In Rhode Island, the Sinclair High Tigers are on their way to the state football championship, led by quarterback Tyler McFarland. Tyler's younger sister Lucy loves to read but doesn't particularly like to socialize. Their mother Jody is the guidance counselor at Tyler's school, and very dedicated.
Lucy likes to go to a bookstore run by a man she calls Mr. B. He suggests books she might like, and one day he receives a magical video camera in the mail. Mr. B gives the camera to Lucy. Periodically the camera will make a noise like a bird, and one or more of its lights will flash. When this happens, Lucy turns on the camera to watch what it has supposedly taped. The camera seems to have the ability to tell the future, or suggest a future Lucy and others can make happen.
Cory is a foster student who has gone to a number of schools since his mother died. He never knew his father since his mother had him when she was a teenager and he went into the military never knowing he had a son. In this G-rated movie, I suppose the stork brought Cory. Cory can play football, but when he joins the team, the other players give him a worse hazing than usual for their new team members. This gets Jody involved; Jody also wants to help Cory plan his future. A football scholarship is one possibility, but Cory doesn't want to play on this team.
Lucy's camera tells her who the bullies are, and knowing this information, Tyler has a decision to make. The coach will not tolerate bullying on the level Cory has experienced. If he finds out who was mistreating Cory, there goes the state championship, because the guilty players are off the team.
Lucy's camera tells her even more about Cory. But you'll just have to watch to see what that is. And whether Tyler does the right thing, and if so, what the consequences will be for the team.
This is a good clean family film. The bullying is the only content that might be questionable, and even then, it's not as bad as the violence on the football field. Yes, one wonders how those players are going to survive such horrible beatings. But if your kids are ready for all that, there's nothing here to offend.
The movie offers plenty of lessons on doing the right thing. So many, in fact, one halfway expects to hear, "What would Jesus do?" In fact, you have to look very closely to even see a cross on the house where Cory lives. Religion isn't mentioned, but then where are these family values coming from?
Faith Ford gives a good performance (considering the material) and she's quite pretty for her age. Everyone does a pretty good job, in fact. This isn't an Emmy movie, but it's not bad at all.
Teens and kids might like the so-called music with positive, inspirational lyrics. As for me, I could have done without that.
Some people might be bothered that we are constantly reminded, even between commercial breaks, that Wal Mart sponsored the film. As for me, I like seeing brand names, because it's more realistic even though one scene is almost a commercial for the Sierra Mist soft drinks.
It's a movie worth seeing.
