Soul Surfer
Recommended. Age: 13+. A Catholic review of this movie for parents.
Our review
Bethany Hamilton is a young surfer in Hawaii. A shark bites off her arm, but with help from her family, friends and faith she learns to surf again. She also helps hurting kids in Thailand and finds a new way to share hope. This is a clean, hopeful true story where faith is out in the open. The family prays, reads the Bible and goes to church, and Bethany never blames God. The shark attack is quick but bloody, and beach clothes are skimpy. Our age is 13 and up, set by the bishops' A-II classification, which is stricter than Common Sense Media's 10+.
For parents
Our age is 13 and up, set by the US bishops' A-II classification (Common Sense Media says 10+, MPA rated PG). The shark attack is sudden with lots of blood, and the beach setting has bikinis and shirtless boys. Ask: why did Bethany skip the first mission trip, and what changed her mind? How can God bring good out of suffering? Who did Bethany help when she stopped thinking about her own loss?