Secrets in the Fall

Gr 7 Up—The same group of teens from Secrets in the Snow (2013) embark on a weekend Christian youth retreat in the mountains. Despite the cheerful leadership of teen worship leaders, Tyler and Brant, things go awry. Mary Jake, who is a new convert to Christianity, struggles to become a better person while still being best friends with the vain and snarky Sydney (who came along only to crush on Tyler). Brant's kid sister, Anna, is the youngest teen there. She wants to talk to an older teen, Camille, but it is clear she is embarrassed about something (turns out that Anna wants Camille's advice on premarital sex). When the picked-on Cameron goes missing, the teens set out to find him, discovering more about one another along the way. They encounter situations many viewers will recognize: bullying, first love, premarital sex, learning disabilities, problems at home, and so on. Because there are so many problems and only an hour and a half of film, solutions come about quickly and easily. Still, teens will appreciate the authenticity of the situations and the way the characters use their Christian faith to form their outlooks and make decisions. Original music and the gorgeous mountain scenery of western North Carolina round out this feel-good film.