The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn

MPA Rating: PG-Rating (MPA)

for some mild language. Made for TV.

Reviewed by: Vickie Maduzia
CONTRIBUTOR

Moral Rating:	Better than Average
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience:	Adults
Genre:	Drama
Length:	1 hr. 36 min.
Year of Release:	1999
USA Release:	May 9, 1999

Copyright, Columbia Pictures, a division of Sony Pictures

Relevant Issues

Old age

What does the Bible say about HUMILITY?

Property development

What is biblical wisdom?

What is DEATH? and WHY does it exist? Answer in the Bible

What is eternal life? and what does the Bible say about it?

What is eternal death?

Featuring	Sidney Poitier Dianne Wiest Mary-Louise Parker George Newbern
Director	Gregg Champion
Producer	Trimark Pictures Mark Amin Gregg Champion Derek Kavanagh Peter A. Marshall
Distributor	CBS, a division of CBS Entertainment Group, owned by ViacomCBS

“The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn” is absolutely wonderful! A great family movie with an inspiring message… although we are “in” the world, we need not be “of” the world.

A greedy land developer sets his sights on an ageless carpenter who has remained untouched by 20th-century corruption. Sidney Poitier gives an outstanding performance as a humble, hardworking elderly man of few words, who lives a simple but lonely life as a farmer and carpenter. A land developer/attorney pulls out all the stops to try to buy him out of his family farm… Noah Dearborn (Poitier) rejects the offers, but does so in a dignified and respectable fashion, never yielding or stooping to their level, a great role model for viewers of all ages. His humble and softspoken character holds the respect of his small town community, and his lifestyle is a wonder and inspiration to several egocentric “city folk” who meet him during the movie.

There are no direct references to God, but the movie was so refreshing and inspiring, we intend to purchase it for our home collection. There is one short scene that involves the land developer-guy sharing a hotel room with his girlfriend, but there are no naked bodies, no suggestive scenes, just the two of them playing a card game (double solitaire perhaps?). Otherwise, this movie is squeaky-clean and inspiring… a real keeper!

Positive
Negative

Positive

Positive—I saw this movie… while travelling on a plane and was enthralled, as were most of the other passengers that I observed watching. Words that come to mind in trying to describe it are delightful, inspiring and possibly “life-changing.” I highly recommend this for all audiences.
My Ratings: [Excellent / 5]

Steve Dennis, age 43

Positive—I saw this film via the Pluto TV website, on my dinky mobile phone. What a touching, gentle film. It could almost have been a sequel to “Lilies of the Field,” where Sidney Poitier had been an ex-GI handyman, travelling around and helping out.

The main reviewer says there are no direct references to God but there are, when Dianne Wiest’s character says about Noah’s longevity and deportment, “it’s said when God comes to visit, he stays at Noah Dearborn’s.”

Though there is no reference to faith other than that, Sidney Poitier’s quiet portrayal (whilst having an internalised issue with the death/sickness of those close to him) shows how we all can dispense with the rigours and business of modern life and instead just BE and in those quiet moments, even if working, God is there.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 4

Dirk Wickenden, age 56 (United Kingdom)

Negative

Negative—This movie was very good… up until the point where it takes the name of the Lord in vain—the lady who plays the girlfriend of the contractor. After that I stopped watching it.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: no opinion

Jesus, age 38 (USA)