Brave the Dark

I thought this movie would be average at best. How many times do we get a story about a down and out kid that gets saved by their hero teacher. This movie was that, but they did a wonderful job at telling the story.

The acting is what made the show. I really cared about the kid. I felt his emotional pain. It was not overdone. The teacher was played well. Again, there was not a bunch of over-emoting or cornball jokes.

If you like touching movies, this is the one for you. Don't avoid it because it is from Angel.

This is not an overbearing religious movie. It is a movie about people needing people.

Just watched this movie. If you have ever been or are a mentor, or a foster parent or adopted this movie will inspire, encourage and draw emotions of the journey. If you are a teacher this movie is for you. Yes there is some swearing, but not excessive. I have live the life of Mr Dean many a time through my life. It is humbling seeing what God has done. This movie is not churchy but there are signs of faith throughout. I encourage you to see it. INVITE TEACHERS, MENTORS, and those that work with troubled teens. It is refreshing, hopeful, encouraging. The actors did a great job. I am sure they were moved making it.

Excellent story of unconditional love, for a young man who needed guidance and someone who truly cared about him with no strings. We all know someone like the main character. Hopefully many of us would go out of our way to help someone who could use our help. Before judging someone because of what you've heard or their actions remember you don't know what's going on in that person's life it may have caused them to react in that way, we must be understanding and loving. Treating people with respect and showing them, they have worth is very important, especially in the dark days we are living in.

A bold reminder that we don't know the road that many of the people we think we know have travelled and how those experiences have shaped their lives, for good or for bad. It forces one to consider the question: Do I have what it takes to be a Mr. Deen? While the performances were okay, the story trumped any deficiencies in that area. It was also notable how music was shown to be liberating for the lead characters. I hope the messages from this film will reside in the back of my mind and help me seek a clearer picture when assessing a person's character and worth. It is easy to profess that we are each a Child of God, but quite another to treat others in that manner.

This is a beautiful film about fatherhood and a story much needed for our current times. The always impressive Jared Harris portrays a good natured teacher who takes Nathan, a troubled teenager under his wing, trying desperately to help him through kindness, empathy, and genuine good humor. All of this is confusing to Nathan who is not used to such concern, and is heavily burdened by his own self-hatred. Harris plays a less serious role than I've seen him play previously and he exudes a confident, fun-loving nature which keeps the viewer invested every time he is on screen. Nicholas Hamilton's performance cannot be overlooked either, and his tortured and engaging demeanor provides an electrifying contrast.

The film definitely delivers on its title, more than earning it's strong PG-13 rating, but does not dwell upon the horrors of trauma to such a degree that it taints the message of redemption. That being said, the resolution does feel a bit too quick, having a hopeful tail-end timejump when I felt some more healing could be shown after such a jarring reveal. Nevertheless, the message and direction overcome the film's shortcomings making this a great story for adults.