The Song opens with Jed King at a crossroads. The musician son of a highly successful musician, the David King, Jed’s still playing small time gigs in local bars, and he’s ready to call it quits.
Enter Rose, the lovely daughter of a Kentucky vineyard owner. Rose is recovering from a lost dream herself. Her boyfriend dumped her because she refused to sleep with him without the wedding happening first. But she’s beautiful, bright, and – a rarity – virtuous. Jed is intrigued and goes into full pursuit.
Full pursuit in a good way, that is. What follows is a beautiful romance, the kind the cynics say doesn’t happen anymore. (But don’t listen to them.) Jed pursues Rose because of who she is. This is what every female heart secretly longs for. And as for him, she inspires him. He mans up because of her and for her. Before very long he asks to build a chapel on the vineyard property – “So I can marry you there.” Her response: “I can’t wait that long.” They get married inside the frame of what will later become the chapel.
But there’s no shallowness here. The plot thickens. A snake appears in the garden, and not everything is hunky dory in the King family. This is how life happens, and this is where The Song gives us so much more than a formula film. I won’t give away the story, but as it unfolds we see the deception of temptation; the illusive nature of fame and wealth, which always promises to satisfy but never delivers; the soul-searing pain of giving in to what you know is wrong, both for the one who gives in and those who love him; and more. The best part of that “more” is, we also see the reality of redemption.
Through it all, Jed learns wisdom. In some ways, it was there all along, but by the time all is said and done, Jed knows the duty of all mankind, indeed the very meaning of life: Fear God and keep his commandments. Far from being a burden, this is really the place of blessing.
Loosely based on the life of King Solomon, The Song is storytelling that far surpasses your typical Hollywood fare. Hollywood may be on life support, but real romance isn’t dead. Take your wife or take your girlfriend, and soak it in. Learn how real love works (hint: it starts with God), then go and do likewise.