‘Welcome To Inspiration’ DVD review

This direct-to-DVD feature film includes well known artists Jason Crabb, and Larry Gatlin, although their appearances seem a little more like cameos than integral parts of the plot. Crabb, however, does provide the culminating musical performance—as himself—at a Christian cafe in the small town of Mountain Brook (or, “Inspiration,” as called in the companion book The Street Sweeper by Tim Enochs) as the character “Johnny” finally convinces his girlfriend’s father, the cafe owner, that his budding artistry is worthy of opening up for Crabb’s headline show. Always the professional, Crabb shines brightly in performance despite an awkward build-up and scene experience by the film itself.

For those seeking an accurate on-screen version of The Street Sweeper we recommend observing “Welcome To Inspiration” as a very liberal interpretation. In attempts to weave interlocking stories between character a la “Crash” (2005), this falls a bit short as it’s disjointed and focus is lost due to it’s, at times, very slow movement. Although not really a congregational-gathering film event, it does a great job of depicting conflict resolution via a Christian perspective and isn’t afraid of delivering a very real portrayal of touchy subjects like marital struggles, loss of a family member, and lack of self-confidence. Free music by Jason Crabb and companion study materials available with DVD.