I Can Only Imagine 2 succeeds as a motion picture because it is underpinned by the sincerity of its convictions and elevated by strong work from a talented cast, especially an enjoyably eccentric Milo Ventimiglia.

Leading up to the Feb. 19 wide release date, both co-director Andrew Erwin and Bart Millard, the MercyMe singer and songwriter on whom the film is based, admitted they were both reluctant about developing a sequel to the 2018 hit I Can Only Imagine, which grossed $86 million at the domestic box office. They had no interest in signing on to a soulless cash grab.

Fortunately, a story worth telling about learning to trust and glorify God during periods when it feels like you are losing in life emerged during a lengthy development process. It is inspired by MercyMe’s 2017 Christian chart-topping hit “Even If,” co-written by Millard and singer-songwriter Tim Timmons.

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In flashback, we reconnect with Bart (played by J. Michael Finley) at the start of the film, when the band is basking in the glow of its runaway hit, “I Can Only Imagine,” receiving awards and adoration from fans. At home, he and his wife Shannon (Sophie Skelton) are blessed with a growing young family.

Frantically, Shannon tells Bart to come home from touring as their son Sam is not getting up. At the hospital, the young boy is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, and hereafter, he will need to be injected with painful insulin shots to stay alive. Hurting his child with the needles triggers Bart to revisit painful memories from his own childhood.

This reminiscence is the first of many scenes throughout the film striving for emotional catharsis as Bart struggles to be the type of father to his son, now a teenager in the film, he never had growing up. From my standpoint, 85 to 90 per cent of those scenes were authentically emotional and thought-provoking. However, there were multiple sequences intended to be powerful that rang false and felt contrived.

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While the film’s dramatic scenes land powerfully thanks to sharp writing and committed performances, their emotional weight is occasionally undercut by the relentless pacing. At a lean 110 minutes, the runtime is a genuine boon in an era when so many mainstream releases regrettably balloon past two-and-a-half hours. Overall, that briskness makes the story engaging. Still, a handful of the biggest moments would hit harder with just a few extra seconds of breathing room. Instead of letting key revelations or quiet devastations linger, the film too often hurries onward to the next beat.

Regarding the performances, Finley, Shelton, Trace Adkins as MercyMe manager Scott Brickell, newcomer Sammy Dell as Sam Millard and Arielle Kebbel as Hilary Timmons all deliver solid work. They properly service this sincere story with earnest portrayals.

Ventimiglia, as the Christian singer-songwriter Tim Timmons, delightfully stands out from the rest of the ensemble. His portrayal pulsates with distinctive oddball energy and rich emotional texture.

Considering he is a three-time Emmy Award nominee for his work in the television drama series This is Us, it was not surprising that Ventimiglia supplies the pathos as we learn late-breaking disclosures about what drives Tim’s faith and why he is so determined to get “Even If” into the world with Bart’s help.

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Not just MercyMe’s music is spotlighted — the performance of “Even If” is terrific by the way — in I Can Only Imagine 2. The 1873 Christian hymn “It Is Well With My Soul,” written by Horatio Spafford, powerfully factors into the storytelling.

I give I Can Only Imagine 2 a rating of 3 ½ out of 5. Check online for showtimes beginning on Feb. 19.