The Wake of Light parents guide

The Wake of Light Parent Guide

A slow paced romance, this film fills its time with lovely montages, pretty photography, and beautiful piano music.

Overall B+

Managing her rundown farm and caring for her disabled father is starting to wear Mary down. And then she meets Cole, an adventurous young man who wants her to travel across the country with him. Mary has a choice to make...

Release date January 15, 2021

Violence A
Sexual Content A-
Profanity A-
Substance Use A

Why is The Wake of Light rated Not Rated? The MPAA rated The Wake of Light Not Rated

Run Time: 85 minutes

Parent Movie Review

For Mary (Rome Brooks), every day is very much the same. The devoted daughter spends all her time taking care of her invalid father (William Morton), except for a short trip into town each day to sell water she’s bottled from the family’s well. Her meager earnings, coupled with her Dad’s disability payments, are all the income the young woman has to keep up the aging farm.

A minor change to her regular routine happens one sunny day when she is approached by a handsome stranger. Introducing himself as Cole (Matt Bush), he explains he has been stranded in the small community while waiting for parts to fix his broken car. Alone with nothing to do, he asks if he may accompany Mary on her water-selling rounds. A bit begrudgingly, she agrees. Eventually Cole follows her home and even finagles an invitation to dinner.

Although Mary has been quietly warming up to the chatty visitor, she is a little hesitant to have him meet her ailing parent or see her in her caregiving role. Fortunately, Cole seems to take the situation in stride. And despite some awkwardness on both sides of the attraction, the two meet up again the next day.

At first glance, Mary and Cole appear to be opposites: She has spent her whole life in middle-of-nowhere, USA. He has travelled extensively and is presently working his way across America seeing the sights. Yet in their secret hearts they have a lot in common, including an aversion to really look at how they are spending their time. When Cole asks Mary to join him on his adventure, it sparks a pointed discussion that causes each of them to truly search their souls.

This slow-paced romance moves as gently as a breeze across wheat fields. And while that may be a problem for some viewers, at least the lags are filled with charming montage scenes, pretty photography and beautiful piano music. For a low-budget film, both Brooks and Bush put in good performances. (It is just a little distracting that she appears significantly older than him.) These minor criticisms aside, this movie has little objectionable content for family viewing and features characters making commendable choices. It also poetically uses light as a symbol of inspiration for seeking purpose and meaning in life. Although this genre won’t thrill all moviegoers, this message will resonate with everyone.

Directed by Renji Philip. Starring Lincoln Bodin, Rome Brooks, and Matt Bush. Running time: 85 minutes. Theatrical release January 15, 2021. Updated

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The Wake of Light
Rating & Content Info

Why is The Wake of Light rated Not Rated? The Wake of Light is rated Not Rated by the MPAA

Violence: Health issues and deaths of loved ones are discussed. A parent found lying in a field after a stroke is seen through the eyes of a child.
Sexual Content: An out-of-wedlock pregnancy is mentioned. A brief kiss is depicted.
Profanity: A term of deity is used as an expletive once.
Alcohol / Drug Use: None noted.

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The Wake of Light Parents' Guide

The word “wake” means either to arouse from sleep or to hold a vigil for someone who has died. How do both definitions fit the story being told in this movie?

Cole’s father told him: “We owe it to ourselves to see all there is to see.” How has he taken that advice to heart? How does Mary feel about that council? How has she chosen to spend her life? What do you feel should be the real priorities of life?

Mary and Cole argue about their approaches to problems. Mary feels you should be available to handle difficulties in case they happen. Cole feels you should wait until things happen and then deal with them. Which approach do you agree with? Is there some truth in both perspectives?

Mary is fascinated by the light of the sun and feels like it is guiding her towards something. Where do you look for answers and comfort when facing difficult challenges?

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