While this looks to be made by an ameture, there is a fun and warmth to the movie.
First, the screenplay could have been better. It has a slow start and can be a bit preachy at times. I see this in other Christian movies, they assume you don't get it so they spell it out for you. But honestly, we do get it. It could have moved at a better pace, but overall not too bad.
Second, the director/editing. Several scenes needed to be reshot, but for some reason "good enough" seemed to rule the day on this film. (budget, time,????)
Acting was all over the place. Some scenes looked like some high school kids got together to make a movie and other scenes were touching. But some of the characters were simply not believable. Crazy as it may seem, the lead role (was he the director/writer/executive producer's son?) actually was not bad. He seemed to be a natural.
Overall this was a fun film with a nice message as long as you don't expect too much.
16 Reviews
Just a film
chilly-5416121 July 2021
If you don't like it, don't watch it. Kind of a nice, harmless movie. Some clever scenes with the kids. And yes, the actors may be mostly amateur . At least it was clean, decent, with good messages. 1:27 of your time could be spent on stupid stuff.
A story with heart
bareth-518616 October 2019
Great Public Relations
bkoganbing22 March 2021
A cast with uniformly amateurish performances succeed in making The Mysterious Note a film not to leave church showings or TCT. Taking a quick glance at the resumes of the
performers I could find no other credits but this film.
While on a trip to rural Michigan a man ho is investigating one of his company's franchised hardware stores he brings his family along. The kids bond and find The said Mysterious Note in the store and go off exploring.
While that is happening the two dads kind of butt heads over the franchise owner's applying Christian principles to running his business. In real life this store would go bust though great public relations would be established.
Sincere, but amateurish to the nth degree.
While on a trip to rural Michigan a man ho is investigating one of his company's franchised hardware stores he brings his family along. The kids bond and find The said Mysterious Note in the store and go off exploring.
While that is happening the two dads kind of butt heads over the franchise owner's applying Christian principles to running his business. In real life this store would go bust though great public relations would be established.
Sincere, but amateurish to the nth degree.
Moral lessons overshadowed by bad acting
jpragasam26 November 2020
movie for amateur actors
claire13455 October 2019
This should be accompanied by a warning label
hans-10-39731831 January 2020
Decided to watch this with our son. Regretted the decision after ten minutes (as the grown-up) given the horrific acting. Worse than a c-reel.
It goes rapidly downhill from here. This is an evangelical indoctrination movie, nothing else. And unless you belong to one of those churches that are all talk the talk (and take your money), stay clear!
DNF!!!
It goes rapidly downhill from here. This is an evangelical indoctrination movie, nothing else. And unless you belong to one of those churches that are all talk the talk (and take your money), stay clear!
DNF!!!
Sweet film
Dodibird26 May 2022
If you're looking for a big Hollywood production, then this isn't for you. This film is what it is, and the acting was perfectly fine for it. It reminded me of the old after school adventures that use to come on once in a while. I think its excellent for all ages, but it depends on what you like. For me, a good clean adventure film that included a positive message throughout was great to see, and yes...the Lord was exalted as He should be so good for them.
Bad Acting. Meaningless story
mishelsinger3 July 2021
You should definitely check it out!
andynian14 November 2019
This movie is really great! I almost missed it because of the poor review by other viewers!
I totally get it why some people don't like it. The first part of the movie is kinda boring to me, and the acting is a bit weird. I didn't expect much because of the reviews, so I kept on watching it. After I got through the boring part, the movie got more and more interesting. When I finished the film, l'm delighted that I didn't missed out the movie!
The movie has a great message for everyone, and the background music is really nice! Don't take the poor reviews too serious, just sit back and enjoy the ride!
I totally get it why some people don't like it. The first part of the movie is kinda boring to me, and the acting is a bit weird. I didn't expect much because of the reviews, so I kept on watching it. After I got through the boring part, the movie got more and more interesting. When I finished the film, l'm delighted that I didn't missed out the movie!
The movie has a great message for everyone, and the background music is really nice! Don't take the poor reviews too serious, just sit back and enjoy the ride!
Seems to be a great film, but it's not. I regret watching this one.
XueHuaBingYu6 October 2019
Warning: Spoilers
The Mysterious Note is one of those bad films that I've watched in this year. The plot seems to be great and mysterious, but it turned out to be dumb plot. But I like the fact that we people should be kind to other people, so that the world we know will be beautiful.
This might be only me, but I find that the video quality is really bad. The one I got is really bad. I feel like I was watching 1990s film instead of 2019 film. It's so bright and kind of ugly. It really doesn't seem like 2019 made film.
What made me feel disturb the most is the voices of actors and actresses. I feel like I'm watching an English dubbed version of a foreign film. What's the hell wrong with the actors and actresses' voices? If they've used the separate voice artists, their voice acting is really terrible. This is the main reason that makes this film a bad one.
What I don't like is there's no explanation on the contents of the so-called mysterious note. What are the documents? And what's the note all about? Why do those need to be destroyed? They should've explained about that.
About the actors and actresses, their performances are really terrible. I feel like they are acting and not happening naturally. So, yeah, it's kind of really bad acting.
All in all, I've expected something more. I thought this film would turn out to be a great film because it seems like it's so mysterious and interesting. But I found that it's really a bad film, even terrible. I can't believe that I kept watching. Maybe because I was expecting some answer for the note's contents. But there wasn't anything. I'm so disappointed. So, yeah, if they have improved a bit more, it'd be better than this.
This might be only me, but I find that the video quality is really bad. The one I got is really bad. I feel like I was watching 1990s film instead of 2019 film. It's so bright and kind of ugly. It really doesn't seem like 2019 made film.
What made me feel disturb the most is the voices of actors and actresses. I feel like I'm watching an English dubbed version of a foreign film. What's the hell wrong with the actors and actresses' voices? If they've used the separate voice artists, their voice acting is really terrible. This is the main reason that makes this film a bad one.
What I don't like is there's no explanation on the contents of the so-called mysterious note. What are the documents? And what's the note all about? Why do those need to be destroyed? They should've explained about that.
About the actors and actresses, their performances are really terrible. I feel like they are acting and not happening naturally. So, yeah, it's kind of really bad acting.
All in all, I've expected something more. I thought this film would turn out to be a great film because it seems like it's so mysterious and interesting. But I found that it's really a bad film, even terrible. I can't believe that I kept watching. Maybe because I was expecting some answer for the note's contents. But there wasn't anything. I'm so disappointed. So, yeah, if they have improved a bit more, it'd be better than this.
Watch at your own risk
keekz-9869920 August 2020
I feel bad... for everyone who has watched this movie. As a Seventh Day Adventist myself, I thought this movie was BURNING HOT GARBAGE. You could of replaced the dvd with trash from a landfill and showed it instead nobody would've noticed. The acting was awful, the plot was sickening, and the jokes were all lame and predictable. It felt less like a movie and more like a 5th grade school project completed the night before it was due. My Pathfinder club charged people to come see this movie, they all need their money back. Heck, we should've payed them to come see this monstrosity. I really wanted to like it, but it was just awful (like really awful). Don't watch. 0/10 Do better. :(
Wasted 1h30m watching this thing!
gdeforge-4773529 April 2020
A very cheap movie. And cheapness in this context is not only about the budget of the movie, but also about the bland acting, the poor story line and the desperate attempt at shoving Christian fairy tales down people's throats using "Technology" and "Modern means".
It would have been better if the "message" of the movie was just sermonized inside a church, with the doors closed.
FINALLY!!! A clean movie, NO villains! No witchcraft! Clean language!
whitewhisp8 April 2021
My 11 year absolutely LOVES this film!!! He watched it repeatedly and could not stop talking about how nice it was to not feel scared, to not anticipate a villain, and to truly enjoy what he was watching but not only that, he could learn and grow from it. He felt like he was part of the adventure yet did NOT have to watch the typical negative behavior of friends having conflict, lying, stealing etc yet instead it was much more realistic to real life. It was so nice to not have to mute language, as there wasn't any! There were NO scenes of sexual relationships exposing him to. No witchcraft of ANY kind, and no villains!
We truly enjoyed this wholesome, wonderfully clean kids movie that is SO hard, if not impossible, to find anywhere, now more than ever.
My 11 year old is already asking if there will be another movie after this....
Thank you so much for the time, expense and dedication this must have taken to make and to keep in mind to preserve the minds & hearts of innocent children to enjoy and not to be exposed to what most movies these days offer children...... for we are what we behold.
This would be excellent for vacation Bible school for any and all churches of all denominations!
Highly recommend to Christian families, homeschoolers, etc who are rarely if ever, able to find anything truly clean for their children and family as a whole to view and enjoy.
This would be excellent to offer in the movies section for children's hospitals where most hospitals offer TV, movies or games for kids who are hospitalized and yet almost all movies available have villains, violence, or witchcraft in them and inappropriate even when "G" or "PG" rated .... so we are often unable to watch unless there is a nature documentary (which then manages to throw in evolution so that's not always ideal either).
This would be so much better all around, public, hospitals, waiting rooms for children, churches, after school programs, homeschoolers, Christian families etc. Anyone who is searching to raise their children in innocence as long as possible in this world. There is enough corruption and evil in this world without viewing it as entertainment - this is a breath of fresh air!
We truly enjoyed this wholesome, wonderfully clean kids movie that is SO hard, if not impossible, to find anywhere, now more than ever.
My 11 year old is already asking if there will be another movie after this....
Thank you so much for the time, expense and dedication this must have taken to make and to keep in mind to preserve the minds & hearts of innocent children to enjoy and not to be exposed to what most movies these days offer children...... for we are what we behold.
This would be excellent for vacation Bible school for any and all churches of all denominations!
Highly recommend to Christian families, homeschoolers, etc who are rarely if ever, able to find anything truly clean for their children and family as a whole to view and enjoy.
This would be excellent to offer in the movies section for children's hospitals where most hospitals offer TV, movies or games for kids who are hospitalized and yet almost all movies available have villains, violence, or witchcraft in them and inappropriate even when "G" or "PG" rated .... so we are often unable to watch unless there is a nature documentary (which then manages to throw in evolution so that's not always ideal either).
This would be so much better all around, public, hospitals, waiting rooms for children, churches, after school programs, homeschoolers, Christian families etc. Anyone who is searching to raise their children in innocence as long as possible in this world. There is enough corruption and evil in this world without viewing it as entertainment - this is a breath of fresh air!
Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also!
spirit2change3 August 2020
I wasn't sure what to expect with this film but when it started I found myself stuck to the screen. I really enjoyed the music and it was full of sometimes subtle jokes.
The acting might seem strange to some but it depends on who is in one's circle of friends and acquaintances. I found the acting wasn't strange but I understood that many of the characters were immigrants from various countries or first generation Americans. Some were church folks living in the countryside where life is slower. I've met people like that in real life and was surprised to be reminded of certain people I really know since those types of characters are usually not portrayed at all in films. A couple of the other characters were obvious comedic types.
I kept expecting the story to unfold like a typical kids treasure hunting movie but kept being surprised as they tracked down the note. The messages were touching and made me reflect on how I can live my life more faithfully. I want to do a better job now.
I'm still laughing about what was at the end of the treasure hunt, but I don't want to give it away!
The acting might seem strange to some but it depends on who is in one's circle of friends and acquaintances. I found the acting wasn't strange but I understood that many of the characters were immigrants from various countries or first generation Americans. Some were church folks living in the countryside where life is slower. I've met people like that in real life and was surprised to be reminded of certain people I really know since those types of characters are usually not portrayed at all in films. A couple of the other characters were obvious comedic types.
I kept expecting the story to unfold like a typical kids treasure hunting movie but kept being surprised as they tracked down the note. The messages were touching and made me reflect on how I can live my life more faithfully. I want to do a better job now.
I'm still laughing about what was at the end of the treasure hunt, but I don't want to give it away!
A Good One
mandyvs-872147 July 2021
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