Video Librarian, May/June 2015

Bored by the endless droning of his customers, a Chicago cabbie on Christmas Eve is eager to get home. After dropping off what he hopes is his last passenger, the call he's been dreading comes in: dispatch needs him to pick up one more fare. Before the evening is over, the ride will change the lives of both the driver (Kirk B.R. Woller) and the passenger (Brad Heller). Deeply troubled, the surly pickup asks to be driven to a bridge over a cold waterway across town, and as the journey progresses, the man behind the wheel finds himself in an unexpected situation. Filmmaker Dallas Jenkins weaves elements of the prodigal son narrative into this brief but well-crafted and touching Christian drama, centering on two individuals; one overcome with guilt and depression for his transgressions, who wants to end it all because he feels that his family will never welcome him back, and a Christian who needs to be shocked into remembering what grace is all about. Winner of several film festival honors, The Ride is highly recommended.