23 Blast
for some teen drinking.
| Moral Rating: | Recommended |
| Moviemaking Quality: |
|
| Primary Audience: | Teens Adults Family |
| Genre: | Family Sports Drama |
| Length: | 1 hr. 38 min. |
| Year of Release: | 2014 |
| USA Release: |
October 3, 2014 (limited) October 24, 2014 (wide—617 theaters) DVD: January 20, 2015 |
hope can triumph over despair
blindness in the Bible
trying to cope with loss of eyesight
courage / true bravery
overcoming disability to play football, teach and serve God
FEAR, Anxiety and Worry—What does the Bible say? Answer
teenage drinking
about the book Lights Out: Living in a Sightless World by Travis Freeman
DEPRESSION—Are there biblical examples of depression and how to deal with it? Answer
What should a Christian do if overwhelmed with depression? Answer
demonstrating love for others
What is true Christian love? Answer
inspiring others to do good and great things
Why does God allow innocent people to suffer? Answer
What about the issue of suffering? Doesn’t this prove that there is no God and that we are on our own? Answer
Does God feel our pain? Answer
ORIGIN OF BAD—How did bad things come about? Answer
Did God make the world the way it is now? What kind of world would you create? Answer
Teens—Have questions? Find answers in our popular TeenQs section. Get answers to your questions about life, dating and much more.
| Featuring |
Mark Hapka … Travis Freeman Bram Hoover … Jerry Baker Stephen Lang … Coach Farris Max Adler … Cameron Marshall Alexa PenaVega … Ashley Dylan Baker … Larry Freeman Kim Zimmer … Mary Freeman Becky Ann Baker … Patty Wheatley Timothy Busfield … Duncan Deirdre Brennan … Mrs. Crawford Kevin Cooney … Coach Burley Alicia Cox … Mama Crystal Hunt … Molly Schann Mobley … Tess Angel Laketa Moore … Karen Scott Sowers … Mr. Marshall Fred Dalton Thompson … Coach Powers Isiah Whitlock Jr. … Dr. Connelly |
| Director |
Dylan Baker—his directorial debut |
| Producer |
Touchdown Productions LLC Toy Gun Films |
| Distributor | Ocean Avenue Entertainment |
“Vision comes from within / Based on an incredible true story”
Here’s what the distributor says about their film: “When a high school football star is suddenly stricken with irreversible, total blindness, he must decide whether to live a safe, protected life or to summon the courage through playing football to step back into the world.
‘23 Blast’ is based on the amazing, true story of Travis Freeman. A typical teenager growing up in a small town in Kentucky, Travis is a local hero on and off the field. In the prime of his youth, he is unexpectedly stricken with an infection that destroys his optic nerve; he becomes blind overnight.
Under the influence of parents who love him, a physical therapist who challenges him, a coach who inspires him, and a best friend who he cannot bear to leave behind, Travis shows us what true bravery is by competing on the gridiron, helping his team advance to the State playoffs. We follow Travis and Jerry Baker, his closest friend, from the time they meet on the football field as kids through high school. Jerry’s attraction to the dark side of teenage temptations threatens to pull the friends apart. It is only on the football field where they truly connect.
Depicting a story of hope triumphing over despair, of courage and faith overcoming fear and of victory prevailing over adversity, ‘23 Blast’ is designed to encourage and uplift audiences.”
Violence: Minor
Profanity: “Oh dear Lord,” “d*mn” (4), “h*ll” (2)
Sex/Nudity: Mild
See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.
PLEASE share your observations and insights to be posted here.
We watched this with our teen children, and it was a great talking point about how bad choices can ruin your life. There’s no sexuality in the film, only a single kiss between the main character and girlfriend. I highly recommend this great film to friends and family. I wish there were more movies like this one.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Excellent! / Moviemaking quality: 5