Brave the Dark Parent Guide
This touching film about a teacher willing to take a risk on a troubled teen hits the expected genre beats and delivers a solid message of empathy and kindness.
Parent Movie Review
No matter how many medals he wins on the track, Nathan Williams (Nicholas Hamilton) can’t run fast enough to escape the past. His mother’s death threw him into the hands of his chilly grandparents, who put him in an orphanage. A subsequent foster care placement failed, and now Nate lives in his car, doing homework by a flickering light, subsisting on minimal food, and showering at the school gym.
The precarity of his life pushes Nate into some bad choices, and eventually he is arrested for stealing electronics. Luckily, his teacher, Stan Deen (Jared Harris) sees the potential overshadowed by his troubled student’s behavior. After a prison visit, he rounds up Nate’s grandparents and eventually persuades them to give him legal guardianship for Nate, who will live with him while he finishes high school.
Living with Stan is an eye-opening experience for Nate, whose emotionally starved childhood has left him without the pivotal experiences that create a sense of self-worth, develop healthy coping strategies, or generate hope for the future. But even as Nate finds himself reaching for the future Stan represents, his memories of past trauma trigger a desperate need to escape from the pain…
Inspiring teacher movies are a genre all their own, and since my family is full of teachers, it’s one I love. Brave the Dark doesn’t break any new ground, but it competently delivers the expected beats and does so with decent cinematography and capable actors. Oscar bait it isn’t, but this real life story offers families with teenagers a solid story that will encourage discussions about compassion, empathy, avoiding judgment, setting boundaries, and looking beyond ourselves. Stan is warned that he shouldn’t house an accused thief; that he should “Let the system take care of him”. There’s an intriguing discussion here about why Stan disregards this well-intentioned advice; about what drives him to bring a troubled teen into his own home. This is a film that can encourage us to consider our values and boundaries, and how we can help others within those parameters.
I should note that this isn’t a film for kids since the script contains a half dozen scatological curses, there are scenes of teens (and adults) smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol, and there are some very disturbing flashbacks to scenes of domestic abuse. These aren’t gratuitous, but they are violent and a bit bloody. Definitely nightmare-fuel for young audiences.
If you share my fondness for teacher movies or are simply looking for a movie to restore your faith in human nature, you can’t go wrong with Brave the Dark. Its depiction of domestic violence is harrowing, but the film’s reminder that there are compassionate people out there who want to help others is heartening. This movie is a good antidote to the chilly darkness that seems to pervade much of our public climate (and the weather this cold winter). Time to flip the switch.
Directed by Damian Harris. Starring Jared Harris, Nicholas Hamilton, Jamie Harris. Running time: 112 minutes. Theatrical release January 24, 2025. Updated January 21, 2025
Watch the trailer for Brave the Dark
Brave the Dark
Rating & Content Info
Why is Brave the Dark rated PG-13? Brave the Dark is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for domestic violence/bloody images, suicide, some strong language, teen drinking, drug material and smoking.
Violence: Teenagers break into a store and steal electronics. There’s mention of a woman’s death in a car accident. A boy punches through a glass window off-screen: the damage is visible later and there is a bloody cut on his hand that is briefly seen. There are flashbacks to a frightened child running in the night. A teen grabs a girl by the arm. There’s mention of domestic abuse. Teen boys push and shove each other. Spoilers: A man attacks a woman in front of her child. A man shoots a woman at point blank range. A teen attempts suicide by jumping off a bridge. A man kills himself with a firearm.
Sexual Content: A teen boy and girl kiss. A shirtless young man is seen from the waist up in the shower. A teen couple kiss passionately while dancing. A young man is forced to strip when he’s arrested: nudity is not explicit. A young man strips down to his underwear.
Profanity: The script contains a half-dozen scatological curses, a crude anatomical expression, and a few terms of deity. Vulgar slang is also heard, including a term for illegitimacy.
Alcohol / Drug Use: Teens and adults occasionally smoke cigarettes. Teenagers drink alcohol at a party. A teen is said to have taken narcotics.
Page last updated January 21, 2025
Brave the Dark Parents' Guide
For more about the real life Stan Deen, you can follow these links.
Stan Deen Foundation? Who are the Deens?
YouTube: Dave Speace: Stan Deen – Thirty Year Run
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