“Forty-Seven Days With Jesus” – An Easter Story Especially for Our Time

Fathom Events and Reel Big deliver a timely Lenten story this March with Yoshi Barrigas– from The Chosen– in a sweet film depicting loving but workaholic dads who have come-to-Jesus moments with what’s truly important in life. Along the way, the film covers terminal illness, financial problems, and family squabbles- all interspersed with lively musical scenes that retell the original Easter Story- quite the combination. But the film segues artfully back and forth between present time and highly stylized musical depictions of events in Biblical times and, under the direction of Emilio Palame and Darlene Koldenhoven,” offers bouncy and entertaining glimpses of the Gospel story while convincingly grounded in modern day.

Looking back to the latest Christmas release from Sony, JOURNEY to BETHLEHEM and the significant role music and dance played in that production, one wonders about that fine line between “schmaltzy” and warmheartedly demonstrative. When a film hits that sweet spot, however, it is thrilling, and FORTY-SEVEN DAYS WITH JESUS could be a Sleeping Giant here…

We are introduced to the Burdon family and its patriarch, Poppa Burdon (played to a “t” by Emilio Palame, who, with writer and co-director David M. Gutel, wrote, directed, and helped produce the work). Poppa is a former fire fighter recently diagnosed with, likely, work-related cancer. He and his loving (and very wise) wife, Julianna have gathered their two adult children, Joseph (Yoshi Barrigas) and daughter (Lilli Passero) and their spouses (Catherine Lidstone and Tory N Thompson) and grandchildren for what might be One Last Easter together at their ranch.

Promotions man Joseph junior is constantly at work and distracted to the point he and his family are late in arriving to the ranch, Joseph is missing meals, and the family is noticing his problematic absence. With a suddenly-gifted “big meeting” of a creative’s lifetime happening the day before Easter, good son Joseph must make a huge choice: pitching his dream client- a Big Client, a business-saving client or joining in on the special day that has been orchestrated by his father as, not only an ALL family get-together but also the last potentially possible such gathering given his health situation. Meanwhile things are coming to an, inevitable, head with his relationship with his otherwise kind, loving, and understanding wife who is tired-to-the-max of having a husband, in effect, cheating on her by way of his workaholism.

One of the most beautiful take-away lines from this production is offered by (Emilio Palame) to his son in a moment of anguish and holy appeal to the uber-responsible adult child he, himself, raised while having been an active workaholic: “Son, your family’s security should not come at the expense of their happiness…”

Wow, and amen.

While instructive, this film offers a beautiful as well as convincing view into the workings of a Good Family and the kinds of issues that can raise their ugly heads in the course of trying to Do the Right Thing.

Casting is delightful with, of course, Jonathan Rumie look-alike Yoshi Barrigas as the husband who is a chip off the old block, and with that old block being portrayed by Palame who gives us a spot-on tough old bird family man provider example. Tony Thompson as quirky, self-employed junk-to-treasure trader son-in-law is a laugh a minute, and adorable Aliyah Camacho as his daughter- and the youngest in the group- is a stand-out with delivery of deadpan cuteness; this little star is one to watch.

If you are a Believer in Jesus Christ, no matter the denomination, you will love this film for its reminder of the importance of having great priorities for living as well as being confirmed in the Faith. If you are not a believer, you will still find this film entertaining, meaningful, and even thought-provoking in its representation of how the goodness of great values of life can be twisted in ways that cause potential harm to self and to those we love.
Completely Family-Friendly, this little Film That Can offers something for everyone.

All the twists and turns in the story, of course, lead to one of its greatest messages: that there is an exit from workaholism, and repair of its collateral damage, by way of Grace, Forgiveness, and Love since Jesus came so that we might have life- and life with more abundance, yes- is possible, and how we operate in that is the key to everything.

Look for this Reel Big Studios, Pinnacle Peak Pictures (God’s Not Dead) and Fathom Events release in theaters across the US on March 11, 12 and 14. Ticket information here.

Film trailer and all photos, including feature, courtesy of EPK from and used with permission of Sundari 2024.