This film is of personal interest for several reasons. Being a Mormon, I was interested in seeing how my religion was portrayed by "outsiders" on the Big Screen. Having met the real-life person the movie portrays, I was also interested in how interesting this man's younger life would be. Serving a mission for the Church is a rather common experience - what would make this man's mission interesting? And would any non-Mormon be interested?
I was surprised at how interesting it was to me, but wondered how interesting it would be for non-Mormons. The story, although in a Mormon setting, was a very human story with several surprises, moments of courage, demonstrations of testing personal commitment against temptation, and an endearing love story. I loved the actors - from the main stars to the peripherals, it was high quality all around.
Throughout the film I kept asking myself: how would I have acted in this situation? I have to admit, this story portrays a life to emulate. It was personally inspiring.
This film is not filled with sex or violence or gore; it's simply a good story well-told. I would give it 8 out of 10.