Dove Review:
Jennifer and her mom have spent the beginning of their summer moving into a quaint little house in a beautiful coastal town. Still recovering from her father’s painful and abrupt exit, the ladies find themselves adjusting to life as a single-parent household. As Jennifer becomes acquainted with two girls in her neighborhood, Reese and Hayley, they inform her about her troubled neighbor, Mr. O’Reilly, who is shrouded in gossip. This summer will prove to be an unforgettable one as these fast friends bond forever over faith, life lessons and island adventure.
This small Christian film has a Nicholas Sparks feel but is appropriate for the whole family. Tim O’Reilly is a misunderstood loner, angry with God for the loss of his wife and home. Jennifer is an optimistic young lady with a passion for the Gospel who longs for a father. Hayley is a tough cookie, a gossip with a flair for the dramatic and trouble at home to boot. Together with their friend Reese, the girls decide to befriend surly Mr. O’Reilly and prove once and for all if he is, in fact, a child/dog eater. Jennifer’s mom is just sort of there as a supportive single mom and doesn’t really play much of a role until later on in the film. I won’t spoil the end for you, because it’s quite sweet, but there is a very happy ending.
Obviously, this film is not some mega-budget, overproduced blockbuster, but, overall, I think it’s a really cute movie that has a simple story suitable for the whole family. Jennifer is such a great example of a very young person following Christ boldly, while Mr. O’Reilly’s redemption and the romantic aspects of the story are entertaining for adults. I particularly enjoyed Hayley’s character arc and thought it was a fantastic way to represent young people in similar situations. There are lots of great areas you can touch on with your family conversations through this story, but my favorite would be to challenge your kids to think about all the different kinds of families there are in the world, what the biblical worldview of family is, and how they can reach out with the Gospel to kids who are in similar or different family situations than their own.
We are pleased to award Boxes & Blessings the Dove Seal of Approval for All Ages.
The Dove Take:
Boxes & Blessings is a faith-based, easy-going summer flick with a Nicholas Sparks feel that is suitable for the whole family.
