‘A Great Awakening’ – a film worth seeing

I don’t normally endorse films because there are so few worth watching these days, but every once in a while, one comes along that makes me sit up and take notice. My wife and I saw A Great Awakening yesterday, and I walked out of the theater feeling both inspired and hopeful. This isn’t just another historical drama—it’s a timely story that reminds us where our nation’s spiritual and political roots really lie.

The movie tells the true story of an unlikely friendship between the Reverend George Whitefield and Benjamin Franklin. Whitefield started life as a poor young boy in England. Thanks to a scholarship from a generous patron, he received training at Oxford University and was influenced by John and Charles Wesley, the founders of the Methodist Church. What emerged was one of history’s most passionate evangelists—a man with a voice that could be heard by huge crowds and a heart on fire for the gospel.

Whitefield first came to America in the 1730s. According to many historians, his open-air preaching helped spark what we now call America’s First Great Awakening. Thousands upon thousands gathered in fields and town squares to hear him proclaim liberty in Christ. His messages crossed denominational lines and united people in a way that transcended colonial rivalries. That spiritual awakening, the film powerfully suggests, helped give the young colonies the moral courage and unity they needed to declare independence from Britain and ultimately defeat the world’s most powerful army and navy.

One of the most fascinating parts of the story is Whitefield’s friendship with Benjamin Franklin. Franklin, the clever printer and thinker, saw the commercial value in Whitefield’s popularity and published his sermons, which brought him good profit. Yet Franklin himself never fully embraced the passionate call to personal faith that Whitefield so fervently preached. Still, the two men formed a genuine bond that lasted for years.

Later, when the Continental Congress became bogged down in seemingly hopeless debate over drafting our Constitution in the 1780s, an older Benjamin Franklin rose to speak. Drawing on what he had learned from his friend Whitefield, Franklin made an impassioned plea for prayer and divine guidance. That moment helped turn the tide and get the delegates back on course to create our beloved U.S. Constitution, which we too often take for granted today.

The film does a beautiful job bringing this history to life. The acting is strong, the production values are excellent, and the story moves at a pace that keeps you engaged from beginning to end. Best of all, it doesn’t shy away from the spiritual heart of the matter—how a genuine awakening in the hearts of the people laid the foundation for American liberty.

I highly recommend you go see A Great Awakening while it’s still in theaters. Released on April 3, 2026, in honor of America’s 250th anniversary, it’s playing on screens across the country right now. And when you go, take your grandkids with you. For many of them, U.S. history class can feel dry and distant. This movie makes it come alive—showing that real people, with real faith and real disagreements, shaped the nation we inherited.

Who knows? Watching it together might do more than teach history. It might plant a seed. Maybe, just maybe, it could help spark another Great Awakening in our land—one that reminds us that true liberty isn’t found only in laws written on paper, but in hearts changed by the gospel of Jesus Christ.

In these uncertain times, as we celebrate 250 years since 1776, we could use a fresh reminder of where our strength as a people really comes from. A Great Awakening delivers that reminder with dignity, drama, and hope.

Go see it. You won’t regret it.

Thanks for reading All About Seniors. See you next week!

Bill Milby is a Director of Visiting Angels® of Central Georgia, a non-medical, living assistance service for seniors. If you have questions or comments about this column, you can reach him at william.mercylink@gmail.com or search for us at  facebook.com/VisitingAngelsofCentralGA.