Let There Be Light (2017) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The movie is set in contemporary America, primarily across three key environments: Sol Harkens' home, Pastor Vinny's church, and public spaces including a construction site where a crash occurs and media studios where Sol's story goes public. These settings create a collision between science, faith, and family within a media-driven society.

• setting
• locations
• church
• home
• america

The events occur in present-day United States during the early 21st century, set against a Christmas-season backdrop that emphasizes themes of light and renewal. The story spans from intimate home life to global media attention, reflecting modern talk-show culture.

• time period
• present day
• modern era
• christmas

The film explores three interconnected themes: Faith, which serves as Sol's catalyst and conflict from skepticism to renewal; Loss, represented by Katy's cancer diagnosis and death that grounds the spiritual journey in real grief; and World Peace, depicted through a planetary campaign where people unite in a symbolic global gesture of illumination.

• themes
• faith
• loss
• world peace
• meaning

Sol Harkens is an outspoken atheist doctor who becomes the center of a crisis between science and faith after experiencing a near-death experience and visions of his late son David. His journey moves from cynicism and rational certainty to renewed faith and a desire to rebuild his family.

• sol harkens
• protagonist
• atheist
• doctor

Pastor Vinny is a former mob member turned preacher who guides Sol toward faith after recounting the resurrection story. He serves as a pragmatic, no-nonsense mentor who uses his lived experience to challenge Sol's scientific rigidity. His church functions as a focal point for community and the unveiling of Sol's transformation.

• vinny
• pastor
• church
• mentor
• former mob

Katy Harkens is Sol's Christian ex-wife who remains a steady moral anchor throughout the film. She checks on Sol after the crash, reconnects with their family, and faces her own mortality while battling cancer. Her death represents the painful cost of the journey toward unity and renewal.

• katy harkens
• ex-wife
• cancer
• family

David Harkens is Sol's son who died from cancer years before the film's events. He appears in visions to comfort Sol and urge him toward light, revealing the enduring bond between father and child. His presence acts as a catalyst for Sol's faith journey, adding a bittersweet dimension to themes of life, death, and reconciliation.

• david harkens
• son
• vision
• deceased

The title 'Let There Be Light' carries multiple layers of meaning: it represents Sol's spiritual illumination and transformation from skepticism to faith; it symbolizes hope and renewal during grief; and on a global scale, it becomes a planetary campaign where people unite in shining lights toward the sky, fostering unity and solidarity in a fractured world.

• light
• symbolism
• hope
• renewal
• unity

The film explores the tension between rational science and spiritual belief through Sol's journey from atheism to faith. His near-death experience and visions challenge his scientific worldview, suggesting that faith can offer solace, meaning, and redemption after tragedy. The story poses questions about belief, doubt, and the possibility of reconciliation between these opposing views.

• faith
• science
• atheism
• belief
• religion

Loss serves as a grounding force in the film, reminding viewers that redemption does not erase pain. Katy's cancer diagnosis and eventual death punctuate the narrative, testing Sol's newfound faith and his commitment to family. This tragedy adds a human consequence to the story's hopeful message, showing that the journey toward light involves real grief and sacrifice.

• loss
• death
• cancer
• grief
• sacrifice