BECAUSE OF GRACIA tells the story of a friendship between two teenagers, a boy named Chase and a girl named Gracia. When Chase starts his last year of high school, he thinks that it will be just like all the rest. He’s not very confident in himself and has no aspirations of doing great things.
His year is going just as he imagined, when a new girl, Gracia, shows up and changes all his plans. Gracia, played by Moriah Peters of AMERICAN IDOL fame, is instantly popular at school, which upsets the clique of girls who are used to getting all the attention. Everyone in the school can tell there’s something different about Gracia, but no one really knows what it is.
Chase tries to build the confidence to ask Gracia on a date and seeks the guidance of his favorite teacher, Mr. Brady. Mr. Brady is his history teacher and a Christian. Chase often seeks guidance and prayer from Mr. Brady. After getting advice from him, Chase decides to call Gracia. After several attempts, Chase finally calls the girl of his dreams. Awkwardly the two teenagers find out they share a common faith. Chase is paralyzed when Gracia informs him she’s been praying for a Christian friend. The two quickly become close friends, along with Chase’s best friend, OB.
During the movie, Gracia also learns about Bobbi Ryan. Bobbi is a pastor’s daughter. When Bobbi enters a relationship with a non-Christian, he quickly pressures her into a more physical relationship. Things escalate quickly, and Bobbi’s unsure how to handle her situation. Gracia sees her struggle and befriends the girl in the hopes of being a support for her.
The rest of the movie follows the lives and friendships of these four friends as they learn more about life, God and finding their voice of influence in their school.
BECAUSE OF GRACIA is much like other low budget faith-based films. There are a few things that redeem BECAUSE OF GRACIA, however, and help it to rise above the pack of modern faith-based films. The first is the movie’s storyline. Tim Simes, the writer, is able to touch on subjects such as sex, teenage relationships, abortion, drugs, drinking, purpose, evolution, and freedom of speech all in one movie without making it seem melodramatic or corny. The storyline seems very real and a good depiction of what teenagers in the 21st Century have to deal with every day.
Altogether, BECAUSE OF GRACIA is an entertaining, inspiring movie with a great message of faith, redemption and grace. It’s a great vehicle for Christian parents to discuss some heavy but important topics with their teenagers. The movie shows that teenagers do not need to follow the mirage of popularity, but rather can stand firm in their belief in Jesus Christ.
In Brief:
BECAUSE OF GRACIA is the story of a high school senior, Chase Morgan. A Christian, Chase is an ordinary student with no real motivation until he meets new student Gracia. Gracia is an instant hit with everyone. Chase befriends Gracia when he learns she’s also a Christian and has just prayed for a Christian friend. Gracia, Chase, his best friend, and a pastor’s daughter learn to find their voice within their high school while facing all the typical challenges confronting today’s teenagers.
BECAUSE OF GRACIA is a faith-based movie with a strong Christian worldview. The dialogue and some of the acting is awkward. However, a strong storyline and a beautiful performance by Moriah Peters as the title character help the movie rise above the pack of modern faith-based films. The movie is also full of positive themes about strong friendship, faith, Godly relationships, redemption, and grace. These themes, and more serious issues, are dealt with in a sensitive, inspiring, entertaining way. BECAUSE OF GRACIA is a great movie for Christian parents to discuss some serious but important topics with their teenagers.
BECAUSE OF GRACIA is the story of a Christian high school senior whose life is changed for the better after he meets a girl named Gracia. Subscribe to the Movieguide® TV Channel! https://goo.gl/RtGckg More Movieguide® Reviews! https://goo.gl/O8nUFz Know Before You Go with Movieguide®! Starring: Moriah Peters, Chris Massoglia, John Schneider, Ben Davies, Brett Simes, Rachael Hayward, Pat Patterson, Owen Presland-White, Emma Elle Roberts Follow us on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/movieguide Twitter: https://twitter.com/movieguide Google+ https://plus.google.com/+MovieguideOr… Visit Our Website: http://www.movieguide.org
