6 family-friendly movies to watch at home this Christmas
5. 'Average Joe'
Nearly a decade ago, Joe Kennedy began his post-game prayers at Bremerton High School out of a personal conviction, kneeling at the 50-yard line to thank God for his team’s safety and to praise Him for His guidance. Over time, the quiet gesture became a tradition, with players and even spectators joining him. But in 2015 everything changed when the school district suddenly ordered him to stop.
Kennedy, however, wasn’t one to back down. He refused to let go of his right to express his faith, and that choice launched a seven-year legal battle that eventually reached the U.S. Supreme Court. In 2022, the court ruled 6-3 in his favor, affirming his right to pray.
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Actor Eric Close (“Without a Trace,” “Nashville”) stars as Kennedy in “Average Joe,” now available for home viewing. Rated PG-13, the film is based on Kennedy’s 2023 book of the same name and follows his upbringing in foster care, serving in the Marine Corps., becoming a football coach, his legal woes and eventual victory.
“With God in his life, he fought for the survival of his marriage, which was bearing the weight of his battle for religious freedom and freedom of speech. It was impossible not to be inspired by Joe’s unwavering commitment to stay the course and stick to his convictions in the face of adversity. Also, he took on this fight for all Americans, not just himself,” Close told The Christian Post.
“Average Joe” is now available on DVD and Digital HD from Amazon Video and iTunes.
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: leah.klett@christianpost.com
