Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

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Screenwise Verdict

Here's the thing: Facing the Giants has its heart absolutely in the right place. The messages about perseverance, faith, and community are genuinely positive, and it's refreshingly safe for families.

But let's be real—this is rough to watch. Made by Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia with volunteer actors and a shoestring budget, it shows. The acting is stiff, the pacing drags, and the dialogue feels like it was written for a church skit. The 17% critic score vs 85% audience score tells you everything: if you're part of the target faith-based audience, you'll overlook the amateur production and connect with the message. If you're not, you'll be checking how much runtime is left.

The famous 'death crawl' scene is legitimately inspiring—a coach pushes a player to crawl the football field while carrying a teammate, blindfolded, teaching him not to quit. Moments like that show what this movie could have been with better execution.

Bottom line: This is really for families who are already deeply Christian and can appreciate faith-based cinema despite its limitations. For everyone else, there are better underdog sports movies that deliver similar messages without feeling like homework.

Age Fit

Common Sense Media says 8+, which tracks for content safety, but realistically this is for families already embedded in Christian culture who can overlook amateur filmmaking. Teens will likely find it painfully cheesy unless they're already bought into the faith-based film genre.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

78

Strong emphasis on perseverance, faith, teamwork, and overcoming personal struggles. Models positive coaching relationships and supportive community. The tone is earnest and encouraging, though the heavy-handed inspirational messaging can feel preachy. Emotional themes around infertility and failure are handled with sensitivity.

Imaginative

35

Follows a predictable underdog sports formula with minimal creative risks. The faith-based messaging is straightforward rather than imaginative. Production values are notably low (made by a church with volunteer actors), resulting in wooden performances and uninspired cinematography. Doesn't invite curiosity or creative thinking beyond its literal narrative.

Safe

88

Common Sense Media rates it 8+, and content is genuinely family-friendly with no violence, sexuality, or profanity. The emotional content around infertility and personal struggles is handled maturely without being traumatic. The main safety consideration is the explicitly Christian messaging, which some families may find too heavy-handed, but it's transparent and predictable throughout.

Enriching

62

Delivers clear messages about perseverance, faith, and not giving up when facing obstacles. The famous 'death crawl' scene genuinely illustrates pushing past self-imposed limits. However, the entertainment value is significantly hampered by amateur production quality and wooden acting. The 85% audience score vs 17% critic score reveals a stark divide—it resonates with its target faith-based audience but lacks broader appeal or nuanced storytelling.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Genuinely wholesome messages about perseverance, faith, and pushing past self-imposed limits—the 'death crawl' scene is legitimately inspiring
Safe for the whole family with zero content concerns (no violence, language, or sexuality)
If your family shares its Christian faith perspective, the religious messaging will feel affirming rather than preachy
Shows kids that failure isn't final and that communities can rally together—the underdog sports formula works if you can get past the production quality

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What to Watch For

This is VERY explicitly Christian—characters pray on screen constantly, there are altar-call moments, and faith is presented as the solution to every problem. If that's not your family's thing, this will feel like a 111-minute church service
The production quality is genuinely rough—volunteer actors, low-budget cinematography, wooden dialogue. The 17% critic score isn't being mean; it's just hard to watch from a filmmaking perspective
The infertility subplot might prompt questions from younger kids about why the coach and his wife can't have a baby
At nearly 2 hours, it drags significantly despite being about football

Conversation Starters

"The coach tells his player he can do more than he thinks he can—when have you surprised yourself by doing something harder than you expected?"
"The team had to decide whether to keep trying even when they kept losing. When is it worth sticking with something that's really hard?"
"How do you think the coach felt when his players started believing in themselves? Have you ever had a teacher or coach who helped you believe in yourself?"
"The movie shows people praying about their problems. What are other ways people deal with really hard situations?"

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