Review: "W.W.J.R. - When Will Jesus Return" 2026

The last few years have seen an increase in faith-based films. Some of these films are subtle, some are meant to make an argument for their beliefs to non-believers, and some are made for  those who already believe. W.W.J.R. - When Will Jesus Returns falls into the latter. In W.W.J.R., Lazarus is a social media manager who has just lost his job and his girlfriend. At the same time, he meets Jesus who, according to him, is trying to figure out why he was led to Lazarus. The two begin to bond as Jesus helps Lazarus navigate his life. Along the way, the two get a job at a church that is struggling to keep its doors open. Lazarus realizes his skills and app could really help the church while Jesus subtly helps the people of the church find inspiration and solutions to the challenges in their lives.

W.W.J.R. is a positive family-comedy film that hits all of the expected beats, with very few surprises. While it does have the classic save-the-church trope, the focus of the story was more on the people than the situation. A lot of time is spent with Lazarus and Jesus. Never thought I would see Jesus as a wingman but in a way, he is here. His guidance does help with Lazarus’ self-improvement and you do feel a change in the character over the course of the movie. There is also a parallel subplot involving the pastor questioning his abilities to lead the church. He is weighed down by the legacy of pastors in his family and his late father’s expectations of him. The core of the story is personal development and finding faith in oneself, with little help from Jesus.

Jesus is played by Zoltan Kaszas. This is not your father’s Jesus. Kaszas brings a modernized version who talks about wifi and cryptocurrency, is quick with a quip, and even gets a makeover to his look thanks to his new friend Lazarus. The only time we ever see him in his classic robs, sandals, long hair and beard is at the very beginning. I thought this was a rather bold move that I am sure may ruffle some feathers. Ksazas never feels like he is mocking Jesus but instead just giving us a version that would connect more with a modern audience. I loved the infectious energy he brought to the screen; and steals every scene he is in. J.Tate Silver convincingly plays Lazarus is a self-doubting, awkward twenty-something who does not know his true potential. The one character that comes close to matching the positive energy of Jesus is Dee Dee, played by Karsten Tate. Her uplifting energy is definitely felt through the screen by her performance. The rest of the cast does a good job for not being that experienced in front of the camera. They did better with the dramatic parts of the script than the comedic ones.

W.W.J.R. is almost too positive. I never really got the feeling that the church was in actual trouble. The antagonists in the story really were not that antagonizing, except maybe Lazarus’ ex-girlfriend Chloe, but she was more annoying. The way the film was edited made it feel like a series of short skits rather than a flowing through line, giving it a stop-start feel to the main plot. It also could have used some trimming up. Even with the skit-like nature, you feel its runtime. There is a surprisingly high-value look to the overall production. I particularly enjoyed how vividly rich the colors looked; you can tell they wanted to make everything look cheery.

This movie is definitely intended more for a specific audience, and there is nothing wrong with that. While the theme of self-improvement and finding your place in the world is a universal one,  there is more going on here that is sure to turn some audiences off. While this is not my type of film, I can see it appealing to those who enjoy deeply faith-based stories with heart, humor, and hope. 

W.W.J.R. 2026