Grace Unplugged

The main problem with Christian films is the cheese factor. Movies that take a good quality moral message and then somehow cheese it up with either corny writing, or sloppy directing, or phony performances are starting to become a thing of the past. Once The Passion of the Christ demonstrated that BRILLIANT films could convey morality, the race was on.

Grace Unplugged has some good performances, as well as a heartwarming story. You feel for the characters. You get pulled into the struggles of the father/daughter relationship. You want Grace to follow her dreams. You really vest yourself as an audience member.

That would not be possible if the Christian-cheese factor were prevalent.

I have to admit that there were a couple of moments (without including any spoilers) that the cheese crept in. However, overall- without PROFANITY, NUDITY, GRATUITOUS DRUGS/SIMULATED SEX/SUGGESTIVE ANYTHING, this movie managed to really work. The cast had chemistry. The story pulled heartstrings. It was truly a success.

This is a Christian film and like usual, I did not mind that. I cherish film for what it narrates than on what it all was all built on. Yeah, there's a little annoyance when a father is not letting his daughter to pursue her dreams. Especially in this modern world, and too in the western world, this is a bit surprising.

Grace, an 18 year old girl raised with the Christian faith is set to find her own life path. Her father, who is insisting her not to abandon the faith is the one to be convinced about what she wanted to accomplish in her life. She takes the chance that comes her way and the rest is history making.

An inspiring film. Not just for the Christian faith, but anybody with dreaming to accomplish something big. Particularly the youngsters. The cast was good, and the characters. Music tracks too enjoyable. Maybe the runtime should have been a shorter to accompany the pace. But overall not bad, a fine film was once watching.

6/10

Gracie Trey (AJ Michalka) performs with her protective father Johnny Trey (James Denton) at church. She's 18 and desperate to be a music star. Johnny's old manager Frank 'Mossy' Mostin (Kevin Pollak) shows up one day and tells him that his old song has became a viral sensation. Mossy offers him a new shot but he rejects it out of hand. He doesn't want his old problematic life. He's happy with his wife Michelle Trey (Shawnee Smith), church, and family. Gracie has a different idea. Quentin (Michael Welch) is the company intern.

An easy fix would be having the mom there accompanying her. I guess that easy fix is not what the movie is looking for. It's fine for the Christian crowd who sees Hollywood as a den of iniquity. An even easier fix for the movie would be to make Johnny a single parent. The whole movie has a hesitant feel. It's written like a weak melodrama although it could be worst. It's too hesitant to be too dark. It's too light to do anything risky. It seems to be more against the superficiality of commercial capitalism than anything else. It's singing to a certain choir.

This is the kind of low-budget film that truly proves that a small story can be much more meaningful than a larger one. Grace Trey is the ideal Christian teen who is also a phenomenal singer. But at the tender age of 18, after she gets the music break of a lifetime and is thrust into the "real world", her faith is put to the test. This film is worthy of all the hopes you have. All of the fancy characters struggle against a system that has perpetuated falsehoods. The plot is not as well thought out as the original, but it still does the cast well. It's an important film, as well as entertaining. The story is nothing special but an exceptional performance from most of the cast, realism and the mood it puts you in make it a must-see.

What a great story! A girl fighting her dad for some space to grow up and be herself. She is struck with the awesome idea to fill her dad's old shoes in the music business when he turns down the request of an old producer friend. Not knowing the extent of the commitment, she gets caught in a moral dilemma. Some of the scenes made me squirm. If you are a Christian who has ever put a bushel over your candle during a tense moment, you will relate to this! It could be described as the prodigal daughter movie. The cast was perfect. Also a great message of comfort to parents to commend their children to God on that day when it's time for them to leave the nest. God is already at the place where they are going. Trust God!