Last night, Andrea and i watched, "Come What May" a film released this year by Patrick Henry College.

The film follows Caleb, a nineteen year old college student as he struggles with issues of right and wrong in his quest to win the National Moot Court Championship.

I have to say that Caleb comes from a beautifully geeky family, which argues modern political issues by writing Latin phrases on a chalk board. And Caleb chooses to go to Patrick Henry College because of it's very successful National Moot Court team. Caleb is a true brain jock.

Caleb meets Rachel, a talented veteran of the competition. Their challenge for Moot Court was to argue a Parental Notification case before the Supreme Court. Michael Farris, the Chancellor of Patrick Henry College, playing himself urges the duo to go for the jugular, and challenge Roe v. Wade itself, while Caleb wants to make a lame argument based on parental rights, which he figures has a better chance of winning.

Complicating Caleb's life are his growing feelings for Rachel, who is staunchly pro-life and all on board with the go for the jugular approach advocated by Farris, and the fact that his mother, a high-powered DC Attorney is arguing the opposition position in the real case moving towards the Supreme Court. Oh, and if Caleb doesn't win the Championship, he's not going to be back next year.

There's a lot to be said about the films flaws, particularly if you demand every film entertain you like it's a cartoon or action movie. However, the film was a student production done on a budget with a little help from some entertainment industry veterans, so it's really not fair to even make the comparison. The fair way to judge the film is whether it accomplished what it set out to do.

Given the heady world of academic exercises it inhabits, it tells a compelling story of a family dealing with fundamental big issues. It packs a powerful moral lesson about the importance of doing the right thing. Both Caleb and his father, a University Biology professor who has written a book that could cost him his job. Father and son both wrestle with their consciences on screen. Meanwhile, Rachel is very careful about purity before marriage and earns Caleb's respect for her beliefs.

One has to say the film is a tour de force for Patrick Henry College. Yes, there may be folks who give it ** and slam it on IMDB, but I doubt sending their kids to Patrick Henry College was something your average negative reviewer would ever consider. Patrick Henry College is portrayed as a school that believes in following Christian precepts, and encouraging young people to act with boldness and courage to transform their world. I'd have loved to have gone to Patrick Henry, but life didn't work out that way, and when I have kids, I'd love for them to go.

All those Moot Court Championships are reasons why liberals would be well-advised to quake in their boots. The students at Patrick Henry are learning to argue well, at the highest levels of the legal system, and PHC is turning out a great number of Christian lawyers who are ready to win.

The moot court scenes were incredibly well done, and you got a real picture of the competition and its excitement.

Criticisms of the film? There was a lot of underacting going on as well as some very stiff delivery in some places. Also, the movie took a pro-courtship stance but I think failed to explain their beliefs adequately, particularly as it relates to the role of the a Father in most courting relationships. The whole "Courtship" model is so counter-cultural, that it'll seem weird, even to many Christians. And to others the idea of waiting for Dad's approval before beginning on the road to marriage seems so old-fashioned, it does deserve some explanation. Also, there were a few places where the sound was weak.

Still, the overarching message makes it a great film for committed high school and college age Christians, in particular.