A story of fragility, faith, and family

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: Today is Friday, February 21st.

Thank you for turning to WORLD Radio to help start your day.

Good morning. I’m Myrna Brown.

NICK EICHER, HOST: And I’m Nick Eicher.

Coming next on The World and Everything in It: another faith-based movie hits the big screen.

Zachary Levi is the rare actor who’s achieved success in both mainstream Hollywood and faith-based films.

His big break came when he landed the title role in the action-comedy TV series Chuck. His film credits include appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and he starred in two DC comic book movies as the superhero Shazam.

BROWN: But in 2021, the action star took on a different kind of role in the film American Underdog.

That was the true story of NFL quarterback Kurt Warner, an outspoken Christian. Levi said playing Warner bolstered his own faith.

Now he stars in another faith-based movie from the same studios. Here’s WORLD arts and culture editor Collin Garbarino to tell you about it.

COLLIN GARBARINO: The Unbreakable Boy tells the true story of Scott LeRette and his son Austin, an autistic boy with a rare brittle-bone disorder who shows his father a new way to see the world.

TEACHER: Are you with us? Austin?

TYLER: I think his brain is on another planet.

TEACHER: Tyler…

AUSTIN: Nope. My brain is right here in my head on Earth.

Austin serves as the narrator, guiding the audience through his family’s milestones and dozens of broken bones. The story begins when his parents, Scott and Teresa, played by Zachary Levi and 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 and the challenges of his condition add to the couple’s stress.

SCOTT: This is just not what I thought it was going to be like. You know. I feel like I’m failing every day. And the harder I try the worse I do.

Austin has a fragile constitution, but as one would expect in an uplifting movie, he possesses a joyful and optimistic perspective. We see his optimism and joy confront the world’s cruelty and cynicism. Worried parents are comforted, bullies become friends, and doubters gain certainty. But these typical elements of the genre aren’t the focus of the movie. It’s primarily about Scott. And Austin serves as the catalyst for his father’s transformation.

SCOTT: I wish I could enjoy anything as much as my son enjoys everything.

Before Austin’s birth, Scott is an ambitious man who hopes to escape the Midwest. But his unplanned family requires him to put his career goals on hold. Scott genuinely loves Teresa and his two sons—little brother Logan comes along shortly after Austin—but he’s struggling, feeling like he’s lost control of his life. Scott starts abusing alcohol to cope, and doing so makes a difficult situation impossible for Teresa and the boys.

SCOTT: You didn’t pay these. You didn’t pay any of these?

TERESA: I’ve been trying to keep up, but with the surgeries and the therapy and the medication, I had no choice.

Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company are the studios behind the movie, and their faith-based films tend toward a higher quality than is typical. The young actors give believable and endearing performances. Levi’s portrayal of Scott possesses a suggestion of the man-child—a quality he brings to many of his roles—but he’s also able to play the character with real feeling. Levi and Fahy have undeniable chemistry, and it’s Fahy’s powerful portrayal of the broken, yet tenacious Teresa that holds the film together.

TERESA: Scott!

SCOTT: What? I’m going golfing.

TERESA: No, you’re coming to church. We need to do family things, especially now.

It’s encouraging to see on-screen depictions of church attendance as a normal part of life, but the Christian message remains mostly in the background. During hard times, we see church members rally round the family, though Scott in his pain rebuffs the comfort they offer.

PASTOR: If you need anything…

SCOTT: Yeah. OK. I could use a favor. Tell God that if he feels the need to punish someone then that someone should be me… because I can handle it. And I probably even deserve it.

There’s some talk of belief in God, though it’s of the vague variety found at Alcoholics Anonymous. In these 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.

Though the film doesn’t contain a gospel presentation or 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: I want to be more like my son.

Scott’s desire to become more like Austin becomes something of a metaphor for Christians who seek to grow in Christlikeness.

I’m Collin Garbarino.

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