If you’ve become a fan of our weekly Plugged In Pick blog—and we certainly hope you have!—you know that each week we try to point you back toward something worth considering in each category from the last month or so. A big part of our criteria has to do with how family friendly a given song, video game, book, TV show or movie is.
Every now and then, though, we may point you toward something that’s a bit of an exception in that department. This is one of those weeks.
This week, for example, we commend to your consideration a PG-13 movie that, admittedly, has quite a lot of content—including some sexual content, language, alcohol abuse and violence. What story could be worth wading through all that? I’m glad you asked, because it’s the big-screen story of Aretha Franklin, Respect.
Most of us are likely familiar with Aretha’s 1965 smash hit of the same name, “Respect.” But unless you’re a superfan, you likely don’t know the Queen of Soul’s admittedly difficult—but ultimately redemptive—story. She grew up singing in church, the daughter of a famous-but-hypocritical pastor who pounded the pulpit on Sundays and pounded back bottles of alcohol (among other vices) the rest of the time. And he’s just one of several men who seek to control young Aretha Franklin’ career as her once-in-a-generation voice propels her inexorably toward stardom.
It’s a hard journey, one that nearly destroys Aretha (played remarkably by actress/singer Jennifer Hudson) as she battles her own addiction demons and fights to find a voice of her own. Along the way, Aretha eventually has a come-to-the-altar moment and places her faith (at the urging of a vision of her deceased mother) in Jesus.
Aretha’s story is a remarkable one of brokenness, abuse and redemption. It’s not easy to watch, nor is it going to be for everyone. Plugged In reviewer Paul Asay concludes his review of the film by saying, “Despite her demons, despite her choices, despite the fact that she sometimes seemed to run away from God, He was always there—loving, welcoming, forgiving. It just took Aretha some time to understand that.” This is a story that could connect—content caveats notwithstanding—with others on a similarly bumpy journey.
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