Written by: Kelly Meade (2/20/2025)
Life can be messy. We make mistakes and must live through the consequences of them. However, one thing is certain no human life is a mistake, and we were all created for a beautiful purpose. The Unbreakable Boy tells the real-life story of the LeRette family and the many ups and downs they have faced.
When Scott LeRette met Teresa, his life changed. Little did he know how much their relationship would change both of their lives in more ways than they could ever imagine! With the birth of their son Austin, the couple learned to navigate through the sleepless nights and worries that come with parenthood. Soon, they discovered Austin was different – first being diagnosed with a rare brittle-bone disease that sent Austin to the ER multiple times with bones easily broken from seemingly normal playtime or minor falls kids take while learning to walk and just being kids. A few years later, they found Austin had autism. The family, which now included their second son Logan, then had to learn the best ways to understand and connect with Austin as well as teach him about life to the best of their ability. Through it all, they strived to develop a foundation of love and faith that carried them even in the most difficult times.
In the end, the LeRette family does form a bond that became stronger through the trials and they each learn lessons in understanding, compassion, empathy, kindness and hope from one another – especially from Austin and his ever-optimistic outlook on life.
My favorite quote from a character in the film encapsulates the overall story very well – “Your mistakes don’t define you, how you heal does.”
While themes of love and faith are woven throughout The Unbreakable Boy, the depiction of the struggles this family has experienced is also very prevalent and are also worth noting as some scenes will be hard for viewers to watch. Aside from the hospital visits and challenges Austin faced, Scott and Teresa had to deal with their own demons including Scott’s alcohol addiction leading to a very dangerous situation before he finally seeks help, Teresa’s past trauma as well as her own health issues and the judgmental opinions from people in their lives when it comes to their relationship and parenting. We also see both Austin and Logan become targets of the school bully.
Yes, there are some wonderful things to take away from The Unbreakable Boy, but I would advise viewers, especially families with younger kids, to use discernment and be aware of these situations before taking the whole family to the theater understanding that this film will bring up many topics that need to be talked over. Even with the PG rating, it’s vital to remember that it is a film showing very real parts of life that I personally wouldn’t consider to be family-friendly for younger viewers.
3.5/5
Released: 2/21/2025 (Theatrical)
Running Time: 109 Minutes (Kingdom Story Company/Lionsgate)
Rated PG for strong thematic material, alcohol abuse, language and some violence
Links for The Unbreakable Boy:
