Brave the Dark does precisely what it aims to do: celebrate a real-life Good Samaritan and a young life transformed through hope, trust, and healing.
The scars and trauma of domestic abuse run deep in Damian Harris’s (brother of Jared) Brave the Dark. Based on the true story of Nathan Cole (now Deen), played by Nicholas Hamilton, and his Pennsylvanian high school teacher, Stan Deen, played by Jared Harris, Brave the Dark is reminiscent of a slew of ’90s matinee flicks that explore the ‘Good Samaritan’ story in small-town America.
Hailing from Angel Studios, which brought the world the highly evangelical Sound of Freedom, Brave the Dark is a welcome shift in focus, as religious ideology takes a backseat to the power of the individual to create hope and change.
In recounting the story of Nate (Nathan), his troubled adolescence following years in care, his traumatic childhood and the loving teacher Stan Deen who takes him under his wing, Brave the Dark offers us all the ingredients found in the classic Hallmark movie. It’s predictable, comforting, simple, and built on emotion, and were it not for Jared Harris and Nicholas Hamilton, it would be forgettable.
Due to their performances and a screenplay that isn’t afraid to explore, if gently, the deep scars domestic violence leaves on children who witness such hate and horror, Brave the Dark does precisely what it aims to do in celebrating a real-life good Samaritan and a young life transformed through hope, trust and healing.
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