
Want more recommendations for your family?
Sign up for our weekly newsletter for entertainment inspiration
A Week Away
By Jennifer Green,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Feel-good faith-based camp musical is clean and upbeat.

A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
A Week Away
Community Reviews
Based on 30 parent reviews
Great movie, hope there’s more
Report this review
Teenagers in 90's will love sharing with their kids
Report this review
What's the Story?
Troubled teenager Will Hawkins (Kevin Quinn) is about to be sent for A WEEK AWAY at church camp. If he can turn his life around there, he can potentially avoid juvenile detention, where he's otherwise headed following a series of crimes. After losing his parents at a young age, he's been in seven schools in six years and was most recently placed in a group home. He's taken to camp by Kristen (Sherri Shepherd) and her teenage son, George (Jahbril Cook), who treats Will like a brother. George has had a year-long crush on fellow camper Presley (Kat Conner Sterling). Will quickly forms his own crush on Avery (Bailee Madison), whose dad (David Koechner) owns the camp and whose mom passed away years ago. Can the camp have the life-changing effects on Will that he both wants and needs?
Is It Any Good?
This Christian teen musical looks to ride the High School Musical wave, but despite positive messages and fine performances, it's not likely to leave as lasting an impression. Some aspects of A Week Away's storyline make the film a little hard to believe, while many of the musical numbers lack the energy or catchy melodies of the HSM series. Quinn (Bunk'd) could be a Zac Efron double, and he has the charisma and singing chops to lead the cast, with TV veteran Madison (Good Witch) holding her own in the song-and-dance numbers. Both offer credible performances as teens struggling with deep sadness after losing parents. But as George, newcomer Cook nearly steals the show thanks to his combination of comic timing and vocal range. Most of the film's pleasantly goofy moments involve George.
Viewers are by now accustomed to teens breaking into song in the middle of everyday events, although the popular genre can't be accused of representing teen life very realistically. A Week Away carries an added layer of incredulity in the Christian teens' apparent innocence. While Avery sings about the pressures of trying to be "perfect" and finding one's "place in the world," even bad boy Will comes across as just a nice kid strapped with difficult circumstances. The dialogue doesn't clarify exactly what's going to happen to Will after his week away, making it additionally hard to believe he would so good-naturedly go with the flow at this camp. Still, the film tries to show how religious faith and communal experiences like sleepaway camps can allow teens to feel "connected" and part of something bigger, and there may be nothing that today's teens need more.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the depiction of teenagers seen in A Week Away. What makes these teens similar to or different from teenagers you know?
Do you need to be religious to appreciate this movie? Why, or why not?
What does Will learn about communicating openly and telling his friends the truth? How does that change things for him?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: March 26, 2021
- Cast: Kevin Quinn , Bailee Madison , Jahbril Cook
- Director: Roman White
- Inclusion Information: Female actors
- Studio: Netflix
- Genre: Musical
- Topics: Friendship , High School , Music and Sing-Along
- Character Strengths: Communication
- Run time: 97 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: February 17, 2023
Inclusion information powered by
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate