I Can Only Imagine 2 Parent Guide

“Is there life after the happily-ever-after when life gets hard again?” This isn’t a theoretical question for Bart Millard (J. Michael Finley). When Bart and his fellow musicians in the MercyMe band released I Can Only Imagine, they took an express ride to the top of the Christian music world, watching the song go gold and win numerous awards. But euphoria can only last so long, and Bart comes crashing back to earth when his young son, Sammy, is diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

Childhood diabetes is no longer an automatic death sentence, but monitoring the disease places a heavy burden on parents. And Bart, carrying emotional wounds from his father’s abuse, recoils from the painful but necessary tests involved in keeping Sam (Sammy Dell) alive. Over the next decade, Bart and Sam’s relationship frays under the strain. So, too, do Bart’s optimism, faith, and ability to write new songs. 

Bart’s mood lifts as MercyMe prepares to embark on a cross-country tour, hoping that the freedom he feels on stage will allow him to move beyond the grey hopelessness that overwhelms him. And he has help: Sam will be riding the tour bus, and the new opening act, Tim Timmons (Milo Ventimiglia) not only has ideas for new songs, but is possessed of boundless hope and gratitude. Critically, he also introduces Bart to the backstory of the beloved hymn It Is Well With My Soul…

I was apprehensive heading into this show: not only am I not a fan of popular Christian music but I had not seen the first film. Fortunately, none of that mattered. Although I’m sure I missed allusions to the earlier movie, I had no trouble following the story in the sequel. I even found some of the music appealing (which is saying a lot given my negative attitude towards the genre). 

Not only is I Can Only Imagine 2 a squeaky clean, family friendly movie, but it manages to deliver strong messages about faith, family ties, love, and resilience. Even better, it has the courage to depict a main character whose faith falters as he grapples with burdens which a loving, all-powerful God does not choose to lift. Many believers have struggled with faith crises, and the honesty with which Bart’s spiritual challenges are depicted will ring true with viewers of many faiths. The film is also a powerful reminder that gratitude isn’t simply a rote expression of thanks but is a deeply transformative practice. Christians (or people of any faith) who falter under the burden of life’s challenges will find hope and inspiration in this film – and maybe even a new perspective on their own blessings and burdens.