Although this 2013 faith-based film won’t win any screenwriting accolades for acting or plot development, its wholesome message about family values and the sometimes devaluing nature of mainstream pop culture will certainly strike a chord among anyone looking for a movie that can comfortably be shared with any age group. Following the fictional story of aspiring singer-songwriter Grace Trey— daughter of former drunk and one hit wonder-turned-evangelical church star Johnny Trey— as she attempts to get away from her father’s overbearing moralism and break into the recording industry, this cautionary tale about the pitfalls of fame and the redemptive nature of God was shot in several different locations around the greater Birmingham metropolitan area. Featuring large sequences filmed at Liberty Park Baptist Church and Dreamcakes in Edgewood, as well as utilizing places like Workplay and The Club to serve as stand-ins for nightclubs and hot spots around Los Angeles, Grace Unplugged is another great example of the Magic City both being itself, as well as somewhere else, and showing off its versatility as a filmmaking hub. As a movie whose targeted ethics message is meant mostly for Christian viewers, and may not resonate as deeply for a general audience, it remains a decent film for its genre, and one that many people may find solace in given its pro-church stance and family-oriented content.
FUN FACT: The movie ends with a cameo from real-life Christian music star Chris Tomlin backstage at the Alabama Theatre, where Grace is set to open for him as her story comes full circle back to her roots in the faith-based community her father raised her in.
Trailer Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Gwwdlkoq7M