Review of Rising Stars (2010) by Jerry H — 14 Jan 2012

By now, I think pretty much everyone in America knows that music-based entertainment is very "in" with kids right now. Between video games such as "Guitar Hero," "Dance Dance Revolution," and "Rock Band," television shows like "Shake It Up!" and "VICTORiOUS," and countless movies, it's pretty much everywhere.

"Rising Stars" attempts to cash in on that trend, and it mostly succeeds. The cast, including Fisher Stevens ("Early Edition" and "Short Circuit,") Rebecca St. James (a contemporary Christian singer, who has also acted in lesser-known films such as "Sarah's Choice") and Leon Thomas III (AndrÃÂ (C) from "VICTORiOUS") all did very well.

The musical number at the end was very beautiful, although it wasn't the "grand finale" I was hoping for. "Rising Stars" also painted a dismal picture of the reality television industry (which, in my opinion, is well-deserved) and included many positive elements: being proud of your heritage, working together, overcoming adversity, etc.

Aside from the slightly underwhelming final number, the only complaint that I can come up with is that the film is devoid of any references to God or faith. That wouldn't be an issue if I hadn't found out about this movie by seeing it for sale at my local LifeWay.

Although there are plenty of worse messages churned out by Hollywood than the ones in this flick, parents looking for a flick that affirms God won't find it here. As far as offensive content goes, as bad as it got was one use of "jeez" and a reporter wearing a slightly low-cut outfit.

In short, if you're looking for a kid-friendly, music-based movie, "Rising Stars" is a good one; however, I'd suggest renting it before deciding whether to purchase it.