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The Blind Parent Guide

This christian film tells a heartfelt story of family, faith and redemption..

Theaters: This biopic tells the story of how Phil Robertson overcame alcoholism and the pain of his past to become a successful father and founder of a business empire.

Release date October 6, 2023

Run Time: 108 minutes

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The guide to our grades, parent movie review by kirsten hawkes.

A drunk walks into a bar and decides to buy it as a way to curb his drinking and spend more time with his kids. No, this isn’t the beginning of a bad joke: it’s just one chapter in the life of Phil Robertson, later to become the patriarch of the Duck Dynasty family .

Born into poverty in Louisiana, young Phil (Ronan Carroll) spends his childhood hunting to put food on the table while his father works on the oil rigs and his mother is repeatedly hospitalized for mental illness. He gains detailed knowledge of the woods and feels most truly at home there – a feeling that haunts him in university and while working after graduation. Despite his marriage to the devoted Miss Kay (Amelia Eve), Phil (now played by Aron von Andrian) remains restless. He struggles to focus on his teaching job and spends as much time as possible on the river and in the woods. Soon, Phil is drinking heavily which leads to unemployment, gambling, domestic violence, and neglect of his family as his life spirals ever closer to rock bottom.

The answer is in the movie’s name, which has a twofold meaning. First, it refers to a duck blind, a camouflaged shelter used by hunters so they will be less visible to their targets. Second, it refers to Phil’s own blindness regarding his life, specifically his spiritual blindness. When he experiences a religious conversion and returns to his outdoor roots, Phil finds hope, inspiration, and a clearer vision for supporting his family.

Regular readers of this website know that I frequently bemoan the quality of Christian films, but I don’t need to complain as much with this one. Yes, the frame narrative is wooden, the acting is occasionally flat, and the dialogue isn’t always believable, but this movie has heart and lacks the “plastic” feeling that is usually part of movies-with-a-message. Evangelical Christians will appreciate this representation of their faith and other Christians will find resonance too. Even if you’re not a religious believer, this story of personal redemption and its illustration of Christian conversion, shorn of politics and culture wars, is uplifting and hopeful. (Whether or not you want to stick around for Phil Robertson’s post-movie sermon is another matter.)

The biggest downside of The Blind is the negative content. Inevitably, a film about alcoholism will feature frequent bouts of excessive drinking, and this one adds cigarette smoking to the mix. Phil drives drunk, crashes his car, and abuses his wife - yelling, threatening, shoving and throwing things at her. Viewers with strong feelings about hunting or firearms will be unhappy about scenes of a child using a gun, and repeated images of birds being shot out of the sky. Parents will also be disturbed at the sight of children working in a bar, even if they aren’t serving alcohol.

I must admit that I expected to dislike this film, given that I loathe Duck Dynasty . Thankfully, this film eschews the culture wars of the TV series and tells a universal story of family resilience, redemption and growth. You don’t have to enjoy killing ducks to appreciate that message.

About author

Kirsten hawkes, watch the trailer for the blind.

The Blind Rating & Content Info

Why is The Blind rated PG-13? The Blind is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for thematic content and smoking

Violence: There are many hunting scenes where guns are fired and ducks fall from the sky. Dead birds are shown being carried by hunters. A mentally ill woman yells at and frightens her children. She later screams when she is taken to a mental hospital against her will. There are domestic violence scenes where a man yells at, threatens, shoves, and throws things at his wife. A drunk driver crashes his car into a tree. Sexual Content: A man and woman are seen kissing on a few occasions. A teenage girl gets pregnant before eventually marrying the father of her child. Profanity: The script contains a minor profanity and a scatological curse. Alcohol / Drug Use: There are frequent scenes of adults drinking alcohol to excess. Alcoholism is a major theme of the movie and alcohol use is not glorified; in fact, its terrible consequences are clearly demonstrated. Adults smoke cigarettes.

Page last updated October 6, 2023

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Common sense media reviewers.

Drama about Duck Dynasty star has substance abuse, swearing.

The Blind Movie Poster: Amelia Eve rests her head on Aron von Andrian's chest as he looks down at her

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

It's important to choose compassion and empathy ev

Phil is overcome in his adult life by alcoholism,

Main characters are White. Two supporting Black ch

Scenes with domestic violence, including punching

A making-out scene.

Infrequent swearing includes "damn" and "s--t."

Phil Robertson is well known as the personality be

Many scenes depicting Phil in the throes of alcoho

Positive Messages

It's important to choose compassion and empathy even in hard circumstances. The importance of humility, gratitude, courage, and self-control are also in play, especially when it comes to overcoming addiction.

Positive Role Models

Phil is overcome in his adult life by alcoholism, self-loathing, and abusive tantrums, possibly due to trauma he faced in relation to his unstable mother. But compassion and empathy of others -- including his siblings, his wife Kay (Amelia Eve), his local pastor -- and compassion for himself allow him to grow into a better father and husband. Phil's humility and gratitude keep him grounded in his new, faith-driven life. Phil also learns how to control himself amid temptation to go back to his old habits. Even though Phil starts out rocky, he shows how someone can become a better person by confronting unhealthy habits and problematic coping skills.

Diverse Representations

Main characters are White. Two supporting Black characters have a few lines: a Black woman to whom Phil sells fish (for her family's restaurant) and a man at a bar Phil frequents who gambles with Phil. Both characterizations are mostly benign, with a lean toward positive representation in the case of the woman. But women other than the main character's wife, Kay, are largely left out of the film. Kay does grow throughout her turbulent years with Phil while he's in the grip of alcoholism; when he kicks her and their children out of their home, she becomes more independent and self-sufficient. But she's also portrayed as unrealistically angelic, steadfast, and understanding, even when Phil is at his worst.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

Scenes with domestic violence, including punching walls, flipping tables, violently pushing someone against a refrigerator, and more. Scene of a drunken car accident (Phil runs his truck into a tree). Hunting scenes with guns. Scenes of emotional violence, including hurtful, violent tantrums.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Phil Robertson is well known as the personality behind Duck Dynasty and its related products.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Many scenes depicting Phil in the throes of alcoholism. Smoking.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Blind is a faith-centered biopic about Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson (Aron von Andrian). Through a religious lens, it focuses on the idea of redemption and forgiveness. Mature content isn't constant but includes strong language ("damn," "s--t") and many scenes with or of drinking -- including alcohol addiction -- and smoking. There are scenes that could be considered domestic abuse, such as slamming walls, intimidation, flipping tables, and violent pushing. And some scenes depict hunting (the use of guns) and a violent but non-fatal car crash. 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 Blind Movie: Aaron Dalla Villa and Amelia Eve look despondent as they stand on the porch

Community Reviews

Parents say (1)
Kids say (2)

Based on 1 parent review

Great message

What's the story.

THE BLIND is based on the life of Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson (Aron von Andrian). It follows Robertson from childhood to adulthood, including his marriage to Kay (Amelia Eve). He must come to terms with his own turbulent childhood and his addiction to alcohol in order to regain himself, his family, and a renewed life.

Is It Any Good?

This is a compelling drama about the personal struggles and redemption of the man whose duck calls led to the popular hit reality series Duck Dynasty . Fans of that show might have already heard about Robertson's past issues related to addiction and the trauma of growing up with an unstable mother, but if you're new to his story, The Blind tells it with panache. The acting grabs you, especially as Robertson becomes more controlled by his dependency and self-loathing. As with any hero's journey, he must face his truest test -- himself -- to be able to come back from the brink.

Robertson has said that being baptized and finding God saved him from his various demons. This leads to proselytizing in the film that's both subtle and overt -- especially at the end, when the real Robertson, a Bible in his lap, talks to the camera about his personal journey, equating it to being in the grips of the devil, only to be saved by Jesus. If you're already religious or spiritual, you might feel comforted or recognize your own personal understanding of God in Robertson's words. But if you're not one for organized religion (or just don't like watching media that's intended as a preaching tool), The Blind might not be the best movie for you. Religion aside, however, The Blind can offer insight into the psychology that allows people like Robertson to feel renewed within the embrace of organized religion, especially if the message they find there helps them save themselves and their family.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about how religion is used in The Blind . Is this a faith-based film? Why, or why not?

How is Phil's dependency on alcohol depicted? Does it feel truthful? Are there realistic consequences? Why does that matter?

How is Kay characterized? Is her character realistic, or does she feel idealized?

How did Phil's childhood experiences affect his adult life? How does the film depict the way that people can grow from their prior experiences?

How accurate do you think the movie is to the facts of Phil's life? Why might filmmakers choose to adjust real events when making a movie based on real events?

Movie Details

In theaters : September 28, 2023
On DVD or streaming : November 14, 2023
Cast : Aron von Andrian , Amelia Eve , John Ales , Connor Tillman
Director : Andrew Hyatt
Inclusion Information : Female actors
Studio : Fathom Events
Genre : Drama
Character Strengths : Compassion , Courage , Empathy , Gratitude , Humility , Self-control
Run time : 108 minutes
MPAA rating : PG-13
MPAA explanation : thematic content and smoking
Last updated : December 5, 2023

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.

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The Blind Reviews

Interesting back story of the "Duck Dynasty" patriarch.

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Oct 6, 2023

Whatever potential it had, the film just isn’t very good, with or without fact checking.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4 | Oct 1, 2023

A genuinely heartfelt, honest and inspirational emotional journey well worth taking.

Full Review | Sep 28, 2023

Phil Robertson’s fans will certainly gel to it. Viewers less familiar with the man may enjoy it too, as it offers insight into how and why he has struck a chord with millions of people.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Sep 27, 2023

Notice: All forms on this website are temporarily down for maintenance. You will not be able to complete a form to request information or a resource. We apologize for any inconvenience and will reactivate the forms as soon as possible.

DVD & Streaming
Biography/History , Christian , Drama

Content Caution

In Theaters

September 28, 2023
Aron Von Andrian as Phil Robertson; Matthew Erick White as High School Phil; Ronan Carroll as 12-year-old Phil; Amelia Eve as Kay Robertson; Brielle Robillard as High School Kay; Scarlett Abinate as 11-year-old Kay; Connar Tillman as Big Al; John Ales as Pastor Bill Smith; Clint James as James Robertson; Kerry Knuppe as Merritt Robertson; Aaron Dalla Villa as Si; Grant Davidson as 15-year-old Si; Brasher Russell as 10-year-old Si; Emily DeForest as Jan; Sofia Sorano Xavier as 12-year-old Jan; Ezra DuVall as 6-year-old Jan; Whitney Goin as Wanita Carroway; Tom McCafferty as Willie Carroway; Jackson Dean Vincent as Alan; Sawyer Jesse Mixon as Jase; John Shepherd Robertson as Willie

Home Release Date

November 3, 2023
Andrew Hyatt

Distributor

Fathom Events

Movie Review

Millions of reality TV fans made A&E’s Duck Dynasty a surprise hit from 2012 to 2017. Now, The Blind tells the story of this famous clan’s bearded patriarch, Phil Robertson. And while many may know of Phil’s tenaciously outspoken faith now, they may not know the hard and twisting road he walked before surrendering—and that is the right word here—to Jesus.

This biopic (distributed theatrically by Fathom Events and scheduled to screen from Sept. 28 to Oct. 10) unpacks Phil’s story from his childhood through 1985.

Over the course of a long day of duck hunting, Phil relates his story to a friend who wants to know what changed for this man who was once ruled by his thirst for the bottle and the rage it ignited within him.

Flashbacks tell Phil’s story. And that story, almost from the very beginning, is tightly interwoven with the story of Kay Carroway’s—or Miss Kay as almost everyone called her. Kay and Phil grew up hardly a mile apart in Vivian, Louisiana. But whereas Kay’s family was relatively wealthy, Phil’s could hardly have been more poor. His father worked in the state’s oil fields. Meanwhile, his mother was in and out of mental institutions, often leaving Phil to act as a surrogate parent to his brother, Si, and his two sisters, Jan and Judith.

The swampy woods around the Robertson’s impoverished shack of a home offered young Phil an escape from the clamor, the hunger, the unknown future from day to day. “I could get lost in them,” Phil narrates. “They were my refuge. But sooner or later, the real world comes knocking.”

Phil and Kay found each other in childhood, with Kay embodying a kind of mercy and wholesome goodness that she’d need to survive the storm that was to come.

The pair married while Kay was just a junior in high school (where she soon became pregnant). In fact, Phil left a scholarship at Louisiana Tech to care for his young wife. Oh, and to hunt, of course.

For a time, it seemed as if the determined couple would rise above Phil’s humble roots. And when his friend Al gets him a teaching job in Arkansas, the future seems bright for the growing Robertson clan.

But Al—Big Al, as he’s known by everyone—proves a destructive influence, tempting young Phil to embrace the bottle, smoking and a reckless life that will leave soon threaten to destroy not only Phil, but his marriage and children as well.

Positive Elements

The Blind is, ostensibly, Phil Robertson’s story. His testimony, really. But the real hero of this story is Miss Kay. Her innocent belief in the power of love is sorely tested by her husband’s addiction to alcohol, his abusive rage and his emotional abandonment of his bride. Kay Robertson does not make it through unscathed during the decade of Phil’s descent into slavery to the bottle, as we’ll see. But her love for her husband, and her willingness to fight for their marriage, is a beacon of light in this film.

In a fit of drunken anger, Phil tells Kay to leave him and to take their three children (Jase, Alan and Willie) with her. She does so, taking refuge with Phil’s sister Jan, a woman of devout faith and compassion. Jan proves a stabilizing force and helps Kay in her darkest moment. Her encouragement paves the way for Kay to get involved in her church (which offers her a house live in), to get a job and to provide for her three children.

By the time Phil begins to journey out of addiction, Kay’s established a new life. Some part of her wants to give her husband a chance, but she also intuitively seems to realize that Phil still has work to do before that’s even remotely a possibility.

Spiritual Elements

The Blind’ s title references a duck blind, of course. But it quite probably has another meaning, too: a reference to those who are spiritually blind.

Phil most certainly is that. Haunted by his father’s absence, his mother’s mental instability, his increasing addiction to alcohol and his deep sense of shame, Phil does indeed wander as a spiritually blind man through much of this film.

There’s a great deal of spiritual content here, of course, as various characters (most notably Jan and Pastor Bill Smith) try to break through to Phil. When Phil’s friend asks him how he changed his life, Phil responds bluntly, “I didn’t do it. Only God can pull off a move like that.” He realized he had to “stop always making it only about me.”

And even though Phil repeatedly says he needs Kay to stop nagging, to give him his “freedom,” in the end he realizes his determination to live life on his own terms was killing him and poisoning everyone around him. “Funny thing is, once I gave it up, that’s when I got it all back. Everything I’ve been chasing all these years. Funny how that works. How you gotta come to the end of yourself to find the beginning of God.”

Elsewhere, after Phil kicks Kay out of the house, Jan tells Kay a message a preacher once delivered to her. “At some point in our lives, we are all going to feel desperately alone, like we are the only soul in the entire world. And that that would be the most important moment in our entire lives, because we realize that with Jesus, we ain’t never alone.”

In those dark days, Kay says of Phil’s drinking and violence, “He becomes the devil, Si. I’ve seen it in his eyes. But it ain’t him. You know that ain’t your brother.” Likewise, at one point Phil himself sees his dirty, disheveled visage reflected in a lake and also later tells Kay that he saw the devil there.

Phil eventually surrenders his life to Jesus, ceasing his running and his drinking and his raging, dying to himself to be born again into a story that only gets bigger after the events of this film.

Sexual Content

As high schoolers, Phil and Kay kiss. We then see them in a car making out, which prompts Kay to wonder, wisely, “Think it’s right we’re doing this, and we ain’t married?” A wedding ceremony of sorts (it seems it’s just the two kids committing privately to each other on their own) soon follows.

We see some other kisses and tender embraces between the couple once they’re married. It’s clear early on that Kay adores Phil, and her deep affection for him is expressed in longing looks and tender touches—a beautiful picture of the joy a young married couple may share.

Under Big Al’s “tutelage,” Phil begins partying more, and Al introduces him to other women. It’s never completely clear whether Phil is unfaithful in this season, but it certainly seems that his affection is drifting dangerously away from his faithful wife—a drift she feels very keenly.

We see Phil shirtless a couple of times, usually in scenes where that image reinforces how poor and hungry he is.

Violent Content

The most disturbing moments of violence in the film come when Phil, who’s drunk, physically mistreats Kay. In one scene, he shoves her in anger, and she flies into a refrigerator, hits her head and crumples to the floor. Other times, he slams his fists angrily on the wall beside her head. Another scene, he holds her in place and yells at her while she tries to tell Phil that he’s hurting her arms.

We see someone driving drunk, which results in a nasty accident.

Ducks, as you might have suspected, fall to Phil and his family’s shotguns. We see several being carried. (It’s also emphasized that early on, Phil hunted not for sport, but to help his family survive.)

There’s mention of someone dying unexpectedly.

[ Spoiler Warning ] At her lowest point, Kay comes perilously close to giving into the temptation to take her life—a fate she avoids largely due to Jan’s intervention and encouragement.

Crude or Profane Language

The Blind isn’t excessive in its gritty content. But there is some dialogue that definitely hints at various characters’ rough moral edges. We hear three profane uses of “h—,” as well as multiple variants of phrases like “went through hell” and “gone to hell” that could be heard profanely or as a dark spiritual reference. Also in that territory is one use of “hellbent.”

There’s one harsh s-word, uttered by Big Al. We also hear one use of “d–n” and one use each of the exclamations “Good Lord!” and “Oh, Lord.” We hear a smattering of lighter interjections such as “shoot” and “dang.”

Drug and Alcohol Content

Big Al plays an incredibly destructive role in Phil’s life, pressuring him into drinking and smoking. Many scenes here depict both of those things. And it’s the drinking, as noted above, that increasingly tightens its addictive grip on Phil’s life as the story progresses. We see him drinking beer, shots and moonshine, initially with Al and the “boys,” but increasingly by himself, too. As noted, that drunkenness plays a key role in awakening a wild, violent and angry side of Phil which puts his wife and family at risk. Indeed at one point when he encounters his children after a long separation, they’re afraid of him.

Alcohol and driving mingle more than once, with predictably bad results.

We hear (and briefly see) that both of Kay’s parents were drinkers, too, and that her mom’s alcohol consumption increased as she got older.

All in all, there’s a lot of drinking depicted here, but it’s never glamorized and the outcomes are consistently bad.

Other Negative Elements

Phil eventually comes to his senses and realizes how destructively self-centered he’s been. But his incredibly callous and self-centered behavior toward Kay, especially, is truly painful to watch at times.

The Blind delivers a classic story of redemption. A lost and broken boy becomes an even more lost and broken man en route to a dark fate only Jesus can rescue him from.

I don’t think it’s too big of a spoiler to say that Jesus does rescue Phil Robertson from himself—from his alcoholism, from his shame, from his explosive outbursts of violent rage.

As I mentioned above, at times it’s brutally hard to watch this man’s self-destruction. He collapses into his soul, medicating the journey down with liquor, seemingly powerless to stop the damage from consuming his marriage and family. It’s harrowing stuff.

God’s pursuit of Phil is relentless here, whether through his wife, his sister or an incredibly patient pastor. And in time, those influences and that pursuit break through Phil’s hard, often inebriated heart.

Watching the film, I didn’t feel like there was anything gratuitous here. That said, it doesn’t flinch from depicting Phil Robertson’s demons. He (and others) drink and get visibly drunk in many scenes. The specter of suicide is hinted at in one powerful scene. A handful of profanities (including one fairly harsh one) give the story a realistic feel, but they may be a bit more realism than some will want to deal with.

Still, depicting a story of deep brokenness without actually showing some of that brokenness is tricky business. I feel the story accomplishes that admirably and never glories in being “edgy” for edgy’s sake alone.

And in the end what’s more clear than anything is God’s power to redeem, to repair and to restore a man bent by sin.

It’s a story that hardcore Duck Dynasty fans will likely love. But it’s a story of forgiveness and redemption that has the power to connect with an audience broader than that one.

Adam R. Holz

After serving as an associate editor at NavPress’ Discipleship Journal and consulting editor for Current Thoughts and Trends, Adam now oversees the editing and publishing of Plugged In’s reviews as the site’s director. He and his wife, Jennifer, have three children. In their free time, the Holzes enjoy playing games, a variety of musical instruments, swimming and … watching movies.

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The Blind Movie Review

By: Author Holly

Posted on Last updated: April 18, 2024

Man and a Woman - The Blind Movie Review

I have always been a fan of the TV series Duck Dynasty, so when I found out they made a movie about the story of Phil and Kay Robertson, I knew I had to see it.

Ladies, this is the film to see with your friends or plan a date night with your husband. I genuinely think that this is a romance movie that he won’t mind going to see. Continue reading for my review of The Blind movie!

Many thanks to Tread Lively for providing a product sample for this review. As always, my opinions are 100% my own.

My Review Of The Blind Movie

I am not sure where to start because I am so excited to share my review on The Blind with you! This movie is a powerful, raw, true story that showcases God’s redemptive power to change our lives when we surrender to Him. The film executed that beautifully. Actors Aron Von Andrian and Amelia Eve nailed their performances as Phil & Kay Robertson.

While watching, it held my attention through the entire time and when the movie was over, I didn’t want it to end! There was not one point in the movie where I felt bored or that the story wasn’t moving along. It was such a beautifully imperfect love story and embodied just how important it is to have God a part of your marriage.

My favorite line was “My momma told me that one day I’d have to fight for my marriage, so here I am fighting.” Kay’s dedication and forgiveness to her husband is outstanding. I hope I am not giving too much away when I say this, but I commend Phil’s determination to turn his life around and be the husband and father his family needs. He may have made some terrible decisions but he didn’t give up on righting his wrongs.

Synopsis Of The Blind Movie

Long before Phil Robertson was a reality TV star, he fell in love, started a family, and began to spiral out of control. THE BLIND shares never-before-revealed moments in Phil’s life as he seeks to conquer the shame of his past, ultimately finding redemption in an unlikely place.

Overall Thoughts Of The Blind Movie

This movie was a 10 out of 10 for me. Run, do not walk on getting your tickets today! Experience the incredible true story of Phil & Kay Robertson from Duck Dynasty in the new movie, The Blind, coming to theaters on September 28th!

Connect With The Blind

Trailer / Website / Facebook / Instagram

Sunday 1st of October 2023

I do like that this is a true and inspirational story about a family overcoming their problems.

Saturday 30th of September 2023

I like that I know the ending and I get to see what they went thru to get there.

Friday 29th of September 2023

I love that it gives hope to broken people and broken families that they can do the impossible.

I like movies about family helping each other.

Tracy Robertson

Thursday 28th of September 2023

The battle with alcoholism is really interesting.

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Wednesday, September 27, 2023

[review] — "the blind" is a dramatic journey into the marriage of phil and kay robertson — {giveaway}.

Giveaway Details

10 comments:.

I am a super fan of the Duck Dynasty tv show and can not wait to see this movie it looks amazing! heather hgtempaddy

I would like to see this with my husband.

This looks really good.

Looks like a great film!@

This is another movie that I would be interested in seeing.

I do like to view movies that are inspirational.

I would enjoy seeing this movie on a Sunday afternoon.

I look forward to seeing this loved Duck Dynasty. Thanks for sharing.

I find movies hold my interest when they are about real life people.

I really should have watched Duck Dynasty when it was popular.

I adore reading reader feedback! I will, however, remove all spam and pointless comments. Please take note that I have the right to delete comments from this site. Please only post constructive and respectful feedback.

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Miscellaneous Immorality: Phil ignores his family, son asks Phil to show him how to fish and hunt, but Phil says no but then goes off with his friend to hunt, fish and drink, lying, cheating, husband squanders money on himself while leaving his family poor, and Phil had an absentee father and becomes an absentee father, but everything changes when he comes to Jesus Christ.

More Detail:

THE BLIND refers to a duck blind where his friend, Al, and Phil Robertson are hunting. Al asks Phil to tell him how he turned around his life, so the movie is basically an illustration of Phil’s Christian testimony.

The movie goes from 1985 when Phil and Al are talking back to 1958 when Phil is a little boy. His father worked in the oil fields, away from home for long periods of time. As a young boy, Phil goes out hunting and fishing to bring food home for his family. Phil’s mother has psychotic experiences where she just gets angry at everything and is hauled off by police several times. Phil’s only blessing is Kay, whom he thinks comes from a very rich family because they own the general store. Everybody except Kay looks down on Phil and his sister and brother as poor white trash living in the swamps.

Kay and Phil know in high school that they’re destined for each other. Phil is the Number One football player at his high school and gets a college football scholarship. However, he gives it all up after being married to Kay. His vision of happiness is living in the swamp, where they now live. Soon they have three boys. Phil’s friend, Al, gets him a job as a substitute teacher and working at a bar.

Drinking with Al at the bar and on fishing and hunting trips creates a downward spiral. Phil resigns the substitute teaching and decides to buy a bar, where he continues to drink, and even consort with other women. Kay makes the commitment that she wants to fight for the marriage. Phil’s sister sends the local pastor to talk to him in the bar, but Phil is very rude to him, threatening violence.

[SPOILERS FOLLOW] Eventually, Kay gets fed up, and Phil kicks her and their three sons out of the house. Phil moves into a filthy RV in the swamp. The pastor provides Kay and the boys with a nice house that they have for the poor right across from the church. Kay starts providing for her family.

Phil reaches rock bottom and crashes his truck into a tree. He goes to Kay, and she says she won’t take him back unless he changes. The pastor visits Phil and leads him to Christ. With Kay and the boys watching, Phil gets baptized in the swamp. His life transforms radically, and we all now the rest of the story of DUCK DYNASTY, the duck calls and the multimillion dollar hunting company that Phil started and his son, Willie, runs.

In some ways THE BLIND is a very good movie as a testimony. That said, its construction doesn’t follow all the rules of filmmaking, so it may not win a big audience. The movie is propelled by the jeopardy, and vice and drinking, while narration tells us where it’s going, and flashbacks show where it started. Even so, it could be a good testimony for many people. However, THE BLIND is definitely a rough movie, and MOVIEGUIDE® advises caution, especially for children and young teenagers.

Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

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“The Blind” Movie Review: You’ve Heard the Story…But Not Like This

Doug bender.

September 28, 2023 | 3 minute read

I’d tell you there are spoilers here for the movie “The Blind: The True Story of the Robertson Family,” but you probably already know something about their unique story. Many of us watched 11 seasons of their lives on the hit reality television show, “Duck Dynasty.” They have written books, made podcasts, done countless interviews and more to tell you how Jesus saved their family. But no matter how often you’ve heard their story, trust me when I say that you have not heard it told like this.

Beauty in the Swamps

Perhaps this stems from my days as a part-time photographer or my love of art, but I always value beautiful cinematography. The filmmakers behind "The Blind" have certainly achieved this beauty with their breathtaking capture of the Louisiana swamplands. So much so that you may want to add southern Louisiana on your next trip across the country.

Not only does it capture the backdrop of this heartwarming story, this movie also successfully transports viewers 50 years into the past to the 1960s. The sets and wardrobes are subtle but effective. It reels us into the early days before they were known as “The Robertsons.”

A Feel Good Movie Without the Cheese

I don’t mind a cheesy movie. In fact, many days it’s exactly what I want. But there is an art in telling a heartwarming story that doesn’t come across as flat and obvious. Even though I knew this story, the storytelling in “The Blind” still created doubt and wonder about how this struggling family would make it through all the challenges they faced. Despite my love of cheese (in all its wonderful forms), the honesty of this story created something more beautiful and compelling than I expected.

Authenticity is perhaps this movie’s highest achievement. There are no attempts at hiding the depravity of this family’s past. The family patriarch, Phil Robertson, in particular, has his faults, sins and addictions on full display. The darkness of some of these scenes is unusually honest and revealing for a movie in this genre. It’s generally clean in the sense that there is almost no swearing, certainly no sex and violence is kept to a minimum. But enough is shown that you know what was really happening emotionally. This isn’t just a story about a man who “went through some hard times”; this is the story of a man who completely lost his way. But it’s precisely this honesty that makes this story so gripping and real.

Religion That’s Lived Not Explained

Some movies with a religious undercurrent can come across as preachy. There can be actual sermons and church services inserted into a film. But this movie is able to show you the power of faith without a sermon. There’s a preacher in the story, but his only sermon is how he lives his life. Phil and Miss Kay have deeply religious experiences throughout this story, but none come across as a religious agenda. In other words, the story came first. The filmmakers didn’t decide to give a sermon wrapped in a story. They decided to tell a great story that just so happened to contain people who had profound religious experiences.

As a believer, I deeply appreciate this. I love a sermon. I’ve even given a few myself. But I don’t go to the movies to get a sermon. I expect to see a great story when I walk into the theatre. As someone who loves Jesus, I want people to know about my faith and the Jesus that I follow. But I don’t think it will be great sermons that will move most people. I think it will be compelling stories like “The Blind.”

Why This Story Is Important

Like myself and many others, you may already be familiar with the Robertson family story. But you really haven’t seen it like this. I tell you this as someone whose team at I Am Second helped capture a version of this story on film . I tell you this as an author who already wrote this story in a book .

I knew this story, too.

But this movie is something else.

It’s going to change lives. It might just be your life that changes. If nothing else, it’ll teach you what the Bible means when it says, “The blind will see…”

(And be sure and stick around for the credits for something special.)

Doug Bender is an I Am Second writer and small groups coach. He developed many of the small group tools found at iamsecond.com and has coached churches, organizations, and individuals to use I Am Second groups to share the message of Jesus with their friends and family. He also works with I Am Second's parent organization, e3 Partners, as a church planter and pastor in countries such as Ethiopia, Colombia, and the US. Doug and his wife, Catherine, have four children: Bethany, Samuel, Isabella, and Jesse.

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Linda's Lunacy

Faith, Home, & Family

The Blind Movie Review

September 27, 2023 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

We used to enjoy watching Duck Dynasty as a family. So when I heard that they were making a movie about their family’s lives, I really looked forward to watching it. And doing a The Blind movie review!

The Blind The True Story of the Robertson Family did not disappoint.

Long before Phil Robertson was a reality TV star, he fell in love, started a family, and began to spiral out of control. The Blind shares never before revealed moments in Phil’s life as he seeks to conquer the shame of his past, ultimately finding redemption in an unlikely place.

The Blind is rated PG-13, which I highly recommend adhering to. There are some dark moments, as there have been in many of our lives. If you have a sensitive teen, I suggest watching it first to see if you think it’s appropriate for your teenager to watch.

Watch the trailer

The Blind starts with Phil as a boy with his family and the hard times they went through. As a teenager, Phil played on the high school football team, and met Kay, a cheerleader. Phil went off to college to play football, while Kay stayed home to finish high school while pregnant. They married, and Phil graduated from college, though he gave up playing football.

Things got worse for Kay and Phil once they were married. Alcohol addiction, domestic violence, money trouble, all culminated in Phil kicking Kay and the kids out.

Kay came to know Christ, and worked on making a new life for the kids, never giving up wanting her family united and whole. Phil reached rock bottom, and found his way to Christ. Through their faith, they were able to restore their marriage and their family.

While the movie does hit on how Phil started making duck calls, that business is not the main focus of The Blind. The main focus is Phil and Kay. Who they are, what they were, and what they have become. And what their family was, and now is. Even though there are dark moments, we need to see them so we can truly understand how their lives changed when they came to know Christ.

The Blind is a powerful true story that showcases God’s redemptive power to change our lives when we surrender to Him!

See The Blind only in theaters starting September 28! I look forward to watching it with my family!

For more information, and to buy tickets, visit the website .

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Disclosure: Many thanks to Tread Lively for providing a sample of the product for this review. (I watched an online screener) Opinions are 100% my own.

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Movie Review: A Duck Dynasty’s origin myth is related in “The Blind”

If Oprah taught us anything, it’s that we’re all the heroes of our own narrative and entitled to speak our “Truth.”

So let’s give Louisiana’s Robertson clan, who brought camo, duck calls, huntin’ and fishin’ and Z.Z. Top beards into vogue during the run of their sometimes controversia l 2012-2017 TV “reality” series , a movie to spin their own origin myth.

It’s hard to overstate the impact this rowdy crew of “redneck millionaires” and swamp s—kickers had on pop culture — at least for a spell. Fans tuned in each week to a white Southern Protestant family’s “Beverly Hillbillies” nouveau riche cavorting with cash, with its patriarch’s duck call and Duck Commander brand the source of their wealth

The show had its critics, especially when that patriarch, Phil Robertson, let his “traditional” Southern Christian conservative beliefs get out off camera — homophobia and patronizing racism included. That didn’t get the show canceled, but it made the decision easier to wrap it up and usher them more or less off the air in 2017.

“The Blind” lets Phil and matriarch Kay tell their stories — mostly Phil’s — as related in a mid-life chat held with a friend in a duck blind, years before TV entered the picture.

It’s a fictionalized, family-authorized “true story” that’s equal parts “Where the Crawdads Sing” and classic Christian redemption story of the “Sergeant York/Apostle” variety.

The film, which ends with a post-sermon homily by Robertson himself, let’s us see the irresponsible, selfish, childish hellion he was before alcoholic rages and the near end of his marriage led him to Jesus.

Movie versions notwithstanding, this is a classic narrative of white Southern culture and remains wildly attractive to people with hard lives who recognize the turning point faith might have offered them and other “lost souls” they know.

The film, a choppy, sometimes amateurish affair that stumbles into as many questions as it answers, lets the Robertsons have it both ways. It establishes Phil’s s—kicker bonafides, which is a vital part of the family brand, and ties his success in life to his Baptism, also a big part of the family brand.

There was a lot of talk about the “fake” nature of reality TV when this series was at its peak, with every week serving up a “Dog the Bounty Hunter,” “Honey Boo Boo” or “Duck Dynasty” “what they’re REALLY like off camera” scandal. So one can’t vouch for the veracity of the Robertson family lore related here.

But here’s what they, or the screenwriters and the actors playing younger versions of them, tell us happened.

Black-beared Phil ( Aron von Adrian ) relates to a friend the hardscrabble life he ( Ronan Carroll plays him as a tween, Matthew Erik White plays Phil as a teen) and his siblings endured, daddy “away on a job” (oil rigs in the Gulf), mom ( Kerry Knuppe ), stressed, broke and furiously losing her grasp of reality in their dire situation.

We see how Phil met the local grocery store owner’s daughter Kay ( Scarlett Abinante and Brielle Robinard play her as a tween and teen), the “woman I was gonna marry,” zeroing in on her lack of judgment about their different stations in life and her kind contribution of groceries to the starving Robertsons.

There’s an account of Phil’s athletic prowess, which got him into Louisiana Tech, that seems only slightly exaggerated. No, he probably didn’t tell future Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw “It’s your turn” when he dropped out off the team because “It was huntin’ season,” and he’d married young Kay and started a family.

Years pass, jobs change, and taking ownership of a bar does nothing to help Phil’s yearning for self-employed/self-sufficient “freedom” and indifferent parenting.

The narrative shifts points of view every so often as we see the years and trials caused by Phil’s refusal to stick to school teaching, preferring a life of fishing and hunting, his taking up smoking and drinking thanks to a school administrator buddy ( Connor Tillman ) and Kay’s struggles with this irresponsible absentee lout who got violent any time his drinking and shiftlessness were brought up.

And then there’s the preacher ( John Ales ) who gives Kay a lifeline, and eventually reaches out to Phil when he hits rock bottom, as such stories ordain that he must.

The script skips forward in leaps and bounds, leans too heavily on Phil’s voice-over narration, misses some touching moments and fails to move us in others.

The acting is indifferent, the production values single-wide/swamp skiff/wrecked pickup cheap, with a score built on plaintive violin solos and cut-rate covers of pop hits from a couple of eras, with I think Billy Gibbsons covering his “La Grange” for a version for use in the film’s 1970s scenes.

A cynic might note that given Phil Robertson’s unenlightened attitudes on race, the script made sure to get Black folks into two scenes.

And the whole religious part of the Robertsons” “Family, Faith and Ducks” creed reminds one that “Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel” and “Religion is the hustlers’ last con.”

Whatever potential it had, the film just isn’t very good, with or without fact checking. That redemption story arc works for a reason. Done right, it touches people. Director Andreww Hyatt, who did the Caivezel “Paul, Apostle of Christ” picture a couple of years back, can’t make this version work and the script’s humorless, emotionally flat treatment of the material smothers “The Blind” in the crib.

But Robertson clan fans know about it, as a packed matinee showing I caught in rural Florida proved, and a rural Virginia’s ticket seller confirmed by mentioning to me that I could have any seat I wanted at their first “Creator” showing, because “everybody here’s getting tickets for ‘The Blind.'”

And that fanbase, showing up in beards and camo, can’t get enough of whatever the Robertsons are still selling.

Rating: PG-13, violence, smoking, profanity and duck shooting.

Cast: Aron von Adrian, Amelia Eve, Matthew Erik White, Brielle Robillard, Connor Tillman and John Ales and Phil Robertson.

Credits. Directed by Andrew Hyatt, scripted by Andrew Hyatt and Stephanie Katz. A Tread Lively release.

Running timer: 1:48

About Roger Moore

11 responses to movie review: a duck dynasty’s origin myth is related in “the blind”.

Roger, you could have saved yourself a lot of time by shortening this review to simply, “I hate Christians.”

It’d be nice if you addressed the points made in the review. But yeah, I understand your need to make it about your faith, and not about your unsophisticated tastes and general lowbrow gullibility. Hard thing to face. It’s not a good movie, and it might have been. But you wouldn’t know the difference, would you? So you have to make yourself a martyr for your faith to avoid admitting your lack of discernment.

Might wanna research before writing instead of writing blindly and Bradshaw was backup quarterback came from Bradshaw’s mouth. Like the movie or not u have a moral problem there Roger and quick to judge blindly. hope all pray for this man

Dude, have somebody explain that sentence to you. I know what the “facts” are, just saying Phil’s magnanimous “It’s your turn” is bull. Got it?

You seem sad and delusional. I should have stopped reading your review on your first liner, starting it with something Oprah said—one of the most evil people out there. Sorry, you have such a terrible view of honest Christians, but stop pushing your division with this racism BS because if you actually knew anything about this family, you would know you are speaking complete lies. Have a great Sunday!

Thanks, Leigh, but I grew up in a “Duck” adjacent rural Southern White Christian culture, so I know these folks and you too well to let a poorly done “amateurish” movie set in that world slide by. Sorry if Phil’s BS and hypocrisy and narrow-minded ignorance is too easy for the rest of us to see through and call out. And if “Oprah” triggered you, then I must be doing something right. Every drive I make from Florida to Va., littered with “Christian” radio tirades sampled all through the Southland reminds me that this label you embrace so fervently doesn’t mean what it did when I was growing up in BFE Virginia. You folks and Phil and Falwellians up and down the dial have ruined that “brand.” The “delusional” one is you.

Roger, I feel sorry for you. You are such an angry person. Praying for you. Prov. 3:5-6

Stay in the dark, Sue. It suits your limited experience of the world.

So typical. “NORMAL” people scare you to death don’t they??? ROGER ???

So you’re the arbiter of “normal?” I don’t think so, sis.

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Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Love, Divided’ on Netflix, A Sweet Fantasy Romance That Seems To Ask The Question “What If Amélie Was A Contestant on ‘Love Is Blind’?”

Where to stream:.

Love, Divided

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The new Netflix romance Love, Divided is a charming remake of the French romantic comedy Blind Date , set in Spain this time around. When a young pianist moves into a new apartment, she learns that her cranky neighbor is trying to drive her out because he can only work in complete silence. Eventually, they compromise on the noise, and soon after, they form a romantic relationship, without ever setting eyes on each other.

LOVE, DIVIDED : STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: A grand piano is hoisted by crane in front of an apartment building. A woman on the ground watches anxiously.

The Gist : Valentina (played by Spanish singer Aitana) is our anxious piano player, and she’s moving into a new apartment after a breakup with her ex. Her cousin, Carmen, has arranged a new life for her: a new apartment and new job at a coffee shop, in an effort to get Valentina to move on with her life, but Valentina is preoccupied with a piano audition she has in three weeks that she’s determined to practice for day and night.

David (Fernando Guallar) is Valentina’s new next door neighbor, Their apartments are barely soundproof, and David, an agoraphobic game designer, is something of a mad genius; he’s surrounded by gadgets and tools and requires complete silence to work.

David has successfully chased away every other tenant that has tried to move into the apartment next door by rigging up noisy contraptions that make spooky noises at all hours. Valentina and David speak through the wall and she learns he wants her out so that he can do his work in peace, but she holds firm that she’s not budging, so they engage in a noise-off to try and annoy one another through the wall: he wakes her up with loud banging, she plays piano at all hours. After a particularly contentious day where David critiques Valentina’s piano playing, he later offers an apology and the two start to talk from their respective sides of the wall and get to know one another.

Not only do the two become friendly, but they form a real relationship despite never seeing each other in the flesh, they even rearrange their apartments so their beds share the wall and they can sleep near one another. Valentina remains anxious about her piano audition, especially because her ex, a controlling older man who is also a conductor, has recommended her for it. He’s the one who pushed her to play professional piano, despite her love of singing, so really, she’s pushing herself as a pianist to satisfy him and make him look good. David recognizes that Valentina’s real love is singing and composing, and he encourages her to pursue those instead, but she doesn’t believe in herself enough, not yet anyway.

Eventually, the day of the audition comes and Valentina has to prove herself. She doesn’t exactly bomb it, but at David’s suggestion, instead of playing Beethoven, she plays an original number she wrote. Of course she gets kicked out of the audition and her ex is furious, but guess what? By this point, Valentina is a new woman, ready to come face to face with her future… and with David, who she’s finally ready to see in. the flesh.

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? Love, Divided combines a quirky, Amélie -like fantasy-meets-reality element to all of its settings (not to mention the fact that Valentina possesses a similar childlike quality to Amélie), mixed with a dash of Love Is Blind .

Our Take: Despite the fact that Love, Divided is a light, airy, implausible love story, it does something that many films like it don’t do, which is give its characters motivation and backstory. Valentina, meek and timid, has spent her life being told what to do, overshadowed and put in her place by a domineering ex. So, too, does David, whose commitment-phobia is rooted in a tragic loss. All of the “whys” come out eventually, which is a crucial component of creating characters instead of caricatures. Credit for that also must be given to the leads, Aitana and Fernando Guallar, who are subtle but convincing as they guide their characters toward love. And the rest of the supporting cast provides the right balance, as they all incredulously rib their two friends for creating a relationship with someone from behind a wall.

The film can’t really be categorized as a rom-com, as it’s fairly light on laughs, but it hits the same beats that a great romantic comedy should (despite having a big music number to showcase Aitana’s talent, it’s not really a musical, either), so I suppose it would be best categorized as a feel-good romance, basically a Spanish-language Hallmark movie. And that’s not meant in a negative way, the film is charming in all the best ways, while managing to avoid being saccharine or generic. While it could have used another pass to make it a little funnier or to give David’s character some resolution of his own (his mad-scientist schtick fades away and the game he’s been designing takes a backseat to his love life), the film slowly and surely builds toward a well-earned happy ending.

Sex and Skin: There’s one scene of Carmen and her date kissing, with implied sex after.

Parting Shot: Valentina and David break down the wall between their apartments and she climbs through the opening and into his arms. As they see one another for the first time, he says, “Hello,” and they fall into a kiss.

Performance Worth Watching: Carmen (Natalia Rodriguez), and Nacho, played by Paco Tous, give some good Carrie Fisher-Bruno Kirby vibes as Valentina and David’s respective sidekicks who also manage to have some sparks fly between them.

Memorable Dialogue: “This is the best dinner I ever had without being in the same room,” David’s friend Nacho says, excusing himself from a meal where he and David have sat on one side of a wall, opposite Valentina and Carmen on the other side.

Our Call: STREAM IT! Love, Divided is a hidden gem, a romantic fantasy that’s broad and appealing, not too heavy on the farce or mistaken identities, and hits just the right notes.

Liz Kocan is a pop culture writer living in Massachusetts. Her biggest claim to fame is the time she won on the game show Chain Reaction .

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The Blind Movie 2024 Review

The Blind Movie 2024 Review . Shot by tom comerford, baltimore is. Double blind in us theaters february 9, 2024 starring millie brady, pollyanna mcintosh, akshay kumar, diarmuid noyes.

Sonam kapoor ahuja can’t light up this inert thriller. That is the rub in double blind, a savvy fusion of agatha christie suspense and david cronenberg body horror that marks a promising.

This Moody, Claustrophobic Chiller Stretches Its One.

This is a fun watch, but it's just that for me.

Five Blind Dates (2024) Amazon Prime.

Comments (0) february 29, 2024.

It Is At Alice’s Wedding That Nigel, Her Partner, Informs Lia How Richard Had To Take Care Of His Sick Mother And Look After His Whole Family, Which Is Why.

Images references :, jul 7, 2023, 01.33 am ist critic's rating:.

February 16, 2024 | rating:

Sonam Kapoor Ahuja Can’t Light Up This Inert Thriller.

Double blind, directed by ian hunt duffy and written by darach mcgarrigle, emerges into the crowded field of horror with a tantalizing premise.

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Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, under the bridge.

Murder mysteries usually present the offense at their center as a puzzle to be solved. There’s a reason the genre and its true crime sisters are often called “whodunits.” And that approach can work, building intricate illusions that are deeply satisfying when revealed a la “ The Usual Suspects ” or “Only Murders in the Building,” to name two popular titles with wildly different tones.

But this mystery-first approach obscures something essential about their ostensible subject of murder: Its human cost. Based on Rebecca Godfrey’s book by the same name and premiering on Hulu on April 17th, “Under the Bridge” captures the tragedy of homicide in a way very few of its peers have even attempted. It’s a devastating tale of development cut short as it follows 14-year-old Reena Virk and the classmates who last saw her alive in Victoria, British Columbia.

“Under the Bridge” accomplishes this feat by purposefully putting Reena at its center. She’s not a nameless body or a learning tool for anyone else. She’s an imperfect girl who’s trying to navigate her parents’ Jehovah's Witness expectations and her own desires to rebel and fit in. She does at least one terrible thing and makes a lot of bad choices. But she’s also relatable and sympathetic, a girl who never gets out of that teenage feeling of being lost.

Riley Keough plays a wounded and perceptive Godfrey, a journalist who returns to her hometown to write a book about the teens there. She quickly stumbles into the investigation surrounding Reena’s death. More than once, we hear Rebecca say she wants to honor Reena’s life by giving readers a sense of who she was before she died. And the show puts those proclamations to work, regularly having Reena take up the frame. There are plenty of flashbacks, detailing the events that lead up to her death, yes, but also her family history, her musical tastes, her friendships, and her misjudgments.

While we see Reena choose a brutal peer group, “Under the Bridge” is clear that what happened was not Reena’s fault but rather because of the choices of teens caught in a system that happily throws them away. And from there, the tragedy just ripples out, touching nearly everyone in “Under the Bridge” and their real-life doppelgangers.

The show delves into the psyche of teenage bullying, not as some sort of freak show or grotesquery, but rather as another facet of this tragedy. “Under the Bridge” amplifies its tone in early episodes through Chloe Guidry’s Josephine Bell, her queen bee overconfidence powering some laughs and a lot of plot points, but the show also depicts a handful of moments when Josephine’s bravado falls, revealing the scared girl underneath. Javon 'Wanna' Walton as Warren, the lone boy wrapped up in this tragedy, is heartbreakingly sympathetic. And Aiyana Goodfellow as Dusty brings the perspective of the other girl of color, showing how both girls were struggling with an extra set of challenges bravely but imperfectly.

The teens fill up the screen–their petty grievances, faltering alliances, and lack of control forming the building blocks of this death–but, like the sun, it hurts to look directly at them. So “Under the Bridge” gives us a set of grown-ups, acting as foils of sorts. There’s Reena’s mom, Suman, played with a devastating surety by Archie Panjabi ; Rebecca guiding us through the story; and her high school friend Cam ( Lily Gladstone ), who’s now the local cop leading the murder investigation.

Following on the heels of her Oscar nomination for “ Killers of the Flower Moon ,” Gladstone is the marquee performer in this show, and she brings a tender earnestness to her role. “Under the Bridge” is purposeful about Cam’s identity too, touching upon aspects of Indigenous history that a lesser show would fumble or ignore. But she doesn’t outshine her co-stars like she arguably did in Scorcese’s history lesson. Here, her Indigeneity doesn’t mark her as the bearer of the worst tragedies but rather as part of a damaged and damaging society.

Both Rebecca and Cam see themselves in these teens, having lost Rebecca’s brother when they were growing up in Victoria. They recast that death onto the current one, creating a sad house of mirrors where the guilt spreads out like blood from a fatal stab wound. In fact, perhaps the most devastating line in a show full of them is when Rebecca tells Suman, “I would like to believe that when something tragic happens, it can make you more able to see the beauty that’s still left in the world. That didn’t happen for me but I hope that happens for you.”

With moments like this, “Under the Bridge” offers an unblinking look at the ways we fail each other and, perhaps more importantly, ourselves. This is a tale of how sins can haunt the living, long after the dead have gone cold. How gender, race, and privilege can increase or dissipate the consequences we face, and how that unjust system makes everything worse.

There is some healing in “Under the Bridge” but that path is narrow and incomplete. Instead, it is that pain that lingers. The pain and the call for us to better protect young people from themselves and the systems we’ve built that see them as disposable.

Cristina Escobar

Cristina Escobar is the co-founder of LatinaMedia.Co, a digital publication uplifting Latina and gender non-conforming Latinx perspectives in media.

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Film credits.

Under the Bridge (2024)

Riley Keough as Rebecca Godfrey

Lily Gladstone as Cam Bentland

Archie Panjabi as Suman Virk

Vritika Gupta as Reena Virk

Javon Walton as Warren Glowatski

Quinn Shephard

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