ELIJAH PEEL is an uplifting film, inspired by a true story, and it opens only in theaters today, August 14, 2026. I was fortunate to get an exclusive, early preview. In these radical and hate-filled times we‘re living in, ELIJAH PEEL will expand your heart to the very real meaning of faith and a second chance. ELIJAH PEEL is a welcome movie for everyone.
FYI, you might want to bring a handkerchief.
Kevin D. Sepe, the co-writer, director and one of the producers, created a fictionalized rock star, a hard-partying, world-famous musician to depict his own history of addiction, spiritual brokenness and ultimately, his sobriety. The character he’s constructed to do this, Elijah Peel, performs to sold-out stadiums of screaming fans, and when he suffers a life-threatening heart attack on stage, everything about his life is stripped away, and he’s confined to a hospital bed to heal and hopefully get sober. In the process, a remarkable young girl, who’s another patient in the same hospital, winds up breaking down the walls and the emotional armor Elijah’s built around himself.
Celebrity drug problems are nothing new to the movies, or the gossip-fueled tabloids, so while you might think you’ve seen variations of this tale before—2018’s A Star is Born with Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, plus some of you may remember the 1976 version with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson—I promise, you haven’t seen this story.
One of the things I love about this film is the actors: Robert Malcolm Cumming as the jaded Elijah, and Evelyn Grace Kite as the delightful, lay-it-on-the-line girl, Jessica. They’re not familiar faces I’ve seen in a dozen other films, so Robert IS Elijah, and Evelyn Grace is Jessica, the young girl who doesn’t care about his fame. She only wants his healing, inside and out.
ELIJAH PEEL breaks through the real life noise of our all too common politically and socially-motivated assassinations, wars on multiple fronts, oil prices and prejudice. ELIJAH PEEL gives us more than hope. It gives us faith we can change not just our lives, but the lives of those around us. I hope you’ll check the theaters where you live and see ELIJAH PEELthis weekend. It will make you feel good.
2 thoughts on “ELIJAH PEEL IS A WELCOME MOVIE FOR EVERYONE”
I could use a feel good movie! Thank you, Brenda! Love your blogs!
Read your new book. Couldn’t put it down. Cringed. Chewed my nails. Read some parts over. Wow.
Have followed your blog for a few years. Missed you for a while when I was so sick.
Then you encouraged me to finish writing my book about my lost grandmother. I did. AMALIA, by Nena Jones was published a couple of months ago. The excitement was vastly diluted by my husband’s major, major surgery, and we feared the worst. He seems to be doing better, thanks to God, but I barely have time to promote my book as it languishes. I’d like you to enjoy it, Brenda. Give it a go please.