“God Gave Me Wings” shows clearly that with faith anything is possible, even beating the odds. Alex Taylor (Richard Harmon) has been blind since the age of two, but he wants to run on his high school track team. Enter Brad Coleman (Jaren Brandt Bartlett), a rebellious teen who just got into trouble (again), this time for stealing. Alex’s dad Geoff (Craig Bierko) is his probation officer and agrees to work something out for Brad if he is willing to help his son train for track. His job is to run alongside Alex.
Brad is not crazy about the idea at first; he and Alex don’t hit it off right away, but they keep at it. They face several obstacles together, including Brad getting into a fist fight with a bully on the team who gives them a hard time. They also have to overcome Alex’s mom’s worries. His mother Sandy (Jill Hennessy) is afraid her son will get hurt. Coach McVie (Jessica Harmon) is also a tough nut to crack because she and Brad once had a run-in. But as Alex and Brad continue to work together, they form an unlikely but genuine friendship. With the bully Tyson relentlessly picking on Alex, it becomes apparent to Alex that maybe it is fear—fear of Alex beating Tyson—that is behind his aggressive attitude.
The story builds to an exciting race and, well, we won’t give the ending away. But you don’t want to miss it! The film features some nice scenes of Brad’s father, Angus Coleman (Lorne Cardinal), making time to look out for Brad and his younger brother Ricky. We are pleased to award “God Gave Me Wings” our Dove Family-Approved Seal for ages twelve plus, due to a few language issues. The movie features a song called “God Help Me” that is powerful during a crucial moment in the film. This is an inspiring and remarkable movie.
