“GOD DOESN’T MAKE MISTAKES”
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
I CAN tells the true story of Katelyn Pavey, a girl born with only one arm. Despite her disability, Katelyn becomes a phenomenal softball player. With the support of her parents and grandparents, and her faith in God, Katelyn pursues her dream of receiving an athletic scholarship and becoming an All-American softball player in college. Tragedies strike Katelyn and her family, however. Will they lean on God and one another? Or, will their faith be tested to the breaking point?
I CAN has a strong Christian, moral worldview stressing God’s Grace and forgiveness. Katelyn is born to parents out of an affair, so her parents wrestle with guilt and shame. However, the movie shows how God can use weak, broken, sinful people for His good purposes. Ultimately, I CAN tells an uplifting, inspiring, heartfelt story that champions God’s faithfulness to help people overcome problems. The movie has many Christian elements like church and prayer. Circumstances point Katelyn to faith in God when she hits rock bottom. Due to some mature themes like death, an affair and injury,
CONTENT:
(CCC, BBB, V, S, M)
Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements:
Very strong Christian, pro-life worldview with very strong moral elements champions prayer, church, family, forgiveness, faith, reliance on God, and God’s Grace
Foul Language:
No foul language
Violence:
Some light or implied violence such as a family member dies in a hospital, and there is a funeral, a softball player injures her knee, but this scene is not graphic, and a softball pitcher intentionally hits a batter with a pitch
Sex:
No implied or depicted sex scenes, but the movie does address the issue of an adulterous affair, though this is done tastefully with other offensive elements, but there is a brief adulterous kiss in a brief montage
Nudity:
No nudity
Alcohol Use:
No alcohol
Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse:
No smoking or drugs; and,
Miscellaneous Immorality:
People suffer guilt and shame, but faith in God helps them overcome.
MORE DETAIL:
I CAN follows the inspiring true story of a female softball player with one arm named Katelyn Pavey, who pursues her dream of becoming a college softball player despite her physical situation. I CAN is an inspiring, heartfelt, uplifting story with a strong Christian, moral worldview about God’s grace, forgiveness and faithfulness overcoming human frailty.
The movie opens with Katelyn’s mother having an affair with a married man while her own husband is deployed overseas in the military. Katelyn’s mother and biological father leave their own spouses and get married. However, they discover that Katelyn is born with only one arm.
Fast forward to Katelyn’s junior year of high school, where she’s an accomplished softball player, despite her physical situation. She has endless support from her father and mother, and her grandparents. As Katelyn’s team looks toward the championship, a college scout comes and watches Katelyn play. Katelyn hits the game-winning home run. The college coach says Katelyn’s one of the strongest players he’s ever seen but wants to give it one more game before he makes an offer to her.
Despite Katelyn’s success, her father and mother are at odds with one another over how much time is dedicated to softball versus family. It’s revealed that both feel deep shame and guilt for the affair, which results in Katelyn’s father not trusting that God has the best plan for his daughter.
His faith is tested further when, in Katelyn’s next game, she suffers a season-ending injury to her knee. This is more than a setback for Katelyn’s father. He sees it as a punishment from God.
Will the Paveys be able to band together and trust God’s plan? Or, will the weight of the past and current circumstances be the breaking point for their family?
I CAN is a morally uplifting movie that champions God’s grace and forgiveness. There are many Christian elements like church and prayer, as well as conversations that point Katelyn to faith in God when she hits rock bottom. Through faithful encouragement from her grandparents, Katelyn continues to pursue her dream.
The movie does a good job of telling the true story of the affair, while still making God’s grace and faithfulness the story’s focal point. The underlying theme is that God is bigger than human frailty and circumstance, and that is what ultimately guides the Paveys to trust in His plan for everyone’s life.
I CAN is an inspiring, heartfelt, compelling movie with something for all ages. While it does deal with some more mature themes, it’s a resounding story of hope, grace, faith, and forgiveness for the whole family to enjoy together.
