The Unbreakable Boy

Rated PG • Theaters

Zachary Levi has become the rare actor able to have success in both Hollywood and faith-based films. His big break came when he landed the title role in the action-­comedy television series Chuck, and his numerous credits include appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as one of Thor’s sidekicks. He even starred in two other comic-book movies as the ultra-­powerful superhero Shazam. But in 2021, the rising star took on a different kind of role in American Underdog, a movie which told the true story of Christian NFL quarterback Kurt Warner. Levi said playing Warner bolstered his own faith.

Now Levi stars in another faith-based movie from Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company, the studios behind American Underdog, Jesus Revolution, and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

The Unbreakable Boy adapts the book of the same name by Scott LeRette that tells the true story of Scott’s son Austin, an autistic boy with a rare brittle-bone disorder who teaches his father to see the world in a different way.

Austin (Jacob Laval) serves as a narrator, guiding the viewer through his family’s milestones, which include dozens of broken bones. The story begins when his parents, Scott (Levi) and Teresa (Meghann Fahy), first meet in a clothing store. They make a cute couple, but the story takes an unexpected turn for a faith-based movie. After just a few dates, Teresa becomes pregnant, and though she and Scott don’t really know each other, they move in together to try to make it work. Austin’s birth, along with all the challenges his condition brings, adds to the couple’s stress.

This movie didn’t tell the story I expected. Despite his fragile constitution, Austin possesses a joyful and optimistic perspective. I thought we would see his optimism and joy confront the world’s cruelty and cynicism. Worried parents would be comforted, bullies would become friends, and doubters would gain certainty. These elements show up in the narrative, but they’re not the focus. This story is about Scott, while Austin serves as the catalyst for his father’s transformation.

Before Austin’s birth, Scott is an ambitious man who hopes to escape the Midwest to make it big in New York City, but his unplanned family requires him to abandon those dreams. Scott genuinely loves Teresa and his two sons—little brother Logan (Gavin Warren) comes along shortly after Austin—but he struggles with this life that’s proved to be more than he can control. Scott abuses alcohol to cope, and doing so makes a difficult situation impossible for Teresa and the boys.

Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company’s faith-based films tend toward a higher quality than is typical for the genre. Laval gives a believable and endearing performance as Austin, and Warren is sympathetic as the younger brother. Levi’s Scott possesses a suggestion of the man-child—a quality he brings to many of his roles—but he’s also able to imbue the character with real pathos. Levi and Fahy have undeniable chemistry, and it’s Fahy’s powerful portrayal of the broken yet tenacious Teresa that holds the film together.

While the Christian message is present, it remains in the background of this movie. Teresa drags her family to church, which in one scene leads to some humorous interactions involving Austin. During hard times, we see church members rally round the family, though Scott in his pain rebuffs the comfort they offer. There’s some talk of belief in God, though it’s of the vague variety found at Alcoholics Anonymous. In these faith-based moments, the dialogue gets a little awkward. It’s as though the filmmakers struggled to craft scenes that could appeal to general audiences—­getting the message across without getting preachy. Even so, it’s encouraging to see on-screen depictions of church attendance as being a normal part of life.

Though the film doesn’t contain a gospel presentation or an explicit moment of conversion, it possesses ample grace in the person of Austin. The “unbreakable boy” becomes something of a Christ figure in the movie. His birth is unexpected. The world doesn’t understand him, but he offers unconditional love and kindness. And because of his indomitable spirit housed in a broken body, those around him experience healing and restoration. Scott’s desire at the end of the movie is to become more like Austin, just as Christians seek to grow in Christlikeness.