Parents' Guide to

God Bless the Broken Road

By Tara McNamara, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 11+

Heavy themes, war violence in keep-the-faith drama.

Movie PG 2018 113 minutes
God Bless the Broken Road Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 9+

Based on 5 parent reviews

Kathy7
Kathy7 Adult
March 2, 2021
age 5+

Very good family movie

We really enjoyed this movie. Sometimes it was a surprise, as to the storyline, which is always a treat. Very nice surprise on the final race car. We all loved the movie!

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Jennifergetman
Jennifergetman Adult
January 24, 2020
age 15+

Watch it

Valuable story. Not perfect and odd in places but worth watching in spite of this. The character is a war widow and her story represents so many out there. The bigger message is that none of us is better off going it alone. JUST WATCH IT!
See all 5 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In GOD BLESS THE BROKEN ROAD, Amber Hill (Lindsay Pulsipher) loves leading the church choir. But after her husband, Daniel (Liam Matthews), is killed while serving in Afghanistan, Amber pushes everyone away, especially God. Two years after Daniel's death, Amber works tirelessly to keep the family financially afloat, but it's not enough, and she's in danger of losing the only thing she and her daughter, Bree (Makenzie Moss), have left: their home. While bills continue to mount and Amber's mother-in-law (Kim Delaney) is a constant thorn in her side, Amber and Bree rediscover the lighter, fun side of life when they start spending time with a visiting race car driver (Andrew Walker).

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (5):
Kids say (1):

This faith-based drama weaves a story that combines God, the military, small-town life, country music, and NASCAR; if it seems like it's pandering to a specific audience, it is. That's because God Bless the Broken Road (which comes from God's Not Dead writer-director Harold Cronk) isn't about recruitment or inspiring debate -- it's serving up a movie to an audience that's not likely to see movies that don't have those elements. The movie's many messages aren't hard to miss; they're declared clearly within the dialogue, usually a few times. But the film's purpose -- to show how "the broken road" is actually a blessing in Amber's life -- may be fuzzy to all except the target audience.

Production values are solid, and the film comes off like a Hallmark movie in every way, including casting frequent Hallmark player Walker in the role of Amber's respectful gentleman caller. Familiar faces pop up playing smaller, supporting characters -- including Kim Delaney and Robin Givens (both give total pro performances), as well as American Idol winner Jordin Sparks, former NFL MVP LaDainian Tomlinson, and stock car racer Cody Coughlin. But it's Pulsipher who capably carries the film, making every viewer an empathetic companion.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the sacrifices made by members of the military and their families. Does God Bless the Broken Road make you more empathetic to the challenges faced by the families of those serving our country?

  • The film suggests that people "put love into action." Which characters exemplify that? What does that mean to you?

  • How do the characters demonstrate perseverance? What about teamwork? Are characters more successful when they try to accomplish goals alone or when they come together?

  • At the end of the film, the title song "God Bless the Broken Road" is performed. What do you think the song means in relation to the movie?

  • Did you notice the product placement in the movie? Do you think the brands displayed in the racing and restaurant settings made the film more authentic? What's the impact of advertising on kids?

Movie Details

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