TrueJoshNight Truly Dreadful Film

Wordiezett So much average

Vashirdfel Simply A Masterpiece

Pacionsbo Absolutely Fantastic

Talia Tis CBC's 'Pure' depicts sheltered characters struggling to survive in a suddenly brutal world. And it is that reverent portrayal of new pastor Noah Funk and his wife Anna that elevates the series beyond its already intriguing 'Mennonite Mob' premise. The first episode is a good indicator of whether or not you will enjoy the rest of the series, which maintains the steady pacing and attention to character. The showrunner, Micheal Amo, had Mennonite grandparents, and the community certainly isn't portrayed as flat or stereotypical. However, the show's weakest link is easily Detective Bronco Novak. I mean, just look at that name. He's the archetypal drunk and rebellious cop who nevertheless manages to be competent (or incompetent) at exactly the right moment. In comparison to the nuanced performances by Ryan Robbins (Noah) and Alex Paxton-Beesley (Anna), Novak somehow seems less believable than drug smuggling Mennonites. The direction is fine, and the writing and acting is pretty good across the board, with the exception of both of the Novaks. Overall, the show is at its best when it focuses on community and questions of morality,but 'Pure' still struggles to overcome conventional plot and characters

lmastromartino I started to watch this series after watching the previews that recently aired,the story line seemed to be very unexpected and I thought I would watch an episode to see what it was all about. The story has so many levels which truly makes it an excellent watch and I found my self sitting down on a Sunday and watching all the episodes that had already aired..long after the last one was viewed it stayed in my thoughts as I went about my work week.. so I wanted to share my thoughts with you.. This is not simply about a drug dealer who has the thirst for power over a small community not only in Canada but of one man who has affected the lives of those that are forced to work for him in Mexico as wellif you dig a little deeper and as the plot unfolds you see a man that has his own demons to bear,, The pastor and his family who have lead a sheltered life and who have a true belief in their chosen faith are tested and tested again,, which raises the question at what point does a family shatter or a persons inner belief become in question this story has all the elements of an excellent story ready to be read or witnessed thru the viewers eyes, we all must walk on the path of our own road of life and the journey and experiences that we encounter along the way truly shape us into who we currently are and by choice who we choose to be. My thanks to the writers the producers and to the fine actors that have brought this to life,, well done !!

TheMysteryLover Review of CBC's new show, PURE!: Canada's into hockey, NOT HOKEY!!! By Dale Friesen (Mennonite researcher) When I first heard of the potential and premise for this new show back in 2016, no doubt I was greatly intrigued. Who wouldn't be if they were in my situation. Coming from such an unusual situation, myself, (and ironically with the Mennonites being from a "subdued" history), I had worked my way into mainstream entertainment and media ventures, thus I have seen so much of what the "real" world is about.Now I wasn't expecting a high budget masterpiece of a show, but somehow I felt that "Canada's MAIN media broadcaster, THE CBC, could somehow "executive produce" something more realistic.I love stories, especially fictional where the abstract can have it's free reign to carry a person's imagination to any height or direction. And so who's ever fault it is for (especially) the really unlikely aspect of a drugged out and on probation cop (detective), solving this mystery in the way he has been so far is inexcusable writing or directing (or as mentioned, even from the CBC, itself).Now as much as people may want to "roll their eyes" at the premise of a show like this (a Mennonite mob), well imagine this cop, (who "entangles" himself with a "prostitute" - I won't give away spoilers, here), also "flukely" finds a "Bible" at his crime scene of the wrecked car, "bumps" into his old buddy from high school ... meets up with the daughter of his old high school flame (who's also involved - because of his son, no less), and then in totally hilarious fashion, "drunkenly" falls into a lake in search of a clue, from the little boat he's in - that just so happens to be near by?????? What else can possibly get crazier, yet, in the remaining four episodes? I always try to be overly optimistic in all circumstances, etc., throughout life, but in all honesty, should I be laughing or crying as to what I've seen so far?But not to be too hard on CBC, here, yet to sort of counter all of this with the "American" drama put out a few years ago called the "AMERICANS" (Russian spies who fake being Americans), this CBC show can't be all that bad. In my own opinion, "The Americans" had such a good premise as well, but also failed with it's hokey antics,too, and they had a much larger budget. Now "The Americans" show is still running and I've managed to keep my interest up with the premise of that show, so maybe I'll still manage to stay with PURE too, as it may get better ... hopefully. ... Anyway, if the lake can stay frozen long enough, I can go play some hockey, now.PS. Some great scenic shots of the country side, though!

Ed-Shullivan Noah Funk (Ryan Robbins) plays a life changing game similar to a game you may have seen in which a card shark tries to deceive his paying audience with his sleight of hand by switching around three overturned cards and the mark has to find the right overturned card. In this case four Mennonites are asked to participate in a game in which four identical bibles are quickly mixed around on a table in front of the churches entire congregation, and the four Mennonites at the front of the church are requested to step up one by one, and select one of the four mixed up bibles. Noah Funk gets to pick his bible as the third of the four participants and lo and behold he happens to pick the only bible with the invitation to become the churches new pastor.In Noah's role as their new pastor he is responsible for his congregations spiritual and physical well being. Evil does lurk in this little southern Ontario (Canada) town of Antioch, population 9,500. One of Noah's old schoolmates Bronco Novak (A. J. Buckley) the football jock who is now a police detective with the Antioch detachment approaches the new pastor Noah looking for assistance in the recent disappearance of a family of four Mennonites from another community after discovering their torched vehicle's registration number originated in Mexico. After contacting the U.S. drug enforcement agency, and talking to detective Phoebe O'Reilly (Rosie Perez) about the burned out car with a Mexican V.I.N. number, Bronco Novak takes a second closer look at the burnt out vehicle and he finds a kilo of pure heroin hidden in the cars under carriage.Eli Voss (Peter Outerbridge) who is a drug mule and dealer in pure heroin disguises himself as a Mennonite, but his community fears him and what he would do to them if they went to the police authorities. In the opening scene we witness that Eli Voss is responsible for the murder of three of the four Mennonites who have their vehicle run off of the road then torched after Voss recovers his heroin from the cars under carriage. A young boy named Ezekiel Janzen (Felix Bieger) is able to escape from the wrecked car before Eli Voss can murder him along with his father and siblings, but poor Ezekiel is burdened with witnessing his father and brothers murders.This is a drama series about hard working Mennonite families like the new pastor Noah Funk, his wife and two teenage high school aged children, trying to live their isolated lives but within a melting pot of drugs, prostitution and police corruption, and 21st century liberal attitudes. Noah Funk is accepting of his new role as his congregations new pastor, but as he tries to maneuver his way around the Mennonite criminal element, his little white lies like trying to pass orphaned Ezekiel Janzen off as his nephew, and planting drugs in the homes of the drug pushers, the drug lord Eli Voss gives Noah an ultimatum, work within the drug trade or his family will become Eli Voss's next target.I found this series got of to a rip roaring good start and I am looking forward to how the young new pastor and his family will cope with going against the crime lord Eli Voss, and unwillingly have to rely on outsiders for support like his old high school nemesis detective Bronco Novak.Eeny meeny miny moe, I wonder if Noah wished he had picked another bible instead of the congregations new pastors bible?