Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen , based on child development research. How do we rate?
age 10+
Solid faith-based drama focuses on mentorship and hard work.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
-
Violence & Scariness
very little
References to a teen who died in a car accident when a drunk driver hit him.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
Get started
-
Sex, Romance & Nudity
very little
Isaiah flirts with a barista until the coffeeshop owner (her father) asks him to leave. Mildly suggestive comment about the photos Isaiah needs to delete from his phone after becoming a Christian.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.
Get started
-
Products & Purchases
very little
Ford Mustang.
-
Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
very little
Adult workers joke about how much caffeine they've consumed to pull an all-nighter. Reference to a drunk driver who caused a fatal accident.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.
Get started
-
Positive Messages
a lot
The movie has both universal and Christian themes of redemption, forgiveness, spiritual growth and fellowship, and the importance of working hard and getting rid of distractions and negative influences. For Christians, the story challenges churchgoers to find others with whom to share their faith and to instruct in the ways of Christian living. Themes also include communication, compassion, and humility.
-
Positive Role Models
a lot
Isaiah undergoes a great deal of character growth as he learns how to be a hardworking employee, a good Christian, and a grateful and helpful son. Cynthia is a loving mother who cares for her son. Joshua is a patient and generous business owner, boss, and mentor to Isaiah.
-
Diverse Representations
a little
Most of the cast is Black, while the behind-the-scenes crew (director, screenwriters, producers, composer, editor, cinematographer) is almost all White men. The story focuses on a brotherhood of evangelical Christian men; women are in supporting roles as either wives or mothers/aunties.
Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.
-
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Forge is a faith-based drama written and directed by evangelical Christian filmmakers Alex and Stephen Kendrick (Courageous, War Room). It follows a young man without a job or a plan (Aspen Kennedy) who meets a business owner (Cameron Arnett) who offers to mentor him as an employer and, eventually, a Christian brother. Iffy content is very minimal: There's no strong language, only verbal references to a past moment of violence and tragedy, one scene of flirting (which goes unreciprocated), and a veiled suggestion that some of the main character's photos needed to be deleted after his conversion. As in many faith-based films, several scenes take place in church or at religious meetings and show characters praying and studying the Bible. While there are a couple of key supporting female characters, this movie is about (Christian) men. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Forge
Parent and Kid Reviews
See all
- Parents say (3)
- Kids say (1)
age 9+
Based on 3 parent reviews
Dana_Vasquez Adult
August 31, 2024
age 10+
best movie the Kendrick Brothers have made so far!
my husband and I were both in tears often. this movie touched on such a need in a young persons life. at the end people in the theatre were moved to shouts of praise as they exited. very good, spirit moving movie
Sherry H. Adult
August 28, 2024
age 7+
Loving Without Judging Lending a Helping Hand
This was a well written movie. I pray there is a second and third part. It was thought provoking and I would take every young male in my family to see this movie. I immediately called my son and grandson and told them to go see the movie. I enjoyed this movie almost as much as I did The War Room. Very good tear juking movie. A must SEE👀
Rate movie
See all 3 parent reviews
What's the Story?
In THE FORGE, 19-year-old Isaiah Wright (Aspen Kennedy) has exhausted his single mother Cynthia's (Priscilla C. Shirer) patience by playing video games and basketball with his friends instead of working, going to college, or helping around the house. A devout Christian, Cynthia prays for Isaiah to seek God and become more disciplined and responsible. When Cynthia gives him 30 days to find a job before she starts charging him rent, Isaiah -- already annoyed after being thrown out of a coffee shop for flirting with the owner's uninterested daughter -- walks into a fitness equipment company to apply for any position. Instead, he mouths off at a man who turns out to be Joshua Moore (Cameron Arnett), the company's founder and president. Joshua gives Isaiah his business card and later offers him not only an entry-level position but also mentorship sessions. Although Isaiah initially struggles with having a full-time job, he grows to respect Joshua and eventually follows his example to become a Christian. Joshua's mentorship then transitions to Christian discipleship (training to follow in Jesus' footsteps), including regular dinners, Bible study, and prayer with a group of adult men and their mentees.
Is It Any Good?
Our review:
Parents say (3):
Kids say (1):
More evangelical tool than secular movie, this well-acted faith-based drama seems meant to remind Christians to pay it forward spiritually. Like all of the films from brothers Alex and Stephen Kendrick, The Forge isn't a movie that most non-Christians would likely feel comfortable stumbling into without a heads' up. Its emphasis on scripture teachings, discipleship, and sacrifice of earthly priorities is mostly aimed at current Christians. The movie's key strengths are the performances by faith-based-film regulars Kennedy and Arnett, as well as Shirer, who telegraphs the disappointment, hope, and relief of her son's journey from ambition-less and occasionally disrespectful young adult to a compassionate, hardworking contributor to their household.
From a secular audience's perspective, The Forge offers not only solid acting but a technically well-executed movie (even though it's worth noting that, while the cast is predominantly Black, the behind-the-scenes crew members are nearly all White). The story arc about Isaiah's personal and spiritual growth thanks to Joshua's mentorship is considerably more compelling than the underwhelming subplot about the company losing important contracts, which eventually requires Isaiah and a handful of other employees to work all night to keep a vital account. No amount of decent acting skills or high-quality editing can make calling out shipping numbers to a remotely controlled factory robot into riveting cinema. Bottom line? The Forge is a preaching-to-the-converted movie, but non-believers who watch might still appreciate the film's themes of growth, compassion, forgiveness, and redemption.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about The Forge's main themes and which characters they consider role models. What character strengths do they demonstrate?
The movie promotes the idea of mentorship, both Christian and work-based. Do you agree that mentorship is important?
Do you think only viewers who already practice and embrace the movie's faith-based messages will appreciate it? Why, or why not?
Movie Details
- In theaters: August 23, 2024
- Cast: Aspen Kennedy, Cameron Arnett, Priscilla C. Shirer
- Director: Alex Kendrick
- Inclusion Information: Black actors, Female actors
- Studio: Affirm Films
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Friendship, Great Boy Role Models
- Character Strengths: Communication, Compassion, Humility
- Run time: 123 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- MPAA explanation: thematic elements
- Last updated: August 26, 2024
Inclusion information powered by 
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 suggesting a diversity update.
The Forge
Suggest an Update
Your privacy is important to us. We won't share this comment without your permission. If you chose to provide an email address, it will only be used to contact you about your comment. See our privacy policy.
