- Content: “A Faith-Based Spin on The Breakfast Club”
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What You Need To Know:
PARABLE is a compelling character-driven mystery for fans of Angel Studios. The script is well-realized, decently acted, and has a strong Christian bias towards hope and the sanctity of life. However, it features moderate violence, a discussion of suicidal ideation, and a poignant discussion of death. Moreover, the production quality is stilted and somewhat hampers immersion. MOVIEGUIDE® advises strong caution for teenagers and sensitive adults.
Content:
A strong Christian viewpoint that values life and helping friends through group therapy, a poet writes parables about being resilient in the face of death, a character suggests that the team prays to God and ask Him for his wisdom, a man rescues a woman who almost commits suicide, a therapist encourages her patients to explore their anxieties in a group meeting, several characters have a strong relationship with their parents, a man grieves over the death of his wife, and the characters vow to meet up again after the story ends;
One character utters the “h’ word;
Brief moments of moderate violence and gore, a man is shot offscreen and has wounds in the head and the torso, a woman mentions her suicidal ideation towards jumping off a bridge and falling in a New York subway, a man states his father suffers from paralysis from the waist down, a woman passes a red light and gets hit by a bus, and a poet writes a story about people hurtling towards a waterfall;
No on-screen sex, but a man openly flirts with a woman, a jock “cat calls” a girl and teases her as the “girl next door,” and two adults (a man and a woman) hold hands as the escape the apartment;
No nudity;
The characters mention that their mothers and fathers were drunkards, and one man states he used to drink in the past;
No smoking or drug abuse; and,
No miscellaneous immorality.
More Detail:
PARABLE can best be described as a modern, faith-based rendition of THE BREAKFAST CLUB. It’s a low-budget movie about unlikely strangers forced to interact in an isolated location. The characters start distrustful of one another but slowly open up to their vulnerabilities. By the end, the characters depart with a more mature outlook on life. But how well does PARABLE adapt this formula for the Christian audience?
PARABLE succeeds on an emotional level, but falters in technical prowess. The script is rich in decent character acting, some touching “spiritual healing” moments, and themes concerning life and death. Without getting into spoilers, the ending is a tear-jerker for Christians of any denomination.
However, the movie’s cinematography falls short, the narrative pacing is slightly sluggish, and the abrupt use of stock footage at the end is underwhelming. PARABLE may be well acted, but it doesn’t reach the same caliber as other theatrical movies released by Angel Studios. Can its spiritual teachings save it?
Like its namesake, PARABLE is steeped in the parables and teachings of Christianity. The characters value family, engaging in group therapy sessions, and the sanctity of life. A man rescues a woman from dying in the subway. The characters open up about their traumas, such as losing their parents, becoming widowers and sacrificing their lives for the greater good. Later in the movie, a poet tells his friends to have faith in God and to study the parables in the New Testament.
Lastly, the characters vow to meet up again if they escape the apartment complex. The movie tackles the heavy subject matter of death and contains moderate violence. There is one use of the word “hell” as well. Lastly, PARABLE reflects on how one should live their final moments.
PARABLE is a compelling character-driven mystery for fans of Angel Studios. The script is well-realized, decently acted, and has a strong Christian bias towards hope and the sanctity of life. However, it features moderate violence, a discussion of suicidal ideation, and a poignant discussion of death. Moreover, the production quality is stilted and somewhat hampers immersion. MOVIEGUIDE® advises caution for teenagers and sensitive adults.
