Gracie

“GRACIE” is a disappointment, and I want to caution parents about this very flawed film. It’s supposed to look like it’s a family-friendly movie that parents can take their little, soccer-loving girls to, but GRACIE is a very bad example for those little girls. This movie is obviously supposed to be inspiring, but it is not. It’s based on the true story of a girl who wants to play on the boy’s soccer team and “against all odds” makes it. Carly Schroeder plays Gracie, and she’s about as inspiring and likeable as Lindsay Lohan. I regretted that her name in the film is Grace, since that beautiful word carries such a deeply moving spiritual connotation. A more apt name would have been Lola, from the song “whatever Lola wants, Lola gets.”

Let’s look at this film from a Christian perspective:

• In a typically rebellious move, Gracie steals her mother’s car, and invites a boy into the backseat where we see partial disrobing and almost an intentional sex scene.
• Gracie repeatedly defies her father and frequently calls him a JERK.
• Gracie repeatedly disobeys her parents, who constantly come off looking like the insensitive bad guys.
• Crude words are the norm in this film—“boobs” for breasts—and there are many others that I will not print here.
• After constantly and rudely defying, disobeying and bad-mouthing her father, it is only after Gracie gets her way that she calls him Daddy and hugs and respects him.
• Throughout this film Gracie is angry, rude, and disrespectful, with little regard for her parents’ shock and sadness at losing their son.
• Gracie is strong-willed, self-absorbed and self-centered.
• This movie is rated PG-13, but should be rated R for “rude” and “revolting” behavior on Gracie’s part.

This film teaches kids that…

• If your older brother dies, you will be the only one suffering, your parents will just continue on being jerks who do not need any sympathy or love. They do not need your co-operation either.
• It’s okay to argue constantly with your parents, challenge their every decision, defy their authority, and blatantly disobey them—especially when they are grieving the loss of their firstborn.
• It’s okay to push and push to get your way, especially when you just absolutely know you are the one who is right and everyone else is wrong—especially your parents.
• When you have reached the end of your rope and really want to punish and disobey your parents—steal their car, grab a partner and go have sex, that’ll show 'em.

Even if your child loves soccer, taking him or her to this movie would be unwise. A bad role model is not worth them seeing some cool soccer moves.

Violence: Mild / Profanity: Minor / Sex/Nudity: Minor