I'm Not Ashamed (2016)

What makes I’m Not Ashamed linger is its earnest attempt to turn a headline into a human being: a coming-of-age portrait shaped by journal honesty, spiritual searching, and the ordinary pressures of high school that suddenly feel unbearably fragile. Masey McLain gives Rachel Joy Scott a grounded warmth that keeps the film from drifting into abstraction, letting moments of friendship, rebellion, and quiet conviction play with an unforced sincerity. The tone is reflective and somber, occasionally tender, and it doesn’t shy away from the dread that comes with knowing where history is headed—so the PG-13 violence and intensity may be too heavy for some viewers. But if you’re open to a faith-tinged drama that aims more to comfort and challenge than to sensationalize, it offers a heartfelt reminder that kindness and courage can be real, even in the darkest corridors.

I’m Not Ashamed is clearly trying to honor Rachel Joy Scott and offer a faith-centered message of hope and courage in the shadow of Columbine, and it does have sincere intentions and a respectful, PG-13 approach to the tragedy. The problem is it often plays less like a nuanced biographical drama and more like a sermon wrapped around real trauma, with on-the-nose dialogue, predictable plotting, and a simplified view of the shooters and the wider context. If you’re looking for a balanced, investigative, or psychologically layered take on Columbine, this will likely feel shallow and emotionally manipulative rather than illuminating. But if you’re specifically after an earnest Christian testimony film that treats Rachel as an inspirational figure, you may find enough heart in Masey McLain’s committed performance to make it worthwhile.