T.D. Jakes gets his message across in latest film 'Not Easily Broken'

Contra Costa Times (MCT) - "Not Easily Broken," the latest faith-based feature film from Bishop T.D. Jakes, touches upon themes of marriage, relationships, family and romance. But don't you dare tell the renown pastor that it's a "chick flick."

Jakes points out that he wrote the novel that served as source material, and that the film was directed and adapted by men (Bill Duke and Brian Bird). One of its main stars (Morris Chestnut) is also a guy.

Moreover, the story of a young couple struggling to maintain their connection to one another and God, is the rare personal drama _ with a largely African-American cast _ told from a male perspective.

"I think women viewers are going to be fascinated to hear a man talk about love and relationships," Jakes says in the deep voice that is resoundingly familiar to the more than 30,000 members of his nondenominational church in Dallas and millions of followers around the globe. "It's an opportunity for women to become almost a voyeur and to watch the intricate details of the masculine heart."

Jakes is among the producers of "Not Easily Broken" and also makes a brief cameo in the movie. It's his second feature film, following 2004's "Woman, Thou Art Loosed," and it's the latest offshoot of what has become a vast multimedia empire.

Charismatic Jakes, who began his pastorate in 1979 with a small West Virginia church of 10 members, now oversees The Potter's House, which has more than 50 active outreach ministries and has been described as one of America's fastest-growing "megachurches."

But his influence reaches well beyond the pulpit. Jakes has penned more than 30 books and hosts a weekly gospel-themed television program. He's a frequent guest of Oprah Winfrey's and is regularly called upon to serve as an on-air commentator for network and cable news shows. Author Shayne Lee calls Jakes "the signpost of a new age of American Protestantism where spiritual leaders blend compassion with capitalism, pop culture with therapeutic spirituality and evangelical preaching with pizazz, style and organizational savvy."

Jakes hopes to pour more of that savvy into feature films in the coming years. He has a developmental deal with Sony that could produce a number of big-screen and direct-to-video titles, especially if "Not Easily Broken" proves to be a success.

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"The world of entertainment has fascinated me since I was in a church play at the age of 6. And I grew up playing the piano and directing choirs and enjoying writing," Jakes says during an interview at an Oakland restaurant. "And now, after years of being involved in the ministry, I think I'm coming around full circle and picking up things that I've allowed to lay dormant.

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"The common denominator for me is communication. I think you can entertain people and still communicate a message that's very powerful and positive."

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"Not Easily Broken," which opens Friday, is the saga of Dave (Chestnut) and Clarice Johnson (Taraji P. Henson),who face a breaking point in their marriage after she is seriously injured in a car crash. The accident brings to the surface divisive problems that have been festering for years _ problems caused by a lack of communication, eroding respect for one another and conflicting life priorities.

It's familiar turf for Jakes, who has counseled a number of at-risk couples over the years.

"Many women do not understand the depth to which men feel pain when the relationship does not work," Jakes says. "Women tend to think men are emotionless. But there is a great deal of anxiety in men when things do not go right with their women."

As an intimate, small-budget movie, "Not Easily Broken" arrives on the scene free of blockbuster aspirations. But the fact that it has found its way into cineplexes has Jakes encouraged that Hollywood is finally starting to embrace films with spiritual themes.

On the other hand, he insists "Broken" isn't the typical "church-type" movie.

"Faith is a thread in the tapestry of a human experience. And we've woven it into the movie in a way that's not preachy," he says. "It's about people living life and having struggles that all people have. Not every story line (in the film) has a happy ending and everybody doesn't end up in church singing in the choir. That's because life is not like that."

"Not Easily Broken" is also rare in that it's a big-screen drama pegged to a black family. In addition to Chestnut and Henson, who is receiving rave reviews for her work in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," it also features Jenifer Lewis as the couple's meddlesome mother.

Like others in the black community, Jakes would like to see Hollywood's big screen and television fare become more diversified, but he's not about to let loose with a barrage of complaints.

"We're coming to a crossroads as a society where we have two options," he says. "One is to scream at the darkness. The other is to light a candle."

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BEYOND THE PULPIT

_WHO: Bishop T.D. Jakes

_BACKGROUND: Born June 9, 1957, in South Charleston, W. Va. Lives in Dallas with his wife, Serita, and their five children.

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_THE ACHIEVEMENTS: Pastor of The Potter's House, one of America's fastest-growing "megachurches." Has written 30 faith-based books and produced two movies, including "Not Easily Broken," which debuts in theaters Friday. Is a frequent guest on national news programs and has served as spiritual counsel to presidents and statesmen.

_UP NEXT: In talks to host a nationally syndicated talk show for a fall premiere.

_QUOTABLE: "The only thing more exhilarating than the style of T.D. Jakes' sermons is their rigor and compassion." (From a 2001 Time magazine profile).

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© 2009, Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, Calif.).