Blue Like Jazz

I can't begin to tell you how excited I am about this movie. When I first read the book, Blue Like Jazz, by Donald Miller, I felt like I'd finally found someone who understood who I was as a Christian and a writer. Donald Miller was serious about his faith, but he was also a human being, and he wasn't afraid to put all of his fears, doubts, mistakes and counter-cultural opinions in print. 

When I read his book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, I drew so much from it as a writer that I felt like Miller had written those parts of the book because he could somehow sense that I was out here, waiting for someone to say what he was saying. And, of course, I was thrilled to find out that Blue Like Jazz was being made into a movie by Steve Taylor, which is largely what A Million Miles is about. Taylor had been one of my heroes in high school. I'd even spent a large portion of workshop time in my graphics class creating a poster-sized screenprint of Taylor's album On the Fritz which I gave to him at a concert in Canton in the late 80's. 

Then, in September 2010, I read the sad news on Miller's blog that the movie wouldn't be made. While others were offering their condolences, a handful of people, myself included, suggested Miller let his fans fund the film. Before long, a couple of guys from Tennessee named Zach Prichard and Jonathan Frazier created SaveBlueLikeJazz.com. They reached their goal, raising more than $345,000 to ensure the film was made. 

Now it's a film, and it looks like a great one, and it's set to hit theaters on April 13th, which is delightfully close to the day I was born. Guess I know what I'm requesting for my birthday this year. 

Here's the trailer for your viewing pleasure.