Search - To Save a Life [Blu-ray] on Blu-ray

Sharon F. (Shar) from AVON PARK, FL
Reviewed on 8/25/2023...

If only more young adults would wake up and see that mental illness has invaded their lives. It's not something to be ashamed of and you can get help. Great acting and a great storyline.

3 of 3 member(s) found this review helpful.

Holly R. (goldentwig)
Reviewed on 8/10/2010...

On opening weekend (January 23, 2010), I took 27 friends to go see this movie in theaters. This was my second screening of the film, as my husband and I saw a free sneak preview in the fall of 2009. Upon the first viewing, we went in expecting very little, but were both *blown away* by the quality and substance of this "indie release" film. The quality of the acting, screenplay, and technical aspects surpassed everything I was expecting. It's the story of a Middle-American high school senior named Jake Taylor, who "has it all"... he's popular, has a cheerleader girlfriend, a basketball scholarship to his dream college, and is living up his senior year. That is, until his childhood best friend Roger commits suicide in the school hallway and turns Jake's life upside down. He begins to question everything about himself and realizes there may be a lot more to life than beer pong and sex with his girlfriend. He learns to reach out to some new friends and finds ways to make Roger's death a legacy, not just a tragedy.

I don't want to give away too much of the plot, but I will say that this movie touches on at LEAST a dozen hot topic issues that modern teenagers have to deal with on a daily basis. This is the most realistic portrayal I have seen of a typical high school in a long time, and as one of my young friends said after seeing the film, "It was TOO realistic." The movie is rated PG-13 for good reasons and I wouldn't recommend it to a younger crowd. However I DO recommend it to anyone in high school or older. It is an EXCELLENT movie that *ALL* teenagers need to see... It causes the viewer to reflect on the impact that each person has on others around them and how much difference one person can choose to make in the life of another who is lonely. I think every teen will find SOME character to whom they can relate.

Though it's touted as an "inspirational" film, there's absolutely nothing cheesy about this movie. It portrays Christians in a very accurate light, with both good and bad attributes acknowledged (such as hypocrisy & imperfection). It's not preachy or pushy with its message, except to say that you CAN make a difference in the world around you. It's also not without humor that this movie entertains the audience, taking on several twists and turns throughout the plot.