Story
Amazing Grace showcases the raw talent of Aretha Franklin at the peak of her powers and treats fans to the music Aretha grew up singing.
Together with the Southern California Community Choir and the accompaniment of Reverend James Cleveland, Aretha puts on a two-night performance of Baptist gospel music at the Los Angeles Missionary Baptist Church in January 1972. The album recorded at this event became the highest-selling live gospel album of all time. The concerts were filmed by Warner Brothers producer, Sydney Pollock, who had the foresight to capture this phenomenal performance as a documentary, which is now released for the first time.
Themes
Devotion to Jesus; Baptist gospel; the importance of family; community; inspiring others
Violence
No violence is noted in Amazing Grace.
Sexual references
There are no sexual references in Amazing Grace.
Alcohol, drugs and other substances
There’s no use of substances in Amazing Grace.
Nudity and sexual activity
There’s no nudity or sexual activity in Amazing Grace.
Product placement
In Amazing Grace, the Steinway piano played by Aretha Franklin and Reverend James Cleveland is featured in multiple shots, and the brand name is clearly visible.
Coarse language
There’s no coarse language in Amazing Grace.
Ideas to discuss with your children
Amazing Grace is a documentary showcasing Aretha Franklin in a performance that produced the highest-selling gospel music album of all time. The documentary style itself is simple, with camera angles and visual quality similar to what you’d find in a home movie. The movie is suitable for all audiences, but fans of Aretha Franklin and gospel music are likely to appreciate it the most.
The main messages from this movie are to remain true to your roots, to find inspiration and make it your own, and to believe that Jesus loves you and that anything is possible with His help.
Values in this movie that you could reinforce with your children include faith, devotion, joyfulness, dedication and teamwork.
This movie could also give you the chance to talk with your children about the importance of:
- community, whether it’s religious or secular
- family acceptance and encouragement
- music and how it can heal hearts, especially when it’s divinely inspired.