I think I’ve been fairly frank that a faith-based movie has to earn my respect.

I require (in no particular order):

• Good acting
• Good production values
• A good story
• Be biblically sound
• Not be “preachy”

Like Dandelion Dust, based on a novel by Karen Kingsbury, arguably the reigning queen of contemporary Christian women’s

fiction, met all my criteria, I’m pleased to say.

It has real actors who I’ve seen in other shows and movies. Barry Pepper was in Saving Private Ryan. Mira Sorvino has an Oscar. Kate Levering from Drop Dead Diva. Cole Hauser has been in ER and Good Will Hunting and one of the Die Hard movies. All fine

The sets don’t look like sets and they don’t look like rental houses that they moved into just for filming. Well, one house sort of does, but it’s supposed to be a pretentious showplace, so I gave it a pass.

The story is compelling. A battered woman gives up her son for adoption while her husband is in prison. When he’s released, she tells him about the baby and they begin proceedings to get the young boy back from his adoptive family.

Can an alcoholic with anger management issues keep it together long enough to convince his wife and the social workers that he’s ready to be a father?

The movie is not at all preachy. The faith elements are incidental to the story, and woven in just fine. Just the way I like it.

The story is somewhat predictable and played out the way I expected but the story and actors held my interest.

This one has been on my Neflix queue for some time. I’m glad it made its way to me.