a religious-sounding title, and dramatic stakes to attract audiences. The tension between sincerity and showmanship drives the narrative and character decisions.

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Faith Based Spoiler-Free Summary

Discover the spoiler-free summary of Faith Based (2020). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.

In the sun‑bleached sprawl of Reseda, two childhood friends share a cramped rental and a steady cloud of marijuana smoke. Luke drifts between his adoptive father’s expectations and his own aimlessness, while Tanner balances restless ambition with a knack for improvisation. Their days are a mix of low‑budget home‑video experiments and endless chatter about “making it,” a conversation that feels both absurd and earnest in a neighborhood where every storefront seems to promise a fresh start.

The pair’s dynamic is tested when Mike, a weary pastor fighting to keep his dwindling congregation afloat, points out an unconventional source of salvation: the booming market for faith‑based cinema. The notion that a modestly produced spiritual film could generate the funds to rescue a church ignites a spark in Luke, who sees a chance to prove his worth while giving his father a lifeline. The conversation turns from sermon notes to storyboards, setting the stage for a venture that is as much about personal redemption as it is about financial rescue.

A meeting with Jane, the sharp‑tongued head of acquisitions at ChristFlix, reveals a surprisingly formulaic playbook for success: an openly Christian star, a title that screams devotion, a perilous plot, and overt theological discussion. Armed with this checklist, the duo christens their project “A Prayer in Space,” a tongue‑in‑cheek premise about an astronaut who becomes the first to pray beyond Earth’s atmosphere. To fulfill the star requirement, they enlist Butch Savage, a once‑renowned action hero whose career has waned, offering him the surreal role of God.

The film within the film promises a satire‑laden, heartfelt ride through the world of indie production, where lofty aspirations clash with limited resources, and where friendship is both the engine and the anchor. The tone balances irreverent humor with sincere wonder, inviting viewers to wonder how far two dreamers will go when faith, profit, and nostalgia converge on a cosmic prayer.

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