Milo Ventimiglia in Drab Sequel

There seemed little need for a follow-up to the 2018 inspirational drama I Can Only Imagine. That film depicted how Bart Millard, the leader of the Christian band MercyMe, wrote the hit song that gave the film its title, inspired by the recent death of the father who had been abusive to him for much of his childhood. By the time the film was over, Bart and his dying father had patched up their relationship and the song was a smash success. It was a nice happy ending.

Well, not quite. I Can Only Imagine became an unexpected hit, grossing nearly $86 million against a $7 million budget. So it’s not surprising that its creators could only imagine a sequel, this time providing the story behind another of MercyMe’s hits, 2017’s “Even If.” Of course, that title would meaning nothing to those not familiar with the band’s output, so now we have I Can Only Imagine 2. MercyMe has had 28 hit singles over the years, so it wouldn’t be surprising if a mini-series providing the backstory behind each one was in the offing.

John Michael Finley returns to play Bart, whose band has become a huge success. He’s now married to Shannon (Sophie Skelton, replacing Madeline Carroll from the previous film) and has several children, including 17-year-old Sam (Sammy Dell), an aspiring musician suffering from type 1 diabetes. When the band embarks on a major national tour, Shannon encourages Bart to take their son with him so he can make sure that Sam is keeping up with his insulin shots.

Despite his career success, Bart is struggling emotionally, still traumatized by memories of his abusive father (providing the opportunity for flashbacks featuring Quaid, whose character died in the previous film). His relationship with his son is frequently tense, and he’s also suffering from writer’s block, struggling to come up with a follow-up to their hit single.

In short, Bart’s kind of a downer. So the arrival of singer/songwriter Tim Timmons, played by Milo Ventimiglia (This Is Us), comes as a relief. Timmons, who joins the band’s tour as their opening act, is funny and charismatic, infusing the proceedings with much needed levity. Of course, he’s also suffering from cancer, so things don’t stay jolly for long.

Screenwriter Brent McCorkle, who co-directed with Andrew Erwin, struggles to come up with a compelling narrative. Since Bart had reconciled with his father before the old man’s death, his continuing to obsess about the past doesn’t prove very interesting. Another plot element involves Bart attempting to be a better father to his own son, who pays so little attention to his medical regimen that he suffers health crises. But since Sam is hardly a child, it’s hard to be sympathetic to his personal irresponsibility.

So then the focus shifts to Tim, who asks Bart to help with a song he’s been struggling with just before he suffers a major health setback and winds up in the hospital. This provides the impetus for Bart to finish the song, which is all about maintaining faith and gratitude in the face of dire circumstances.  

You won’t be surprised to learn that at the end of the film Bart has bonded with Sam, apparently over a game of “20 Questions,” and that he premieres “Even If” at a sold-out concert at Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre, inviting his son to join him onstage.

Now, that’s not actually where the band first performed the song live, but then there are no music venues more photogenic than Red Rocks, its visual majesty showcased via sweeping drone shots. And Timmons had been diagnosed with cancer a decade earlier, so his miraculous recovery from seeming to be at death’s door doesn’t quite ring true. But then, since when do real-life, music-themed dramas adhere to the facts?

Laborious and dull, I Can Only Imagine 2 only comes to life in the comedic scenes featuring Ventimiglia, who buries his handsomeness in a buzz-cut, full beard, and Buddy Holly-style glasses to resemble Timmons. Trace Adkins, repeating his role as the band’s sardonic manager who gives such advice as “If you’re gonna be a bear, be a grizzly,” is also terrific. But their efforts are not enough to save this unnecessary sequel that smacks of a cash grab.