AMERICAN VIOLET
An inspiring true story with strong faith and serious flaws.
Should You Watch It?
AMERICAN VIOLET is an inspiring and moving true story about a young single mother falsely arrested during a racially charged anti-drug raid. Its strongest qualities are its moral seriousness, its focus on courage in the face of injustice, and its occasional attention to the heroine’s Christian faith. The acting is awfully good, even though the movie sometimes plays like a television movie.
The cost is substantial. The film contains plenty of foul language, including strong profanity, and its written epilogue draws broad conclusions about racism, incarceration, and the American justice system that the source review rejects. It also makes politically charged connections to President George W. Bush.
Adults who can weigh those flaws against the film’s inspiring central story may find it worthwhile. For families with children or young teens, choose something else.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESIn November 2000, a local district attorney in a small Texas county conducts an annual anti-drug raid in the black community. Dee Roberts, a young single mother working as a waitress, is arrested and charged with selling drugs—something she insists she did not do.
As Dee faces a high bail and pressure to plead guilty, questions begin to emerge about the informant whose testimony led to the raid. The case soon grows beyond one woman’s arrest.
Is It Any Good?
Three stars means AMERICAN VIOLET is effective and inspiring, but not without important flaws. The film is moving, the acting is awfully good, and its central story of legal injustice has considerable moral force.
The movie sometimes feels like a television movie rather than a fully polished theatrical drama. Its broader political purpose is less successful, especially when it tries to indict the entire justice system and the war against drugs. Still, the story’s emotional and moral power gives the film real merit.
The Worldview
AMERICAN VIOLET presents a strong Christian worldview through scenes of people praying, mostly silently, and through the heroine’s apparent transformation by faith. It emphasizes courage, moral seriousness, and the need to correct injustice. The film also depicts racism, corrupt officials, and intimidation of people with less power as serious evils.
The source review finds the film’s broader conclusions politically correct and socialist, arguing that the movie distorts the situation in America’s criminal justice system. Its written epilogue suggests that high incarceration rates among black Americans are caused by racism and legal injustice rather than crime, family breakdown, and a lack of Christian faith and morality. The film also makes vague allusions connecting the case to President George W. Bush because he was governor of Texas and the events began during the 2000 election controversy.
The film’s central concern—how a community and an individual should respond when authorities act unjustly—aligns with Scripture’s concern for justice. Yet the Bible also teaches that governing authorities are meant to punish evil: “For he is God's servant for your good” (Romans 13:4).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Strong Christian worldview (including scenes with people praying, but mostly silently) with very strong moral elements about fixing a case of injustice in Texas, including troubled heroine who has allegedly turned her life around through her faith, but some politically correct socialist conclusions that distort the situation in America’s criminal justice system and the movie makes some vague politically correct allusions between the case in question and President George W. Bush, apparently because Bush was governor of Texas and the events in the movie began during the 2000 election brouhaha; 36 obscenities (including about three “f” words), three GDs and three light exclamatory profanities (such as G-d!); light violence includes yelling and damaging objects, mostly implied beating of man by police, people arrested by police during massive anti-drug raid with suspects forced to lie down on asphalt and police busting down doors in apartment complex that looks like a renovated motel of some kind, and angry woman kicks truck, hits truck window and splashes red paint on truck; no sex scenes but single unwed mother has four daughters from three men (two are in prison) and is upset about third boyfriend of two of the daughters who is now living with a woman accused or convicted of child molestation so there are light verbal references to the woman’s evil actions; no nudity; alcohol use; smoking and references to drug sales and such but no depiction or glorification; and, lying, corrupt officials, racism, and corrupt officials intimidate people with less power.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Dee refuses to plead guilty to something she did not do. What does it look like to stand for truth when doing so is costly?
Proverbs 12:22 · Ephesians 4:25The film focuses on correcting an injustice in a Texas community. What responsibilities do authorities have toward people with less power?
Romans 13:1–4 · Micah 6:8The movie connects crime, poverty, family life, and Christian faith in complicated ways. How does Scripture describe the responsibilities of parents and families?
Deuteronomy 6:4–9 · 1 Timothy 5:8The heroine’s faith is present, but the movie avoids actual evangelism. Why does Christian faith include both personal trust in God and speaking about what He has done?
Romans 10:9–10 · 1 Peter 3:15The Final Word
AMERICAN VIOLET gives adults an inspiring story of courage, faith, and injustice, supported by strong acting. Its foul language and politically charged conclusions require careful discernment. For discerning adults, the answer is WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY. For younger viewers, choose something else.
