I'm Not Ashamed

Taking something very tragic and turning it into some inspiring made this film watchable.

This is a sweet story on one hand, and is a tragedy on the other. It's a story of an ordinary teenage girl experiencing first love, heartbreak and struggling with her faith. The true story of Rachel Scott, is the main focus of the film and its Heartbreaking to say the least. The movie is about Rachel and the person she was, and her faith in God. The shooting is secondary, and is only relevant to the unnecessary, unimaginable loss of potential in each victim. The innocent lives lost affected the world. We don't know the difference they would have made, the accomplishments. I believe through this movie that's what Rachel Scott did; she is still making a difference.

How fortunate that Rachel Scott's diary was found in order to have a view into one of the lives lost at Columbine. It must have been heartwrenching for her family and friends to see this on the "big screen," but perhaps it provides a way for them to honor her life and help to continue the healing process.

Because the subject matter is so disturbing, I do agree with a PG-13 rating. That being said, I also believe this movie should be shared with every youth group. It would also be beneficial as part of schools' "anti-bullying" programs.

Each person impacted by Columbine has their own unique story. The struggles and questions faced by Rachel were well portrayed. The actors who were cast as Rachel and Nathan did an excellent job. Very believable.

This movie showed how kindness, compassion, and forgiveness can change hearts and lives. Rachel's brief life continues to have ripple effects nearly 20 years later. The Lord truly must have welcomed Rachel into heaven with "Well done, good and faithful servant" and continues to use her life to point people to Him.

I don't consider this a Christian movie, it's a movie about Rachel and her experiences at Columbine during the last year of her life. I'm not sure why people are discrediting the movie. Richard Castaldo was shot only inches away from Rachel, he told the press that Eric asked her about her belief in God before he shot her. Also, the basement tapes showcase Eric and Dylan's disdain for Jesus and Christianity.....and life. The movie shows the difficult environment these columbine students had to navigate daily, it's worth a watch.

"I'm Not Ashamed" (2016 release; 112 min.) brings the story of 17 yr. old student Rachel Scott, who was the very first victim at the Columbine High School tragedy in 1999. As the movie opens, we get TV footage from those horrifying moments right after the shootings. We then go back in time, when Rachel was 8 years old, and her parents are splitting up, leaving her mom in a financial struggle to raise 5 kids. We then go to "April 1998 - Sophomore Year", with Rachel doing well in school. Rachel is particularly interested in the drama class. At this point we're not even 15 min. into the movie but to tell you more would spoil your viewing experience.

Couple of comments: this movie is marketed as a "christian" film, and plays out like one. If that is going to bother you, please do yourself a favor and catch a different movie for your enjoyment. I really didn't know what to expect and was pleasantly surprised at the maturity, even sophistication, of this movie (the script is based on Rachel's journals, we are reminded at the beginning of the movie). That said, it is also a bit of a missed opportunity, as it focuses mainly on Rachel, and not hardly any time on the 2 shooters. If you have the expectation that this movie might delve into the "why did they do it", this movie will not provide the answer (other than some very general and broad brushes). All that said, the last 15 min. of the movie packs an emotional wallop, for obvious reasons. The movie makers hit the bull's eye when they cast Masey McLain as Rachel, she is absolutely fantastic. Bottom line: this is a fine movie (made on a dime, total budget a mere $1.5 million). But if you want to understand Columbine, this is not the movie for it. (Earlier this year, Sue Klebold, the mother of Dylan, one of the 2 Columbine shooters, issued a devastating memoir called "A Mother's Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy", which I would readily recommend to anyone, Christian or not.)

The movie opened on a couple of screens this weekend here in Cincinnati. The Saturday matinée screening where I saw this at was attended very nicely, somewhat to my surprise. It sounds like there is a market for well-made Christian films. If, on the other hand, you want to get a look at the promising life of one of the Columbine victims (who this year otherwise would be 34 years old), then I would readily recommend you check this out, be it in the theater, on VOD, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray.