In-Lawfully Yours Offers 21st Century Take on Bible Story of Ruth

CHRISTIAN COMEDY
In 2015, Corbin was in the studio at The 700 Club promoting his latest movie, Christian Mingle.  He met Dr. Mitch Land, the dean for Regent University’s School of Communications and the Arts (SCA) and talked about the film program at Regent.  Corbin decided to get involved.  “It was an obvious fit that I should make a movie with Regent,” he says.  Dr. Land sent Corbin several scripts and eventually he chose one written by SCA professor, Sean Gaffney.  Sean first developed the story more than 10 years ago when he challenged a group of students.  Their mission was to modernize a classic literary story into a film or television piece.  In-Lawfully Yours is a story of a young woman (Chelsea Crisp, Fresh off the Boat) who leaves the Big Apple to help her mother-in-law (Marilu Henner, Taxi) transition into widowhood.  The storyline is based on the biblical account of Ruth and produced in partnership with Corbin’s company, Home Theater Films.

The movie, which is faith-based, is not overly sentimental.  “It’s a romantic comedy,” says Corbin. “I wanted to do something different…I wanted to produce it and play a role in it,” he says.  In-Lawfully Yours will have a few theater screenings, but the movie released on September 6th on Netflix, DVD and Digital HD.  The making of the film included 80 students ranging in roles from assistant to the producer, production coordinator and casting assistant.  Faculty members made cameos in the film.  Much of the filming took place on and around Regent’s campus.   The DVD includes special behind-the-scenes features highlighting the student filmmakers who helped bring the film to life.

CORBIN’S ROLE
Corbin plays Father Grayson, a critical role near the end. The young woman (Handler) needs to be encouraged to have a conversation with God.  “I'm the one who encourages her to have a dialogue with God,” Corbin says.  In reality, he says our relationships with God are not always “hunky dory.” He says, “It's not always the good stuff when we talk to God, but it's a relationship.”  Corbin says his path is not to make overtly evangelistic movies.  “I see my path as somebody who is sincere and is meant to reach people -- similar to myself -- who lost the way, or never found it in the past – and open doors.”  His goal is to satisfy a Christian audience but is interested in reaching others.

The film also stars Grey’s Anatomy’s Joe Williamson and The Haves and The Have Nots’ Philip Boyd.