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Parents' Guide to

Camp Harlow

By Grace Montgomery, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Preachy religious drama has bullying, some mature themes.

Movie NR 2014 87 minutes
Camp Harlow Poster Image

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What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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What's the Story?

After hearing her parents fight with each other for years, Alex (AJ Olson) lashes out by leading a group of mean girls who torment other kids at school, shoplift, and treat each other badly. When the school year ends, she jumps at the invite to go to summer camp with her crush, Eric (Andrew Dyer), and escape her strained home life. But the worldly Alex is shocked to find that Camp Harlow is actually a Christian camp, and she rebuffs Eric and her counselor Sam's (Monique Hurd) attempts to draw her into camp activities. But as Sam slowly chips away at Alex's hard exterior and the horse Gracie tempts her to soften up, Alex begins to slowly accept the Christian faith. But when she returns home, will she be able to hold onto it?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (1 ):

Non-Christian viewers will probably find it hard to relate to this very faith-based, preachy drama. CAMP HARLOW is almost exclusively about learning about becoming a Christian and nurturing your growing faith, though there are also some universal messages about treating others nicely and the importance of teamwork. And viewers hoping for horses (implied by the cover) will be disappointed that Gracie the horse plays a very minor role in Alex's transformation.

Christian tweens and young teens may find the themes more engaging, and there's a lot of contemporary Christian music that may be appealing, but they might also be disappointed in the mediocre acting and obvious plot.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Alex's behavior. Why was she a bully? What caused her to lash out at everyone around her?

  • Have you been bullied at school, or have you seen other kids be bullied? What can you do if you or someone you know is being bullied?

  • Do you think this film would be enjoyable to non-Christians? Why, or why not?

  • Do you like movies about camp? Why do you think there are so many movies about summer camp?

Movie Details

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