Is Overcomer Kid Friendly? If You're Expecting a Christian Movie

When I first saw the previews for Overcomer, I thought it was going to be a McFarland, USA for women. However, I was wrong. Yes, there’s running involved, but there’s also a lot of religion, too. Is Overcomer kid friendly? If you’re expecting a Christian movie, then absolutely! Overall Overcomer is an uplifting, spiritual movie, but it has some story issues.

Is Overcomer Kid Friendly?

Usually for movies, even G and PG family-friendly movies, I always find something to report on as far as language, violence, and mature content is concerned. However, in Overcomer, there is no profanity or bad language, no violence, but there are some mature subjects that perhaps make Overcomer a movie where little ones should be left at home.

Is Overcomer Appropriate for Kids Under 10?

Material wise, there’s nothing that’s inappropriate for younger children. However some topics that are talked about between characters like abandonment, death, anger, and drug use is very mature. There are good topics to discuss with teens and even tweens like faith, forgiveness, and redemption, but I would recommend Overcomer for ages 12 and up.

Plus the movie is 2 hours long and is slow in some parts. I don’t think it will hold the attention of younger children.

Is Overcomer Worth Watching?

Overcomer tells the story of Hannah Scott, a high school cross country runner (the only cross country runner on the team) who discovers her faith and Jesus during some life challenges. The boys’ high school basketball team is falling apart and coach John Harrison (played by the director) has been forced to also coach Hannah, who is also asthmatic.

I was waiting for more sports story. There are some fun moments and banter between John and his family trying to run. And his tune soon changed from ‘cross country isn’t a real sport.’ Oh, how I heard the same thing many times in high school.

Being a sports mom, I enjoyed some of the athletic perspective. I loved when John told his son he was proud of him even if he never played basketball in college. I think kids are under so much pressure to be the best at their sport and that playing for fun isn’t good enough.

There was too much focus on the shutting down of a plant in town to set up the reason why John was coaching Hannah that didn’t prove useful for the overall story arc. There were also moments of preaching or praying that didn’t quite fit in either, and I consider myself a religious person. Not to say it that doesn’t belong in films, it felt forced in some places.

The ending is where this movie and the story came together. You start to connect with the characters when that should have happened earlier. Overall, if you’re looking for a wholesome movie to inspire and uplift, then that’s where Overcomer shines. As a Christian, it makes you question some things, like when a hospital patient asks John, “You said you would pray for me. Did you?” John has to tell him the truth that he didn’t. How many times have we done the same thing? It also forces us to ask ourselves what takes first place in our hearts.

Overcomer is a renewer of faith, a giver of hope, and a testimony of Jesus Christ. It just fell a little flat when it came to story connection.