Higher Ground

Parents need to know that this affecting, complex drama depicts a faithful woman struggling to reconcile her doubts with her religious beliefs. It's a bracingly honest portrayal that doesn't buy into the typical stereotypes of either the pious or the questioning. The lead character starts her relationship with God in earnest as a teen mom; the road that leads her there is revealed straightforwardly: She's shown having premarital sex (though there's no nudity) and struggling to understand the adults around her, many of whom have lost their moorings themselves. These are heavy themes, which -- along with the movie's sexual content (in addition to teens having sex, characters also frankly discuss body parts and how to pleasure the opposite sex) and swearing -- makes it a better fit for older viewers.