The ultimate goal of Mighty Oak is to showcase how well a kid can play the guitar and sing on stage. To the film’s credit, little Tommy Ragen makes for a chipper kid with rock ambitions. I wanted to pull for him and the telegraphed climax to be inspiring. This is why it’s sad to report that this film stumbles all over itself to weave emotion most soapy around decent concert sequences.
Rock of the Aged
The film follows the band Army of Love, also known as AOL. One would think there’d be an obvious joke about the online service considering we first catch them in the early 2000s. This date is hammered home most overtly by one band member speaking highly of an iPod and how they’re about to blow up. It’s a scene delivered with sloppy acting more worthy of a slapped together as a TV special.
The rock band is mildly amusing, busting out tepid tunes with a semi-punk vibe, more in aesthetic than philosophy. They break up, however, when a tragic car accident kills their lead vocalist, Vaughn (Levi Dylan). This is especially depressing for Vaughn’s sister and band member, Gina (Janel Parrish). They all go their separate ways, some taking minor jobs in music while others work at diners.
The Little Rocker
Skip ahead to present day where we meet Oak (Tommy Ragen). He’s expected to grow up quickly when dealing with his single mother addicted to drugs. He makes her breakfast and pours himself a cup of coffee to get going in the morning. He’s also an aspiring musician and has some real talent with a guitar.
Once Oak runs into one of the former band members and take an interest in Vaughn’s guitar, his talent takes off. The band may be able to reassemble with such a strong child prodigy in their company. Perhaps Oak can fill the hole left by Vaughn. Maybe he’ll fill in more than he knows.
A Weird Revival
Here’s where the film starts to fall apart. Gina, upon witnessing Oak play, is convinced that this kid is the reincarnation of Vaughn. The rest of the band thinks she’s gone a bit crazy but she insists she’s right about this. She points to Oak’s playing style, his mannerisms, and even the way he draws. One point she stresses is that Oak draws monkeys like Chim-Chim from Speed Racer, the same way Vaughn drew. How is that possible, she wonders? Has Oak even seen Speed Racer?
If there are worries about this being some sort of strained Pure Flix picture, put those fears to bed. Mighty Oak doesn’t have any interest in a spiritual awakening. Rather, it favors a clumsy staging to get this band back together with wickedly weird excuses for how this all comes together in the end for the expected concert.
Broken Branches
Every plot element where it feels as though Mighty Oak is building on something, it snaps with a cliche excuse. Oak’s recorded performances go viral but it’s revealed that Gina paid for the views. Oak’s mother has a drug problem but it’s explained away as being part of a medical condition, making her more tragic than she needed to be. The boy is at one point whisked away from the band by understanding grandparents that must be lied to so he can play once more. These grandparents seem nice enough to be convinced by Oak’s words but since they don’t let him drink coffee I suppose Oak reasons revenge via fibbing.
Perhaps the most contrived part of all of this is the coincidence that Vaughn died in the same crash where Oak’s mother was carrying Oak himself. We’re led to believe by the flashbacks that Vaughn’s spirit or essence or whatever transferred into Oak. I almost wanted some corny message from God at this point because everything else in this film is already hammy and soapy with an artificial sweetener quality.
Routine Rock and Roll
It’s rather hard to show some appreciation for the rock sequences. They’re few and far between and most of them are honestly rather bland. Credit where credit is due towards Tommy for pulling off a warm performance as someone worth rooting for. The band doesn’t sound too bad either, even when separated from the heart of Oak.
But there’s so little here that impresses past your average, over-the-hill rock band. This may make the excuse of paying for views more believable but what of the audience? What do we get out of a lukewarm display of a kid good at the guitar? I’m more impressed by Tommy’s talent than the stage this film places him on. He’s struggling to keep this boat afloat while the rest of the cast flounder in performances that never quite hit.
Conclusion: Mighty Oak
Mighty Oak has so many broken branches in its melodramatic tale that it’s a tragic tale less so for the intended somberness. The music is okay at best, the sadness cringe-worthy at worst, and writing more fitting of a ho-hum TV special to be saddled on the Hallmark Channel. Never before have I wished that such a bland picture would take the Christian rock route if only to make some sense of its clumsy assembly and poor direction.
Did you watch Mighty Oak? Did it rock or was it weak? Do you think kids would like it more than Scoob? Let us know in the comments below.
The Review
Mighty Oak
Melodrama and rock and roll don't blend well with a lackluster performance.
PROS
- Decent music
- Tommy Ragen is not too shabby
CONS
- Poor acting
- Ridiculous story choices
- Lukewarm concert sequences
