Not Approved

I’m Not Ashamed

Limited Theatrical Release - Based on her honest and heartfelt journals, this hope-filled true story of Rachel Joy Scott at Columbine High School is an inspiring reminder that when we put our lives in God’s hands, we can make a world of difference.
11
Negative Rating
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SexLanguageViolenceDrugsNudityOther
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Positive Rating
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FaithIntegrity

Dove Review

“I’m Not Ashamed” is a tremendous film, based on the tragic but faith-filled story of Rachel Joy Scott, who died during the violent Columbine High School shooting in 1999. Masey McLain is phenomenal as Rachel. She brings joy to the part, along with a serious-minded faith. She plays the role and the struggles of her character very well. In the film, Rachel struggles with wanting to fit in with the partying crowd and liking a young man who does not share her faith. However, she always turns back to God and returns to church after her brief moments of doubt. Her generous spirit leads her to help out a homeless young man named Nate (Ben Davies), who becomes a big brother figure to her and joins her in her Christian faith.

Rachel helps those who are considered underdogs and even forgives a girl who winds up with the boy Rachel liked, after the boy cheated on Rachel with her. Despite the mocking of two “unusual” boys who like violent video games and spurn Rachel’s speech in class on “compassion,” Rachel marches forward, undeterred.

The handling of the violence is fairly tame and seems to feature true footage along with reenactments. Rachel does not deny her faith but speaks up for God when the killers ask her if she still believes in Jesus. The film includes a scene of a boy with blood and gunshot holes on his T-shirt as he lies dead. Due to several scenes of underage drinking and smoking we are awarding the film our “Faith-Based” Seal, meaning it has a faith message but contains some objectionable material. The message of the film is clear: Rachel followed Christ to the point of death, and her life story has touched millions of people. Not long before she died, Rachel drew a picture of an eye crying 13 tears. Thirteen people died as a result of the Columbine shooting, including 12 students and one teacher. She also drew an outline of her hands as a child in her bedroom and wrote that one day she would touch millions of lives. She did.

Dove Rating Details

0
Faith

None

0
Integrity

Two boys start to show a video about the need for killing some people, and they act it out on tape and the teacher stops it; bullies shove a few people; young men play violent video games and begin to stock up on arsenal; a kid threatens another kid; kid says he hates the school and will get his revenge; young men shoot bowling pins; boy and girl are shot, and bloody holes are visible on boy's T-shirt; people running in a panic; people grieving.

2
Sex

Young couples kissing; a girl comes out of a room, buttoning her blouse, indicating she had sex with a young man in the room; a boy pressures a girl to have sex, but she wants a commitment; a boy cheats on his girlfriend and is shown lying on a bed and kissing another girl, until his girlfriend walks in and catches them; a "He's hot" comment; kissing in a school play.

1
Language

Shut up-1; Sucks-2; Idiot/Idiots-2; the word "Retard" is used about a handicapped boy; I'll kill you-1; Loser-1; Crap-1; "Jesus Freak" is used a few times; "Little Miss Perfect" is used in mocking Christian girl; a comment about "Your stupid Jesus speech"; Boys say, "Hail Hitler"; Lame-o-1;

2
Violence

Two boys start to show a video about the need for killing some people, and they act it out on tape and the teacher stops it; bullies shove a few people; young men play violent video games and begin to stock up on arsenal; a kid threatens another kid; kid says he hates the school and will get his revenge; young men shoot bowling pins; boy and girl are shot, and bloody holes are visible on boy's T-shirt; people running in a panic; people grieving.

3
Drugs

Very many scenes of young people, underage, smoking and drinking alcohol, and some of them are obviously drunk; beer drinking; parties; kids drinking from a beer keg at party; a comment, "You smell like smoke and booze. Are you buzzing?"; man on street corner smokes.

1
Nudity

Cleavage.

2
Other

A girl sneaks out of her room and goes to party with friends; sister lies for girl who sneaked out; teens go to a pool late at night, but they are not supposed to be there, and they swim and drink alcohol; death and grief; a few kids pick on handicapped boy and Christian girl; talk of evolution, Hitler, and natural selection; "Natural Selection" written on boy's T-shirt; tattoos on guy's arm; a young man says he doesn't like church but changes his mind; a girl copies another student's homework; a girl has suicidal thoughts and says she doesn't want to live through the night, and she walks on a tall building and considers jumping; tension between characters; death and grief; homeless man on street.

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