Coming-of-age stories have been a favorite genre of mine for years. I enjoy seeing how filmmakers capture the experiences of adolescence and growing up for their protagonists. From The Perks of Being a Wallflower to Eighth Grade and Sing Street, coming-of-age films continue to lay the foundation for some of the most heartfelt films around. Mighty Oak, a film that follows suit in its attempt to capture these elements, provides an inspiring story of faith that is welcomed during these hard times.
Mighty Oaks tells the story of Gina Jackson (Janel Parrish), a band manager who loses her brother following a tragic accident. Soon after, she meets Oak Scoggins (Tommy Ragen), where the two find commonality in both music and a connection they discover from the past. While the premise is simplistic, director Sean McNamara expertly sprinkles in surprises throughout the film keeping the audience intrigued.
Despite the tragedies that occur to Gina, McNamara maintains a positivity throughout the film that, at times, feels unrealistic. Rather than diving deeper into its darker themes similar to David Lowery’s 2017, A Ghost Story, where the themes are of life, loss, and love examined, McNamara and screenwriter, Matt Allen, play it safe as they lay general concepts of “everyone needs someone in their life” and “remaining positive throughout tough times will get you through it.” It certainly feels there is a story left on the table by not dealing with Gina’s tragedy and loss head-on.
One of my favorite aspects of coming-of-age stories revolving around music is the execution of the songs. The best type of music in these films help shape emotional responses and successfully creates a rhythm to scenes. Similar to John Carney’s Sing Street, Mighty Oak is no different as the film’s music is uplifting and catchy.
Performance-wise, Mighty Oak’s cast all turn in fine performances led by Janel Parrish. Parrish evokes much-needed depth and emotion to her character that serves as the glue for the rest of the cast. Tommy Ragen’s take on the child prodigy Oak Scoggins shows potential, but his inexperience shows a bit with this being his first film and I look forward to seeing him in future projects.
Mighty Oak is not reinventing the wheel nor is it a cinematic marvel, but, what Mighty Oak does right is present a good family movie, one that is easily accessible to all age ranges and is a beacon of light as the world continues to deal with the continuing hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic.
