Approved for All Ages

Urban Country

A young, troubled city girl decides to move to her family-owned horse ranch in a small, southern town for the summer to care for her dying mother.
2
Negative Rating
12345
SexLanguageViolenceDrugsNudityOther
6
Positive Rating
12345
FaithIntegrity

Dove Review

Urban Country focuses on a teenage girl named Faith (Brighton Sharbino) who is “coming of age.” She is plagued by a broken home and typical teen angst—exhibiting disrespect to all authority in her life, especially her parents. Faith’s escape is through a skateboarding community, and she has no female friends; she only hangs out with boys since she has a bit of a tough edge.

Faith acts aggressively towards one particular boy who is taunting her, and she lands herself in jail. Though her father is portrayed as a workaholic, he seems to genuinely care, but chooses not to bail her out of jail. While there, she encounters the warden, played compassionately by Lou Diamond Phillips, who speaks wisdom into her life in a way she is able to receive it. Faith begins to reconsider her choices, but not before she has an emotionally charged confrontation with her sick and fragile mother who Faith believes had abandoned her.

After some soul-searching, Faith reconsiders the path she has been taking and agrees to live with her mother on a horse ranch, where several comical moments ensue of this urban girl learning to survive in the country: she tries to catch a chicken for dinner; steps in very undesirable messes; bears innumerable chores; and comes to terms with her fashion needing to match her environment. As a result of reflective, quality time with herself and others, Faith slowly repairs her relationship with her mother, Anna. Faith’s anger lessens as she witnesses the love and grace by which Anna conducts herself with everyone around her, especially Faith.

When tragedy unexpectedly strikes, Faith is called to rise to the occasion and is forced to consider what she is made of. She suddenly has grave responsibilities thrust upon her, and she questions whether she has the resiliency and skills to embrace these, or does she have a bit more growing up to do? Faith has gleaned enough wisdom to make this decision and bestows blessings on others before she embarks on a journey of self-discovery—as the tagline to the film says, “A journey begins with one step.” Faith’s exploration through life’s circumstances reminds us that faith, itself, is a journey. It is heartwarming and inspirational to watch her choose to take each step toward healing and restoration, and it is empowering to witness the positive outcomes and to realize that just like the end of the film, each day is a new beginning. We are proud to award this movie the Dove-Approved Seal for All Ages.

Dove Rating Details

2
Faith

Christian implications of redemption / grace / hope message through forgiveness extended towards various characters and active faith being present through mother praying over meals

4
Integrity

Mild violence present when protagonist pushes male character into a glass cabinet aggressively and the glass breaks slightly, injuring the male who is pushed

1
Sex

One scene where a short kiss takes place between protagonist and her love interest

0
Language

None

1
Violence

Mild violence present when protagonist pushes male character into a glass cabinet aggressively and the glass breaks slightly, injuring the male who is pushed

0
Drugs

None

0
Nudity

None

0
Other

None

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