Approved for 12+

Courageous

Four men, one calling: To serve and protect. As law enforcement officers, Adam Mitchell, Nathan Hayes, David Thomson, and Shane Fuller are confident and focused. Yet at the end of the day, they face a challenge that none of them are truly prepared to tackle: fatherhood.

While they consistently give their best on the job, good enough seems to be all they can muster as dads. But they're quickly discovering that their standard is missing the mark.

When tragedy hits home, these men are left wrestling with their hopes, their fears, their faith, and their fathering. Can a newfound urgency help these dads draw closer to God ... and to their children?

Filled with action-packed police drama, COURAGEOUS is the fourth film from Sherwood Pictures, the moviemaking ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia. Riveted moviegoers will once again find themselves laughing, crying, and cheering as they are challenged and inspired by everyday heroes who long to be the kinds of dads that make a lifelong impact on their children.

Protecting the streets is second nature to these men. Raising their children in a God-honoring way? That's courageous.
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Dove Review

I already considered myself a good dad. After watching this movie, I want to be a great dad. Sherwood Baptist Church hits another homerun with this fantastic film! It is remarkable and inspiring. This successor to “Flywheel”, “Facing the Giants”, and “Fireproof” ups the action factor in presenting a movie that dads and moms and older kids will relate to. It’s hard to imagine any family member not taking something worthwhile away from this film.

Alex Kendrick stars in the movie as well as directs. He plays Adam Mitchell, a law enforcement officer who is close to two other officers, David Thomson and Shane Fuller. He then becomes good friends with the new man on the block, Officer Nathan Hayes. The film’s opening sequence features a muscle-bound hoodlum attempting to steal Nathan’s truck. Nathan runs and leaps up and grabs ahold of the thief through the open driver’s window and refuses to let go. It is not just because he loves his truck. I won’t give the opening away but the viewer will soon learn why he is so determined to stop the would-be thief.

This film has plenty of action (a positive factor for many male viewers) including a few shoot-outs and also well dramatized domestic scenes. Mitchell’s daughter Emily knows her dad loves her but sometimes he feels a bit funny about doing such things as dancing with her when she makes the request. His son Dylan feels left out and withdraws into his own world, running and playing video games. It takes a tragic event to open the eyes of several characters to what are the most important things in life.

This film projects themes of forgiveness, stepping up to fill the proper role of being a dad (and parent) and a faith in God which cannot be shaken. In one nicely orchestrated scene, a certain character is out of work and desperate. While he is praying he walks right into a miracle. You will have to see it to appreciate it. This movie gives us great lines to ponder like, “God doesn’t promise us an explanation, but to walk with us through the pain.”

This story had me sniffling and fighting back tears and I wasn’t the only guy in the room battling that situation. I also laughed out loud a few times. It’s not every picture that can elicit those kinds of responses and emotions. This movie must be seen by every single family in America. It’s that awesome! We proudly award Five Doves to COURAGEOUS, our highest rating and compliment.

Dove Rating Details

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Faith

None

0
Integrity

An officer fights with a man who is attempting to steal his truck and the air bag goes off; a couple argues; wanted men run from the police; several men beat up a young man; a shoot-out as men try to shoot police officers and the criminals fight the officers who take them down; a man in a truck hits a tree but is okay.

1
Sex

A character shares that his father never married his mother and had several children by different women; a man fathered a daughter while in High School and regrets not keeping in touch with her.

0
Language

A cry out to God-1

2
Violence

An officer fights with a man who is attempting to steal his truck and the air bag goes off; a couple argues; wanted men run from the police; several men beat up a young man; a shoot-out as men try to shoot police officers and the criminals fight the officers who take them down; a man in a truck hits a tree but is okay.

1
Drugs

A man says his father would step out back of the church to smoke and would tell him not to drink while holding a beer; it is stated a drunk driver hit a character which caused her death; an authority figure is caught stealing drugs.

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Nudity

None

2
Other

A man loses his job and his wife is upset; a man says not knowing his father scarred him emotionally; grief and tears over the loss of a loved one; in several inspirational scenes the plan of salvation is made clear; a man is tempted to tell a lie in order to land a job.

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