SAFETY | FAMILY MOVIE REVIEW INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND KIDS

"SAFETY"
(2020) (Jay Reeves, Thaddeus J. Mixson) (PG)

QUICK TAKE:: Drama: A college freshman tries to balance school, football, and secretly taking care of his younger brother on campus.

PLOT:

It's 2006 and Ray McElrathbey (JAY REEVES) is an incoming freshman at Clemson where he's received a full athletic scholarship to play safety for football coaches Tommy Bowden (MATTHEW GLAVE) and Brad Simmons (JAMES BADGE DALE). They demand he give it his all during training, fully aware of academic workloads and having to contend with upperclassman players such as Keller (MILES BURRIS) not giving him or Ray's roommate and kicker, Daniel Morelli (HUNTER SANSONE), any slack until they've earned it.

But Ray has other issues he must simultaneously deal with, namely a mother who's in prison and then drug rehab back in Atlanta, meaning his 11-year-old brother, Fahmarr (THADDEUS J. MIXSON), has no guardian and is repeatedly getting into trouble. With their dad long gone from the picture and with no one else to turn to, Ray decides -- with Daniel's permission -- to sneak Fahmarr into his dorm room and keep him hidden until his mom's stint in rehab is up.

All of which puts a great deal of pressure on Ray, something his coaches notice, as does Ray's classmate and potential girlfriend, Kaycee Stone (CORINNE FOXX), who works in the bookstore and does TV interviews for the school. With Ray burning the candle on both ends -- and in the middle -- he tries to balance school, football, hanging out with Kaycee, and taking care of his brother without anyone learning about the latter.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: They might if they know about the true-life story or are into college football.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG: For thematic content involving drug addiction, and some language.

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