Flywheel (film)
| Flywheel | |
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Flywheel film poster
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| Directed by | Alex Kendrick |
| Produced by | Alex Kendrick |
| Written by | Alex Kendrick Stephen Kendrick |
| Starring | Alex Kendrick Lisa Arnold Tracy Goode |
| Music by | Alex Kendrick Heather Spencer Mark Willard |
| Cinematography | Tracy Goode Alex Kendrick |
| Edited by | Alex Kendrick Mark Mitchell |
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Production
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Release date
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April 9, 2003 |
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Running time
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120 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $20,000 |
| Box office | $37,000 |
Flywheel is a 2003 American Christian drama film about the unexpected pitfalls that a used car dealer can expect to experience if he suddenly goes honest. The dealer intentionally overcharges his customers until reaching a turning point in his life where he decides to end his shady business practices and become a Christian. Alex Kendrick both directed the film and starred in the lead role, and with his brother, Stephen Kendrick, co-wrote the film. Flywheel also "stars" Lisa Arnold and Tracy Goode.
First released on April 9, 2003, this movie is the first full-length feature film by Sherwood Pictures, which now includes the production of Facing the Giants, Fireproof and Courageous.
Jay Austin (Alex Kendrick) is a car salesman who consistently cheats his customers, even to the point of overcharging his own pastor. He teaches his rotund salesmen, Bernie Meyers (Tracy Goode) and Vince Berkeley (Treavor Lokey), to do likewise. Jay occasionally attends church, but only because his wife Judy (Janet Lee Dapper) wants him to go. He also fakes giving a donation to the church. His relationships with his wife and son (Richie Hunnewell), who both disapprove of his dishonesty, deteriorate. In addition he is facing foreclosure on his lot by the bank. Jay becomes troubled in his conscience, and one day while flipping television channels, he sees a pastor preaching that "you're in the shape you're in today because of the choices you've made." Jay becomes personally convicted and becomes a born-again Christian, prompting him to change his business practices.
Jay apologizes to his pregnant wife and his son and decides to sell cars honestly from that point on. However, he is now thousands of dollars in debt and facing the loss of his dealership if he can't catch up on his payments to the bank. Jay decides not to worry about his situation and to "let God handle it," telling the Lord that it is His lot. After the two rotund salesmen, whose interactions often provide comedy, leave over a disagreement about the newly reformed business practices, a young, innocent-looking "newcomer" Kevin Cantrell (Daniel Titus) comes to Jay to work for six weeks and asks him questions, such as how he sells cars. Jay answers by saying, "Just sell the car to them by its real price and God will decide." Sales are honest, but the amounts are mediocre at best. Kevin leaves after the six weeks, but later Jay sees himself on television as part of a news investigation on car dealerships. Kevin was a carefully concealed undercover agent investigating which car dealers cheat, and the report says that Jay Austin Motors was the only honest dealership among them. The next day Jay comes to the lot and sees many people there to buy his cars. Jay even has to call his wife to help sell all the cars on the lot that day. The total of the sales above the cost of the cars is enough to cover what the banker demanded, who comes later that day and wonders where all the cars have gone.
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