Amazing Grace (2019)

image for Amazing Grace (2019)

Short takes

Suitable for all ages though may lack interest under 13

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This topic contains:

  • overall comments and recommendations
  • details of classification and consumer advice lines for Amazing Grace (2019)
  • a review of Amazing Grace (2019) completed by the Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM) on 3 September 2019.

Overall comments and recommendations

Children under 13 Suitable for all ages though may lack interest under 13
Children aged 13 and over Ok for this age group

About the movie

This section contains details about the movie, including its classification by the Australian Government Classification Board and the associated consumer advice lines. Other classification advice (OC) is provided where the Australian film classification is not available.

Name of movie: Amazing Grace (2019)
Classification: G
Consumer advice lines: Suitable for general audiences
Length: 88 minutes

ACCM review

This review of the movie contains the following information:

A synopsis of the story

The documentary Amazing Grace showcases the raw talent of Aretha Franklin at the peak of her career and treats fans to the music Aretha grew up singing. Together with the Southern California Community Choir and the accompaniment of Reverend James Cleveland, Aretha puts on a two-night performance of Baptist Gospel music at the Los Angeles Missionary Baptist Church in January 1972. The album recorded at this event became the bestselling live gospel album of all time. The performance was filmed by Warner Brother Producer, Sydney Pollock, who had the wisdom to film this monumental event.

Themesinfo

Children and adolescents may react adversely at different ages to themes of crime, suicide, drug and alcohol dependence, death, serious illness, family breakdown, death or separation from a parent, animal distress or cruelty to animals, children as victims, natural disasters and racism. Occasionally reviews may also signal themes that some parents may simply wish to know about.

Devotion to Jesus; Baptist Gospel; the importance of family; community; and inspiring others.

Use of violenceinfo

Research shows that children are at risk of learning that violence is an acceptable means of conflict resolution when violence is glamourised, performed by an attractive hero, successful, has few real life consequences, is set in a comic context and / or is mostly perpetrated by male characters with female victims, or by one race against another.

Repeated exposure to violent content can reinforce the message that violence is an acceptable means of conflict resolution. Repeated exposure also increases the risks that children will become desensitised to the use of violence in real life or develop an exaggerated view about the prevalence and likelihood of violence in their own world.

  • No violence was noted in this movie.

Material that may scare or disturb children

Under fiveinfo

Children under five are most likely to be frightened by scary visual images, such as monsters, physical transformations.

In addition to the above-mentioned violent scenes, there are some scenes in this movie that could scare or disturb children under the age of five, including the following:

  • It is unlikely that children under the age of five would be frightened by this movie.

Aged five to eightinfo

Children aged five to eight will also be frightened by scary visual images and will also be disturbed by depictions of the death of a parent, a child abandoned or separated from parents, children or animals being hurt or threatened and / or natural disasters.

In addition to the above-mentioned violent scenes and scary visual images, there are some scenes in this movie that could scare or disturb children aged five to eight, including the following:

  • There is nothing in this movie that is likely to frighten children between the ages of five to eight.

Aged eight to thirteeninfo

Children aged eight to thirteen are most likely to be frightened by realistic threats and dangers, violence or threat of violence and / or stories in which children are hurt or threatened.

In addition to the above-mentioned violent scenes, there are some scenes in this movie that could scare or disturb children aged eight to thirteen, including the following:

  • It is unlikely that children between the ages of eight to thirteen would be frightened by this movie.

Thirteen and overinfo

Children over the age of thirteen are most likely to be frightened by realistic physical harm or threats, molestation or sexual assault and / or threats from aliens or the occult.

It is unlikely that anything in this movie would frighten children over the age of thirteen.

Product placement

The following products are displayed or used in this movie:

  • The Steinway piano that both Aretha Franklin and Reverend James Cleveland played was featured in multiple shots with the brand name clearly visible.

Sexual references

  • No sexual references were noted in this movie.

Nudity and sexual activity

  • No nudity or sexual activity were noted in this movie.

Use of substances

  • No use of substances was noted in this movie.

Coarse language

  • No coarse language was noted in this movie.

In a nutshell

Amazing Grace is a documentary showcasing Aretha Franklin in a performance that turned out the best-selling gospel music of all time. The camera angles and quality are similar to what you would find in a home movie and, while the film is suitable for all audiences, it will largely be enjoyed by fans of Aretha Franklin or Baptist Gospel music.

The main messages from this movie are to remain true to your roots, to find inspiration and make it your own, that Jesus loves you and that anything is possible with His help.

Values in this movie that parents may wish to reinforce with their children include:

  • Faith
  • Devotion
  • Joyfulness
  • Dedication
  • Teamwork

This movie could also give parents the opportunity to discuss with their children the importance of having a sense of community, be it religious or secular; the importance of praising, accepting and encouraging family members; and how some hearts can be healed through music, especially when it is divinely inspired.