Our family rents DVDs and has family movie night on the weekends. Since those movies are fresh in my mind on Monday, I’m going to share my thoughts about them in my Monday blog posts.

This weekend we watched Saving Sarah Cain, a PG-rated movie directed by Michael Landon, Jr. and starring Lisa Pepper and Abigail Mason.
Based loosely on the Beverly Lewis novel, The Redemption of Sarah Cain, the story follows the misadventures of five Amish children who are suddenly orphaned when their mother dies.

The children’s aunt, Sarah Cain (Lisa Pepper) is their only living relative, and is appointed their legal guardian. There’s only one hitch: Sarah is an up-and-coming columnist for a Portland, Oregon newspaper. She lives in a glitzy, ultra-modern urban apartment, a far cry from rural Pennsylvania.
What will become of the children? Will Sarah break up the five siblings and find an Amish family to adopt them? Will she send them to foster care with an "Englisher" family? Will she choose to adopt the children? Will she bring them with her to Portland? Or will she move to Pennsylvania to live in their Amish community?

Sarah struggles with these questions as she mentally evaluates the importance of her career and her relationship with her romantic interest.
Pepper’s performance, while somewhat wooden, provided insights into the angst the young career woman experiences as she’s suddenly thrown into a "foreign" culture.

The real stars of the show are the five children, particularly Abigail Mason (pictured, left) who plays 16-year-old Lyddie, the eldest daughter. This close-knit group of youngsters realistically portray the way their faith sustains them in the midst of tragedy.

Because of the movie’s serious theme, I’d say it is most appropriate for children aged 8 and up. While the movie is a tear-jerker, there are also some light, funny moments, and of course, an uplifting ending. There’s no bad language and no inappropriate sexual content — a couple of belches here and there are the only things some parents might find objectionable.
Overall, Saving Sarah Cain is a movie your whole family can enjoy.

I’d also recommend reading the book, The Redemption of Sarah Cain, which is quite different than the movie. Comparing the two would make for some interesting conversations.

Pictured, at top:

Jenn Doucette and me with Michael Landon, Jr. at the movie’s premier.

Abigail Mason (Lyddie) chatting with a fan after the premier.

Me with Soren Fulton, who played Caleb–the oldest son.