5000 Blankets
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5000 Blankets
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that 5000 Blankets is a faith-based film with characters showing compassion to unhoused people after a father with a mental illness goes missing and is thought to be living on the street. Some of the scenes involving the man's illness, which prompt him to act violently and appear to consider suicide and suffer paranoid delusions, could be intense for young viewers. Other potentially scary scenes include the revealing of a body in a morgue, some school bullying and fights, and depictions of people struggling with homelessness. The main characters attend church regularly and receive advice from their pastor. A woman discovers her husband has racked up debt, and she must sell her house and get a job to make ends meet. She and her son turn their hardships into positive action by gathering and distributing blankets to unhoused people.
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What's the Story?
5000 BLANKETS is the story of Cyndi Saunders (Anna Camp), a woman whose husband Bobby (Rob Mayes) disappears and is presumed to be living on the streets due to mental illness. His disappearance sends Cyndi out to the streets to look for him. There, she encounters an unexpected number of unhoused people. She befriends one, Delia (Cindy Hogan), and she and her son Phillip (Carson Minniear) start a program to collect and donate blankets to people living on the streets. Despite being forced to sell her house and get a job due to Bobby's debts, Cyndi and Phillip transform their hardships into a thriving non-profit organization that involves their whole community.
Is It Any Good?
A compelling true story and fine performance from star Anna Camp elevate this otherwise middling TV movie. Camp is best known for her comedic roles in the Pitch Perfect series and Netflix's Desperados, so it's good to see her take on a more dramatic turn in 5000 Blankets. The film's script and structure are predictable, so it rests on Camp's shoulders to raise the film above that. Repetitive church scenes and attempts at visualizing mental illness risk undermining Camp's work, but ultimately this is a powerful and inspiring human story of finding self through serving others.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the depiction of homelessness in 5000 Blankets. What did you learn about why different characters were living on the street? Did the portrayal feel realistic? Why or why not?
How do Cyndi and Phillip demonstrate compassion? How does this benefit them as well as others?
The film is inspired by a true story. Where could you go for more information about the real people behind this story?
What did you think about the way Bobby's mental illness is portrayed using disorienting camera movements, effects, and sounds? Did this give you a sense of what he was experiencing, or did it feel artificial? Why?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: December 12, 2022
- Cast: Anna Camp, Rob Mayes, Carson Minniear
- Director: Amin Matalqa
- Studio: Pure Flix Entertainment
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Activism
- Character Strengths: Compassion
- Run time: 91 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: thematic material involving mental illness
- Last updated: January 9, 2023
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