As the final scraps of control over his life slip through his fingers, Scott LeRette, played by Zachary Levi — known for his roles in the TV show “Chuck” and the “Shazam” movies — surrenders himself to the life he’s created and relies on newfound faith to rebuild.
LeRette’s son, Austin (Jacob Laval), is autistic. As a first-time father, he struggles “navigating the waters of autism” and understanding his own son’s strengths and weaknesses, Levi told the Deseret News.
“Scott’s journey that I get to portray in the film is one of someone who is tightly holding on to wanting to control the outcome of his life, whatever he thinks is the perfect life and the expectations of what he thinks that’s supposed to be,” Levi said.
He continued, “(Scott is) brought to his knees in radical acceptance of the life that he’s been given. And in that seeing the beauty and the gift that his son, Austin, was to him and is to him and to his family, teaching him how to love himself and to love others.”
When a personal crisis hinders LeRette’s capacity to parent Austin, a heavy hit to rock bottom prompts LeRette to transform his outlook on life.
Director Jon Gunn (“Ordinary Angels,” “Jesus Revolution”), adapted LeRette’s autobiography, “The Unbreakable Boy,” for the screen.
“I, as a filmmaker, (and) I’d say audience goer, love to watch movies that make me laugh and make me cry and inspire me in different areas of my life and this story, when we read the material (for ‘The Unbreakable Boy’), we’re like, ‘Okay, this is a no brainer. We should really figure out how to adapt this,’” producer Kevin Downes told the Deseret News.
LeRette, who was involved in the filmmaking process and helped produce “The Unbreakable Boy,” praised Gunn for the direction he took bringing LeRette’s personal experiences to the screen.
“I think John Gunn is a magician and a Maestro and a genius when it comes to writing and what he did. I totally get it,” LeRette told the Deseret News. “He took some creative license where he needed to, and it totally makes sense. And you’re getting what you’re paying for. You’re getting ‘The Unbreakable Boy’ for sure.”
LeRette’s self-centered bachelor lifestyle is upended when the woman he is in the early stages of dating, Teresa (Meghann Fahy), tells him she is pregnant. With almost no hesitation, LeRette abandons his ambitious career goals and commits himself to Teresa as a partner in raising their child.
While he is still a toddler, LeRette and Teresa recognize Austin is not an ordinary kid.
Minor falls typical for young kids routinely send Austin to the hospital to receive treatment for broken bones. He is diagnosed with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, which “basically means (his) bones break easily,” Austin tells viewers. To keep Austin from getting hurt, Scott and Teresa cover sharp corners with soft protecters and teach him to make careful movements.
Austin is also diagnosed with autism — a diagnosis his parents have a more challenging time understanding. But despite his fragile exterior and social differences, Austin maintains an unbreakable joy and optimism towards life.
“I wanted to show Austin’s positivity and I want to show everyone that they can be that positive too,” Laval told the Deseret News.
Austin’s challenges and triumphs are central to the movie, but it’s less a movie about a child with autism and more about a man surrendering control, turning to faith and transforming himself into an unwavering father and partner.
“There were so many, so many themes in this book that resonated with me, from being a dad, from resilience and faith and being present in the moment, and not letting all these moments go by without actually having gratitude and appreciation for them,” Peter Facinelli, who produced and played a small role in the film, told the Deseret News.
“The Unbreakable Boy” highlights themes of faith, but don’t expect faith to be the central theme of the movie. While faith-based, “The Unbreakable Boy” is more family-focused than it is faith-focused. The movie shares messages of forgiveness, acceptance, finding joy through difficult circumstances and the importance of strong father figures.
Downes said, “(‘The Unbreakable Boy’) leaves you with this, this powerful punch that is just so obvious, so right in front of us that (you think), ‘Wow, I wish I could be more present in the moment with my family or with the ones that I care about the most.’”
“The Unbreakable Boy” is in theaters Friday, March 21. It is rated PG.