Here are my thoughts from this new movie.
About the plot and acting
Protagonist is a Jehovah's Witness father, Thomas Roman, who's typical American nuclear family is falling apart spiritually. Roman works hard as a mechanical engineer and has lost contact with his children. Roman wrestles with feelings of quilt and hopelessness.
Mr. Roman's son Marcus is a musician. He socializes with afro-American music producers. They write “rough” lyrics and use cannabis. Mr. Roman's daughter, who is quite attractive, has a crush on her non-witness schoolmate. They are working together on a school project.
Youngest son is just a supporting character. Same applies to the mother: she is an obedient housewife and does not question the decisions of the head of the family.
Family Roman is upper class. They have three to four cars, a mansion like apartment with large green grass fields and newest mobile technology. Everything from the actors teeth to family Roman's apartment is flawless and perfect. Settings are similar to pictures from IKEA's brochures.
Plot is boring and predictable. Manuscript heavily underestimates viewers intellectual capacity. Everything is explained so thoroughly that even a 4-years old child can understand, which is weird since the film seems to be directed to Jehovah's Witness parents. Quotations from the Bible are glued awkwardly on the plot.
Acting is decent, but not worth any special mention.
Methods of indoctrination
A viewer can make a couple interesting remarks. Screenwriters have embed typical arguments against religious groups (including Jehovah's Witnesses) to the film. They are discussed only superficially, but context subtly underlines that these ideas represent Satan's world and must be rejected.
Such ideas and arguments include gay-marriage, criticism of black and white thinking, evolution, acceptance and tolerance. “Acceptance and tolerance” is actually a motto of the classmate that Mr. Roman's daughter fancies.
Roman's oldest son Marcus is a skeptic. In one scene he and his younger brother are playing a video game. Marcus argues that “nobody has monopoly on truth.” This is linked to his preview comment on evolution, even though it's discussed only implicitly and the actual word evolution is not mentioned. Again, film does not represent any arguments against evolution, but context and scene's atmosphere makes clear that Marcus is on the wrong track.
This is a method used several times during the movie.
Later on there is a scene where Mr. Roman's youngest son says in a surprised tone: “...and there is still people that believe in evolution?” They are in a middle of a family worship and there is a planetary model of the solar system present on the table. This is noteworthy since evolution has nothing to do with planets, astronomy or physics; it's a theory that is applied solely in the field of biology.
Ideological content
Movie highlights traditional gender roles. Father's is responsible of his family and other family members must respect father's authority. Adult children still living with their parents must adjust to the rules of the head of the family even when they concern individuals private matters. Wife's role is to be obedient, caring and supporting.
Through the film work, school and hobbies are presented in questionable light; they are Satan's traps that can lead away from the One True Religion. Importance of family worship is repeated heavily through the entire film.
Film makes also a bold statement that happiness is equivalent to truth. When Marcus says to his father he is not interested about religion anymore because he has grown up, his father replies that nobody grows up from happiness.
In a scene where Roman's daughter replies to her classmates criticism on black and white thinking, she says it's not about black and white, but right and wrong. She quotes her father: decency is the boundary of tolerance [and acceptance]. Of course a witness watching this film links decency to doctrines of the Watchtower.
In conclusion
As a whole this new movie is cheesy, predictable and tedious. It's directed to Witness parents and does not have much to give to a non-witness. Production of this kind of movie probably tells from Governing Body's concerns that children of Witness families are not interested to continue as unpaid laborers of the Organization.
Also it was noteworthy that “apostate thinking” was not dealt with arguments and reasoning, but just with implicit labeling.
Film “These words...must be on your heart” can be found here: http://www.jw.org/en/publications/videos/gods-words-on-your-heart/