SMALL GROUP
An imperfect, inspiring faith comedy for teenagers and adults.
Should You Watch It?
SMALL GROUP has something many faith-based movies struggle to achieve: genuinely funny moments. Its opening scenes play with Christian stereotypes, then gradually move toward a serious story about skepticism, faith, prayer, family, and community.
The film tries to handle many heavy issues at once, and that sometimes makes the story confusing. It is also unnecessarily long, and a tighter script would have made its strongest moments more effective. Still, its Christian worldview is clear and inspiring as a former churchgoer reconnects with the faith of his youth.
The movie is best suited to teenagers and adults. For your family, SMALL GROUP is worth watching with discernment, especially if younger children may be unsettled by its violence and tragedy.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESR. Scott Cooper, a documentary filmmaker whose first movie failed, moves with his family from Los Angeles to a small town in Georgia. There, a production company offers him a second chance: make a documentary about Christianity’s dwindling influence in America.
To do it, Scott and his pregnant wife, Mary, go undercover as Christians and join a local church small group. As they make friends and participate in the group, their project begins to affect them in ways they did not expect.
Is It Any Good?
Three stars means SMALL GROUP is enjoyable and meaningful, but uneven. The movie starts strongly, with hilarious moments built around Christian stereotypes. It also has dramatic moments that give its themes of faith and community genuine weight.
The film loses focus as it tackles too many different heavy issues. That makes parts of the story confusing, and its 120-minute running time feels unnecessarily long. A tighter structure and shorter length could have made this a stronger movie.
The Worldview
SMALL GROUP presents a strong Christian, biblical worldview. It values baptism, prayer, church community, Scripture, hymns, life, forgiveness, honesty, family, and helping others. Several church services and small group meetings show these practices as meaningful parts of Christian life.
The film also includes challenges to Christianity. One character says religion is a lie and wants to show that Christianity is full of judgmental people, but those beliefs are eventually rebuked. The story also includes a cross-dressing character who ultimately talks about the need to stop cross-dressing in order to know Jesus. These elements may require thoughtful discussion.
At its center, the movie portrays faith overcoming years of skepticism. Scott begins by treating Christianity as a subject for a documentary, but the church community and its message become personally significant. The film’s emphasis on prayer and transformation aligns with Scripture: “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (James 5:16).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements
Very strong Christian, biblical worldview where character gets baptized, and prayer and church community are extolled, several church services and small group meetings are shown where Scripture is read and hymns are sung, life, forgiveness, honesty, and helping others are valued, with some Anti-Christian comments where a character says religion is a lie and wants to show that Christianity is full of judgmental people (his beliefs are eventually rebuked, however), plus a homosexual element where a man cross-dresses but eventually talks about how the only way to know Jesus is to stop cross-dressing
Foul Language
Three “h” obscenities, five light profanities, two uses of the word Cooter as a joke, character references pet bunny using the word “pee”
Violence
Brief strong and light violence includes a gun is seen in one scene and used in another in an attempt to kill someone, but the man’s just trying to scare other people, a fist fight occurs between two men where one man chokes another to get him to pass out, man jokes about killing some people when buying camping gear, a knife is shown, conversation about someone choking on a peppermint and dying, conversation about a pet bunny dying (but the bunny is found at the end), woman passes out and goes into pre-term labor, and a tragic death occurs
Sex
Man tries to have sexual relations with a young girl, but it is unclear if she is being trafficked, or if she’s a prostitute, married couple kisses, and man starts to take his shirt off
Nudity
Girl shows midriff
Alcohol Use
Couple drinks wine at home, and wife jokes her husband is drunk, man drinks beer, and a man takes a shot of liquor because he’s stressed
Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse
No smoking, but there’s a joke about getting high;
Miscellaneous Immorality
Deception, man says his wife can abort their baby, but the wife doesn’t agree and tells him to take back what he said, and one character has bad morals and judgment.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Scott begins the film by deceiving a church community. Why does honesty matter, even when we think our goals are worthwhile?
Ephesians 4:25 · Proverbs 12:22The small group becomes a genuine community for Scott and Mary. What makes Christian fellowship more than simply attending the same meetings?
Acts 2:42–47 · Galatians 6:2The film presents prayer as powerful. How have you seen prayer change a situation—or change the person praying?
James 5:16 · Philippians 4:6–7Scott’s faith is tested by suffering and tragedy. What does Christian faith hold onto when circumstances become frightening?
Romans 5:3–5 · Hebrews 11:1The Final Word
SMALL GROUP is funny, sincere, and spiritually encouraging, even though its many issues and long running time weaken it. Teenagers and adults can find worthwhile themes about faith, prayer, family, and community. Our answer is WORTH THE TRIP — AGES 13 AND UP.
