Are You There?

'Are You There? 'is a Christian comedy-drama film written and directed by GuitarGod96. The film features Mark Wahlberg as Benjamin Wilson, an atheist police officer who doesn't believe in God or miracles. He wants to believe again, but doesn't know how until he met Celia (Angelina Jolie), a Christian mother of two kids and church preacher.

Plot
Benjamin Wilson is a Boston police officer with a troubled past. His mother died from cancer when he was a child and his father became physically and emotionally abusive towards him. He was bullied in high school, never had a friend, and his wife divorced him after he found her cheating on him. This led him have a rather melancholy outlook on life, believing that God, love, and miracles are not real. Ben can sometimes be aloof toward the emotional philosophies of other people from logic and sensible thinking. Sometimes he wants to believe again, but he just doesn't know how to believe in something with seeing it. Ben gets calls from his father, but ignores his attempts to contact him as doesn't forgive him for abusing him.

One day, while Ben was on patrol, he noticed a women getting mugged so he stopped the muggers and saved the woman named Celia. She thanks him for saving her and wants to invite him for dinner. At home, Celia has two daughters: Emily and Mary. While the family was saying grace, Ben refused to bow his head with them, and Celia notices it. Ben tells Celia and her daughters that he doesn't believe in God. After dinner, Ben was just about to leave, but Celia wanted to talk to him about his lack of faith. She tells Ben that her husband died from cancer, but she and the daughter never lost faith in God. They believe that it was his time to go and he's in Heaven. She gives him her Bible, telling him to take it and that it will help restore Ben's faith.

That night, Ben sat at home reading through the New Testament. In the morning, Celia and the girls are getting ready for church. Ben came to their house to return her Bible, because he didn't feel inspired. Celia decides to take Ben to church as he's not working on Sundays. At the church, Celia is a minister who talks to about Ben saving her from the muggers, and that an atheist cop saving a Christian woman is an act that restores your faith in humanity. Celia invites him on stage, and everyone in the church prays for Ben's faith to be restored.

While Ben teaches Celia that it's impossible to believe in God without proof of his existence, Celia teaches Ben that the most real things in the world are the things we can't see, and to believe in God he has to have a strong heart and an open mind. As it says in 1 John 4:12, "''No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." ''Which means if Ben loves his family and friends, God lives within him. Ben tries to keep that in mind, and asks Celia if he could borrow her Bible again as he decided to give it another chance.

That night, Ben read through the New Testament where he learns about forgiveness. As it says in Colossians 3:13, "Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." So, Ben prayed for his father. He prayed for God to forgive his abusive nature, and he prayed for his home to be Heaven. Ben tried to call his father, but he doesn't pick up, so Ben drives to his house only to discover that the house was ransacked and Mr. Wilson was shot repeatedly. At the hospital, the doctor told Ben that the surgeons couldn't fix his injuries and that he's about to die. Ben walks into Mr. Wilson's room to see him one last time. Mr. Wilson apologizes to Ben for being so cruel to him all these years. Ben hold his father's hand as he dies peacefully.

Ben, feeling aggravated by what happened, thinks that God hates him, because he didn't pray for his dad to die. But, Celia wanted him to think otherwise, As it says in Job 1:21, "The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." Meaning, since Ben prayed for Mr. Wilson forgiveness, he's in Heaven with Jesus. But, Ben ignores Celia, gives her Bible back and leaves disillusioned and alone.

While Ben is driving, a massive thunderstorm blocked his view. He drove on an intersection during a red light and is struck by a passing truck. Ben started to have a near-death experience. He was in a black void and started hearing painful screams and falls into the depths of Hell. Completely horrified by the monsters and the number of people perishing, he finds it within himself to believe. A bright light came down, then a shadowy figure grabs Ben's hand, and drags him out of Hell. It was Jesus Christ and he took him to Heaven as he said in his own words that he truly believes. Jesus took him to see his parents all young and happy again. Jesus tells Ben that it's not his time yet and that he must go back to Earth.

Ben wakes up in the hospital with Celia and her daughters by his side. Ben tells them that he saw Jesus, Heaven, Hell, and his parents in his "dream". And learns that the guy who struck him was Willie Robertson, who took him to the hospital and apologizes for ramming him.

So, in honor of Ben's restored faith, he gets baptized and starts a relationship with Celia and her daughters. Ben resigned from his post, and became a novelist where he wrote a best-selling novel, "Are You There?" the story about his life as an atheist and how he found his salvation. The film ends with Ben, Celia and the girls attending a Vertical Worship concert, where they perform their song, "The Rock Won't Move".

Ending quote: "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." John 20:29.

Cast

 * Mark Wahlberg as Benjamin "Ben" Wilson; a no-nonsense, and pessimistic police officer who doubts the existence of God.
 * Angelina Jolie as Celia Stafford; a widowed mother of two daughters and church preacher.
 * Martin Sheen as Mr. Wilson; the abusive father of Ben Wilson.
 * Cybill Shepherd as Mrs. Wilson; the deceased mother of Ben Wilson.
 * Denzel Washington as Arthur Williams; the lead pastor.
 * Oprah Winfrey as Bethany Williams; the wife of Arthur Williams.
 * Dan Stevens as Jesus Christ.
 * Lulu Wilson as Emily Stafford; Celia's oldest daughter.
 * McKenna Grace as Mary Stafford; Celia's youngest daughter.
 * Willie Robertson as himself.