A somber, moving portrait of one of the early church's most significant figures, who led the way at a time when Christians were being burned alive in the streets of Rome, or condemned to death in the arena.

Largely devoid of sensationalism, a film that delves quietly into substantive issues of belief and forgiveness.

Fails to fully develop the stakes at hand, but it features more thoughtful world-building than most faith-based films, as well as a bracing honesty about the difficulty of reconciling idealistic credos with a harsh and unforgiving world.

At its core, the reverent desire to document an enlightened jailed man’s life story before his pending death is a respectful measure of learning and commitment anyone from any walk of life can appreciate.