Here’s the inside scoop on a new feel-good movie about a homeless teen and the Christian family that takes him in and helps him become an NFL player. See how you can explore the film with your kids.
Michael Ohler is a good kid who faces hard times. A student at a Christian high school, he has no place to sleep at night. This African-American teen is taken in by a kind-hearted, white, Christian named Leigh Anne Tuohy, who welcomes Michael into her well-off family and helps him channel his energy into becoming a better football player.
Fast forward to 2006: Michael becomes an All-American football star at the University of Mississippi (Leigh Anne’s alma mater), and author Michael Lewis’ book about Leigh Anne and Michael is published and becomes a bestseller.
Fast forward to 2009: Michael is drafted by the Baltimore Ravens and starts as a tackle.
And now, the movie about this incredible, family-friendly and faith-friendly story opens in theaters just in time for the holiday season.
Overall, the movie is getting good reviews. (You can see what various critics are saying at Rotten Tomatoes.
You also can tie the movie to current events, encouraging your kids to think of ways they can do something as did Leigh Anne Tuohy.
Read a recent New York Times story “Recession Exacts an Emotional Toll in Children.” You also can read nearly 200 letters from readers, some of which describe their own financial and emotional woes.
An earlier Times story described how the recession is fueling a rise in teen runaways.
Talk about the movie and the articles with your kids. Then ask them if there is anything they can do–individually or as a group–to help struggling young people in your town or city.
You can even combine this discussion with reflections on Thanksgiving or New Year’s (and the chance to make resolutions to do things differently in the New Year)!
One of the best passages to explore with your kids is
