Jesus Revolution: release date, reviews, cast and everything we know about the faith-based movie

Inspirational faith-based stories have found a niche in the movies in recent years, and Jesus Revolution is the latest example, joining the slate of 2023 new movies. This based-on-a-true-story movie sees how two groups that couldn't appear more different are able to come together in their faith.

Jesus Revolution comes from the team that made 2018's I Can Only Imagine, which made more than $80 million at the US box office. Other examples of faith-based movies that have had success in recent years include American Underdog, Miracles from Heaven, God's Not Dead, Breakthrough and Heaven is for Real. Can Jesus Revolution have similar success?

Here is everything you need to know about Jesus Revolution.

Jesus Revolution release date

Jesus Revolution debuts exclusively in movie theaters on February 24. It's a fitting bit of counter-programming if the R-rated Cocaine Bear movie is not necessarily your speed. 

Check out our post on how to watch Jesus Revolution for more info.

Jesus Revolution plot

Based on the book Jesus Revolution: How God Transformed an Unlikely Generation and How He Can Do It Again Today by Greg Laurie and Ellen Vaugh, Jesus Revolution tells a version of Laurie's story on how he found his faith in the '60s and '70s with the help of some unlikely people. Here is the official synopsis:

"In the 1970s, young Greg Laurie is searching for all the right things in all the wrong places: until he meets Lonnie Frisbee, a charismatic hippie-street-preacher. Together with Pastor Chuck Smith, they open the doors of Smith's languishing church to an unexpected revival of radical and newfound love, leading to what TIME Magazine dubbed a JESUS REVOLUTION."

The script was written by Jon Erwin and Jon Gunn.

Jesus Revolution trailer

Watch the trailer for Jesus Revolution right here: 

Jesus Revolution cast

The biggest name attached to Jesus Revolution is Kelsey Grammer, who is set to play the role of Pastor Chuck Smith. Grammer is of course best known for playing Fraiser Crane in both the Cheers and Fraiser TV shows, the latter of which is getting a reboot on Paramount Plus. More recently, he's been seen in Dr. Death, Moneyplane and he continues to voice Sideshow Bob on The Simpsons.

The movie also features Jonathan Rumie as Lonnie Frisbee. Rumie has experience in faith-based titles, playing Jesus in the TV series The Chosen. Playing Greg Laurie in the movie, meanwhile, is Joel Courtney, who is best known for his role in the Netflix rom-com franchise The Kissing Booth.

Also starring in the movie are Kimberly Williams-Paisley (Dog Gone), Anna Grace Barlow (The Big Leap), Nicholas Cirillo (Outer Banks), DeVon Franklin (Canal Street) and more.

Jesus Revolution reviews — what the critics are saying

There definitely appears to be a divide between critics and audiences on Jesus Revolution, at least looking at the movie's Rotten Tomatoes scores. Critics are split at 50% on the movie, though that does technically classify it as "Rotten." General moviegoers who have seen the movie, however, have thrown their full support behind the movie, giving it an Audience score of 100% (both scores as of February 23).

Jesus Revolution director

Jon Erwin and Brent McCorkle co-directed Jesus Revolution. Erwin's previous directing credits include American Underdog, I Still Believe and I Can Only Imagine, all of which he co-directed with his brother Andrew Erwin (while not directing, Andrew Erwin is a producer on Jesus Revolution).

For McCorkle, this is his biggest directing credit to date, though he previously worked with Erwin as the composer for I Can Only Imagine.