Today’s Prayer Focus

Brian Banks

MPA Rating: PG-13-Rating (MPA)

for thematic content and related images, and for language.

Moral Rating:	not reviewed
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience:	Adults
Genre:	Biography Drama
Length:	1 hr. 39 min.
Year of Release:	2018
USA Release:	September 22, 2018 (festival) August 9, 2019 (wide—1,240 theaters) DVD: November 12, 2019

Relevant Issues

False accusations / lies

The injustice of being convicted of a crime one didn’t commit

Difficulties and injustic in the justice system

Prison

Fighting to reclaim one’s life

Courage

How to deal productively with a life full of major impediments

Paradise or Pain? Why is the world the way it is?

Why is the world the way it is? If God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and loving, would He really create a world like this? (filled with oppression, suffering, death and cruelty) Answer

Is Jesus Christ the answer to your questions?

Discover the good news that Jesus Christ offers

Discover God’s promise for all people—told beautifully and clearly from the beginning. Discover The HOPE! Watch it on Christian Answers—full-length motion picture.

Fear, Anxiety and Worry—What does the Bible say? Answer

Helping people who are down-trodden and need help

Featuring	Aldis Hodge … Brian Banks Greg Kinnear … Justin Brooks Sherri Shepherd … Leomia Tiffany Dupont … Alissa Bjerkhoel Melanie Liburd … Karina Matt Battaglia … Pete Carroll Dorian Missick … Mick Randolph Xosha Roquemore … Kennisha Rice Gino Vento … Manuel Rojas Jennifer Pierce Mathus … Reporter Dean Denton … Coach Jaso Morgan Freeman … See all » Harrison Stone … CIP Student Kevin Yamada … Judge Monk Calvin Williams … Vice Principal David Clyde Carr … Mike Paley Monique Grant … Kennisha's Mother Jose Miguel Vasquez … District Attorney Mateo Mary Faulkner … Female Manager Charles Alexandre … Reporter / Recruiter / Valet Mystie Smith … Marilyn Freedom … Baliff James Andrew Kientzy … Himself - Hero Team Teammate Stunts Jacob Wingfield … Football Fan Thursday Farrar … Barbara Ford Rosalyn R. Ross … Reporter #1 Rick Vyper … Los Padrinos Prison Guard Edward Parker … Parolee Elisabeth Donaldson … CIP Student Trent Bounds … Prisoner #3 Cyril Smith … Arthur Horton Katrina McElyea … Football Fan Mario Luna … Los Padrinos Prison Guard Karen Marie Norris … Security Guard Eric James Schultz … Referee / Assistant Coach Rachael Alethea … High School Student Crystal Jones … Court Clerk Ashley Brasel … Student Alanna Hamill Newton … Assistant to District Attorney Leslie Dianne … Football Fan / Mother Zeus Luby … Corey Diego Lucia Heros … Reporter David Caffey … Math Teacher Evelyn Diana Frogge-Chabot … Courthouse Client / Football fan / Fair Goer Robert Lee Christie … News 6 Cameraman Myron Mays … Prison Guard Torri Yates-Orr … CIP Student Ms. Brittany Bryant … Ava Allen Joseph Folks … Prisoner #2 Tima Smith … Syndee Super Fan Johna Jolene Smith (Johna Likins Smith) … Court Onlooker Tari McBride-Palmore … Taye T. Dion Burns … Harold Lucas G. Williams … Elementary Classroom Student Brandon S.K. Porter … Skylar Kyle Carmon … Coffee Shop Patron Troy Lee Holloway … Inmate weight lifter / Inmate in library Teresa Golding … Court Room Onlooker Megan Warden … Reporter Jasper Owens … Sideline Football Player Gabe Beutel-Gunn … CIP Student Ryan Breckenridge … Pedie Peyton C. Poole … Juvinile Detention Inmate Corey Knox … Team Member Russell Wiseman … Inmate weight lifter Claire D. Kolheim … CIP Student Christian Dakota Hampton … Elementary Classroom Student
Director	Tom Shadyac
Producer	ShivHans Pictures Gidden Media See all » Amy Baer Brian K Banks Justin Brooks Chris Ceccotti Connor Flanagan Monica Levinson Shivani Rawat Neil Strum Derrick Tseng Tirrell D. Whittley
Distributor	Bleecker Street Media

“A broken system. A man who wouldn’t break.”

Here’s what the distributor says about their film: “The inspirational true story of Brian Banks (Aldis Hodge), an All-American high school football star committed to USC who finds his life upended when he is wrongly convicted of a crime he didn't commit. Despite lack of evidence, Banks is railroaded through a broken justice system and sentenced to a decade of prison and probation. Years later, with the support of Justin Brooks (Greg Kinnear) and the California Innocence Project, Banks fights to reclaim his life and fulfill his dreams of playing in the NFL.”

Violence: Moderate— • forceable police arrest • playing football • prison murder aftermath (brief) • prison intimidation and a hard punch
Profane language: • G*d d*mn (2) • H*ll (4) • d*mn (2)
Vulgar/Crude language: • f-word (2) • s-words (several) • d*ck • a** (several) • p*ss / p*ssed
Sex/Nudity: Moderate— • kissing with some groping • cleavage • shirtless male • dialog related to rape accusation

Volunteer reviewer needed for this movie

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.

PLEASE share your observations and insights to be posted here.

Secular Movie Critics

…This is beautifully subtle film acting… a powerful film… Aldis Hodge plays a young man falsely accused of rape… He is powerful in scenes of anger, but he may be even better in purely silent moments where his unspoken reactions are eloquent. …

Stephen Farber, The Hollywood Reporter

…As Banks’ prison mentor and spiritual turnaround wizard, Morgan Freeman brings the gravitas, while Shepherd (as Banks’ devoted mother) brings the gravitas plus the fervent Christian overlay ever-present in the movie. …

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune

…So, where do Shadyac and Atchison expect audiences to direct their frustration at such a miscarriage of justice? Well, that’s what makes “Brian Banks” special: It is not an angry film, but one that preaches forgiveness in the face of such adversity. …

Peter Debruge, Variety

…touches on the plight of the felon and the impossibility of finding work… From a macro level, “Brian Banks” should just be a social justice film, but as we peer into the life of Banks himself, you’ll see a deeper and more profound story. …you’ll feel a tiny sliver of hope for our world in the end.

Alan Ng, Film Threat

…A skillful rendition of a wrongful conviction… it’s an inspirational and uplifting story featuring a powerful lead performance by Aldis Hodge in the lead role… Morgan Freeman cameos as a prison teacher/counselor who pleads with Brian to let go of his anger and says the only thing one can control in life is how one RESPONDS to life. …[3/4]

Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times

…more tense and involving than might be anticipated …

Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times