The "Youth Group" Aesthetic
If you’ve ever spent a summer smelling like bug spray and sunscreen while singing about Jesus in a humid dining hall, this movie is going to feel like a fever dream. For everyone else, it’s a fascinating artifact of a very specific subculture. Critics absolutely panned this—that Metacritic 32 is a brutal indictment of the filmmaking—but the 89% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes proves that for a certain crowd, the vibe matters more than the craft.
It’s essentially a paint-by-numbers musical that swaps out the Disney Channel sheen for a Christian camp setting. The "troubled teen" lead, Will, isn't exactly a gritty anti-hero; his rebellion is of the "I don't want to be here" variety rather than anything truly dark. This makes it a very easy watch for parents who are tired of the edge found in most modern teen dramas.
The Nostalgia Play
One thing that catches parents off guard is the soundtrack. Instead of original bubblegum pop, the movie relies heavily on reimagined covers of 90s and 2000s Christian Contemporary Music (CCM). If you grew up on Steven Curtis Chapman or Michael W. Smith, you’ll recognize the bones of these songs immediately.
This is a calculated move. It bridges the gap between the tweens watching and the parents who are probably controlling the Netflix account. It’s a smart way to make the movie feel "safe" and familiar. If your kid starts asking why the music sounds like a church service from twenty years ago, our parent's guide to A Week Away explains how these songs are making a comeback in faith-based media.
Who is this actually for?
If your kid is a theater geek who lives for Hamilton or Dear Evan Hansen, they will likely find the choreography and songwriting here a bit mid. It doesn't have the budget or the lyrical complexity of a major Broadway production. However, if your household is a fan of High School Musical or Camp Rock and you’re looking for something that aligns with faith-based values without being a dry sermon, this hits the bullseye.
The friction comes if you have older teens. Anyone over 15 who isn't already deeply embedded in church culture will probably find the earnestness a bit much. It’s a movie that wears its heart on its sleeve, and that heart is very, very wholesome. It’s the kind of film you put on for a Friday night when you want zero surprises and a guaranteed happy ending.
The Takeaway
Don't go into this expecting a cinematic masterpiece. The Letterboxd score of 2.3 tells you that the "film bro" crowd finds it tedious. But as a tool for connection in a faith-based home, it’s effective. It models forgiveness and community in a way that’s accessible for 10-year-olds. Just be prepared for the songs to get stuck in your head for at least a week—whether you want them there or not.
