A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Positive Messages
a lot
Themes of faith, forgiveness, finding your family, and finding yourself. Main takeaway is impossible to miss: To heal divisiveness between communities, we need to be open to talking with one another, including those who look and act differently from us.
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Positive Role Models
a lot
Primary characters are positive role models who demonstrate a fantastic ability to communicate. That said, some frequently do drugs, which is portrayed as leading to character growth. Pastor Chuck Smith provides an example of humility, finding success after taking advice from his teen daughter. While others in his age group and community see hippies as repugnant, Chuck uses empathy to see them for who they are and want to be. Despite objections of those who'd discriminate against hippies based on their appearance and behavior, Chuck demonstrates courage by opening the church to allow them to sit, speak, and play music, helping to fuel a national spiritual awakening. Chuck also encourages a young man who wants to serve by giving him opportunities, a bet that pays off in the long run.
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Diverse Representations
very little
All main characters are White. Two Black characters are speaking roles, but both are on the fringe. Some background actors are people of color. There's economic diversity, but the poor family is depicted as broken, while the upper-middle-class and wealthy families are seen as whole. Most female characters exist only as girlfriends and wives; one identifies so completely with having a male partner that she's shattered without a man. The Madonna-whor* cliché is in play, with Greg's future wife depicted with an angelic glow and his mother as a one-dimensional alcoholic harlot. The exception is Chuck's teen daughter, a positive force who thinks for herself and advocates for others.
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Violence & Scariness
very little
Two moments of peril involving car accidents.
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Sex, Romance & Nudity
very little
A developing romance.
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
a lot
Substance use by teens, including scenes where main characters are tripping. Overdose. Scary moments while characters are high, which are portrayed as leading to growth and maturity. It's expressed that drug use is a tool in a quest for having a relationship with God. A negative character drives drunk, with a harsh consequence. Smoking. Party scene with teens shows beer bottles.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Jesus Revolution is the story of Greg Laurie, the founder of Harvest Christian Fellowship. Told through the lens of the Jesus movement that swept the United States in the early 1970s, the film centers on two people who helped usher that movement in: Calvary Chapel Pastor Chuck Smith (Kelsey Grammer) and his protégé, Lonnie Frisbee (Jonathan Roumie). Greg (Joel Courtney) is depicted as an older teen who's lost and often high, embracing the counterculture mantra "turn on, tune in, drop out." Substance use is frequent, with one party scene shot to reflect Greg and his girlfriend's experience of being high. While the overall message is "don't do drugs," the point is also made not to judge those who do. But the film's greatest takeaway (among many positive messages throughout) is that the only way a divided country can heal is through love, which means opening the door to conversations with those who behave, think, or dress differently than you do. Make no mistake: This is an evangelical film. But by taking a historical outlook and having the honesty to show main characters as flawed and/or going too far, it remarkably doesn't come off as preachy! To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
What's the Story?
In JESUS REVOLUTION, Calvary Chapel Pastor Chuck Smith (Kelsey Grammer) meets street preacher Lonnie Frisbee (Jonathan Roumie), who believes that America's youths are leaning into a "turn on, tune in, drop out" counterculture in their search for answers -- and God. Smith opens the doors of his conservative church to the flower children, helping to spark a spiritual awakening movement across the United States. One of those who sees the light is Greg Laurie (Joel Courtney), an older teen who's lost and often high. It's through Greg's connection with his girlfriend, Cathe (Anna Grace Barlow), that he finds Calvary Chapel and God, leading him to turn his life around.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why the United States was in turmoil from 1966 to 1972. In what ways was the country divided at that time? How does that compare to the United States now?
Who do you consider to be role models in the movie? What character strengths do they demonstrate?
What is a Madonna-whor* complex, and how does it play out in the media? Which characterizations fall into this cliché in Jesus Revolution? Why can these archetypes be damaging?
How does Jesus Revolution compare to other faith-based films you've seen? What message do you think audiences of faith will take away? What about secular viewers?
Movie Details
- In theaters: February 24, 2023
- On DVD or streaming: April 24, 2023
- Cast: Joel Courtney, Kelsey Grammer, Jonathan Roumie
- Directors: Jon Erwin, Brent McCorkle
- Inclusion Information: Middle Eastern/North African actors
- Studio: Lionsgate
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Book Characters, Great Boy Role Models, Great Girl Role Models
- Character Strengths: Communication, Courage, Curiosity, Empathy, Humility, Teamwork
- Run time: 120 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: strong drug content involving teens and some thematic elements.
- Last updated: August 5, 2023
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