To Save a Life (2010) PG13 - 3 Stars

Though I'm not into watching religious films, I have to applaud this one's effort. While I don't think you need to turn to religion to change your life, I do feel it involves self discipline and faith that a lot of us do not have. The film gives a great insight into what one can do to change a life and the lives of others around them. In the wake of the violence among young adults, I think the film makers have a made a nice little movie showing it just takes one who cares, to make a change. The popular jock takes the time to befriend the quiet boy nobody talks to and lots make fun of. The movie even explores teen age pregnancy. Possibly could have been a movie shown in high schools humanity classes if it didn't have a religious message behind it. There's more to life than drinking, drugs, being the most popular and always trying to live in the "in" crowd.

Jake Taylor (Randy Wayne), is a high school basketball star that gets the best looking chick Amy Briggs (Deja Kreutzberg) and hangs with the other jocks at parties. His old child hood friend Roger Dawson (Robert Bailey, Jr.), shows up to school with a gun and takes his own life. Thinking there might have been something Jake could have done to save Roger's life, he questions what's important anymore. Jake meets a priest named Chris (Joshua Weigel), who speaks at Rogers funeral. Chris tells him of the church he speaks over and invites Jake to attend the youth group meetings. The meetings open Jakes eyes to what he's been taking for granite in life. He reaches out to try and help Jonny Garcia (Sean Michael Afable), who seems like a quiet boy no one talk to and everyone talks about. He invites him to join the others and get to know each other. Then Amy ends up pregnant from one wild night at a party and Jake's parents are on the verge of divorce. It's all too much for Jake to handle who was suppose to be leaving for the school of his dreams on a scholarship. Jake must decide which priorities in his life really matter.

New Song Pictures,  Accelerated Entertainment,  Samuel Goldwyn Films
Director: Bryan Baugh
Writer: Jim Britts
Producers: Steve Foster, Jim Britts, Nicole Franco

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