‘Breakthrough’ on HBO: A Faith-Based Drama Starring Chrissy Metz and Topher Grace

Christian dramas are a time-honored tradition in Hollywood and last year the tradition continued with Breakthrough, airing on HBO tonight at 8 p.m. ET.

Based on the 2017 Christian biography, The Impossible: The Miraculous Story of a Mother’s Faith and Her Child’s Resurrection, the film is about a 14-year-old boy who fell through the ice in Lake St. Louis, Missouri in 2015. Chrissy Metz, best known from NBC’s This Is Us, stars in the film as the boy’s adoptive mother, a devout Christian named Joyce Smith. Marcel Ruiz (One Day at a Time) stars as the boy himself, John Smith, an adoptee originally from Guatemala. Then you have Josh Lucas (Ford v Ferrari) as the dad, Topher Grace (That’s ’70s Show) as the local pastor, Mike Colter (Luke Cage) as a first responder, and Sam Trammell (True Blood) and Dennis Haysbert (Major League) as doctors.

Basically, John Smith is a rebellious teen who goes out with his friends to skate on a frozen lake, despite a neighbor’s warning. When the ice cracks and breaks, John falls through and is submerged underwater for 15 minutes. The first-responders eventually rescue him and he’s placed in a medically-induced coma. The doctors say his chances for recovery are slim. But recover he does, thanks—according to the book and the movie—to a miracle from God.

The film was directed by Roxann Dawson, her feature film debut, and written by Grant Nieporte ( Seven Pounds). Basketball player Stephen Curry, who speaks about his own Christian faith often, was an executive producer on the film, was civil rights activist Rev. Samuel Rodriguez Jr. Breakthrough received mixed review when it opened in theaters last spring: Most reviewers felt the performances were strong, but some weren’t won over by the overtly Christian-focused melodrama. The film currently holds a 61 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. But for those whose faith aligns with the filmmakers, it’s sure to be a moving watch.

Where to stream Breakthrough