Common Sense Media Review
By Stephanie Myers
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Sweet faith-based drama about forgiveness, not giving up.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
I Can
What's the Story?
I CAN is based on the true story of Katelyn Pavey (Danner Brown), who was born with a physical disability -- a partial arm -- and becomes an all-star softball player. Her father, Eric Pavey (Jeff Armstrong), is her high school coach and biggest supporter, constantly telling Katelyn to never say "I can't," but always "I can." Eric is constantly feeling guilty because, before they were married, he and his wife, Selena (Amanda Verkamp), had an affair that resulted in Selena's pregnancy with Katelyn. Eric believes God punished them in the form of Katelyn's disability, so he tries to make up for it by spending lots of time with her and ensuring that she can play softball just as well -- if not better than -- any nondisabled person. But when she gets her chance to shine for a college scout (and possibly score a scholarship), an injury could ruin everything. Can Eric and Katelyn find the forgiveness, faith, and perseverance they need in order to get through and overcome their struggles?
Is It Any Good?
This film based on an inspiring true story is certainly positive and heartwarming. But, that said, I Can doesn't really have much character development, and it moves rather quickly, ultimately feeling like it's more about Eric and his issues than Katelyn. It would have been nice to see more of the relationship between Katelyn and her mother, as well as Katelyn and her sisters (not to mention Eric interacting with his other daughters). And some of the acting is a bit stiff, making it hard to believe all of the characters' emotions. But although the film talks a lot about God, it will likely appeal to non-Christians, too, due to its uplifting overall message.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how I Can portrays faith and belief. Does faith impact your decisions? How does Katelyn demonstrate her faith? What about Eric: How does he struggle with faith?
In one scene, Eric and Selena argue. Discuss their communication skills: What do you think they did right? Why do you think it escalated into an argument?
Have you faced a situation in which you felt unsure or lacked confidence? What did you do to overcome this feeling? What was the outcome?
Why do you think Eric felt like he was being punished by God? How was he able to get past these feelings?
Why is it often easier to forgive other people than to forgive yourself? Do you need to forgive yourself for something? Is anything stopping you from doing it?
Movie Details
- In theaters : September 22, 2023
- On DVD or streaming : December 12, 2023
- Cast : Danner Brown , Daniel Roebuck , Jeff Armstrong , Amanda Verkamp
- Director : Tyler Sansom
- Studio : Kappa Distribution
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : School ( High School )
- Character Strengths : Perseverance
- Run time : 85 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : thematic elements
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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
Suggest an Update
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