The Forge 2024

In Charlotte, North Carolina, 19-year-old Isaiah Wright, Aspen Kennedy Wright plays basketball and video games with his friends, but is negligent in his home life with chores. His mother Cynthia insists he get a job or move out, as he’s passed on attending college. Isaiah has a decrepit Ford Mustang in their garage that his father failed to restore with him as promised, so he commutes by bike. At a coffee shop, Isaiah flirts with the cashier Abigail, until her father kicks Isaiah out. Isaiah fills out an application for Moore Fitness when a man walks in and asks Isaiah why he’s there. A dismissive Isaiah finds out the man is the president of the company, Cameron Arnett. Leaving, Isaiah is stopped by Joshua, who invites Isaiah to lunch.

During lunch, Cameron Arnett (the president of Moore Fitness) gives him his business card and asks him three questions, telling him to call when he’s ready to answer them. Cynthia discusses Isaiah’s life prospects with her friends when Isaiah asks to borrow her car. After facing one dead end for applying, Isaiah gives up his daily search to play basketball, losing track of time. When he returns late, Cynthia lambasts him, comparing him to his father, leading Isaiah to storm off. Cynthia laments to her friends while Isaiah decides to take up the lunch invitation.

Isaiah returns, answering Joshua’s questions vaguely. Joshua tells Isaiah that he wishes to mentor him and promote life principles, and shows him the factory floor. Joshua introduces Isaiah to his wife, Janelle Moore, B.J. Arnett. When Isaiah shows up late and unprepared for work on his third day, Joshua firmly tells him the importance of being on time. Cynthia invites Miss Clara Williams, Karen Abercrombie, a devout Christian, for prayer support. Joshua tells Isaiah biblical verses and invites him for a food distribution event. Isaiah volunteers and begins to feel better. Isaiah learns from Janelle that her son Jalen was killed at the age of 17 by a drunk driver. Joshua had blamed Janelle, and a mechanic introduced Joshua to the Christian faith. Isaiah contemplates over a paper at the charity event and expresses desire for Jesus.

Joshua takes Isaiah as his brother in Christ and suggests baptism. Isaiah is given more work experience and is introduced to the Forge, a meetup of Christian men who were inspired by Joshua. Isaiah begins reading the Bible and organizes his room, reluctantly surrendering video games. Isaiah learns of the international missionaries done by Moore Fitness (mission accounts) and the importance of “top accounts” needed to sustain them. While meeting with a truck driver, Isaiah finds out the driver is his father, who abandoned his family after cheating on Cynthia and taking most of their savings. He opens up to Joshua about his desire for revenge, and Joshua relates once wanting the drunk driver who killed his son to “rot in his cell.” Joshua emphasizes the need for forgiveness and gives him his journal.

rot in his cell

Overheard by Cynthia, Isaiah forgives his dad and praises the Lord. At the Forge, Joshua gives him a sword, telling him the importance of support. Forge member Bobby tells Isaiah he was the drunk driver responsible for Jalen’s death; Joshua led Bobby to Jesus and was the first person Joshua helped. Isaiah begins paying rent, exercising, is baptized, and continues to follow the Lord. Now 20 years old, Isaiah tells Joshua he sent a letter to his dad. Joshua blesses Isaiah before the Forge, and Cynthia shows Isaiah the newly constructed Mustang fixed with Joshua’s help and gives him the car. Isaiah returns to the coffee shop and apologizes to Abigail and her dad, who accepts the apology.

The Moores are at a business meeting in Dallas when accountant Emmet tells Joshua of competing gym company Slayer Sports; Moore Fitness’ top account Gym Fit recently elected a president, Greyson Lance, who requested 3,000 units from both companies as a competition over who could supply them faster. Failure to deliver the units and secure the top partnership with Gym Fit would mean Moore Fitness loses the mission account or dismisses a third of their employees. Meanwhile, Joshua convinces the remaining employees, who have just done an 8-hour shift, to take on the extensive order into a further 16 hours. The engineer Cody uses his robots to assist. Joshua tells Emmet to let Isaiah speak with Lance; Isaiah convinces him to agree to a 7-year partnership.

In a mid-credits scene, Isaiah receives a message from his dad in which he asks to talk. Abigail and Isaiah share a friendly encounter in college.