"Trust Fund" ~ A Modern Day "Prodigal story" movie with companion book

My daughter and I are always on the lookout for GOOD films to watch together, so we were both excited to receive the movie Trust Fund by Mapelle Films for review. We also received a go-along book Love Was Near (intended to be read AFTER viewing the movie), for YA girls.

Of additional interest to us was the fact that the cinematographer/producer of this film was homeschooled, and the cinematography is AMAZING! I will add that there is no "cheese" to be found in this film~ it is first-rate!

Quick synopsis: Trust Fund is a modern day retelling of the Prodigal Son story from the Bible.

Essentials that remain the same:

• Wealthy Family
• Younger sibling takes inheritance
• Spends inheritance unwisely
• Returns home seeking forgiveness
• Older sibling "rivalry"

Differences:

• Sisters instead of Brothers
• Modern setting
• Love interest(s)

This was an enjoyable film (and, I will repeat, with gorgeous cinematography) that can easily be watched with multiple generations (12+) without any cringe-worthy moments (no foul language, gratuitous sexuality or violence which all tend to be pet peeves of mine when watching most modern films). I think it would be a work extremely well as a high school and/or college-aged "Girls night in" choice, but there is enough intrigue and the story line is such that it should be enjoyed by the males in the family as well (kind of chick-flick, but not totally ;) ).

We loved the Italian location/filming, but wish there were subtitles for when there were conversations in Italian, as it was hard to figure out exactly what was going on. ;)

You can get a feel for the quality of the film yourself by watching the trailer below...

TF OFFICAL TRAILER 2016 - Theatrical 2min from isaac alongi on Vimeo.

You can make this an educational experience as well as entertainment,  by downloading Mapelle Films' Downloadable Study Guide, which comes with four parts. Each section includes 

• Scripture ~ from the Prodigal Son Passage that is the basis for a particular scene in the film
• Right to the Point ~ draws a parallel between the Biblical story and the movie
• Deep Thoughts ~ trying to figure out some of the "why" behind some of the actions of the characters in the movie
• What Do You Think? ~ Questions that assess comprehension as well as offering opportunities for application. 

If you'd like to take that educational experience a little further with a female audience, you might want to consider checking out the companion book, Love  was Near. The book follows the movie story line, with three components for each  of the 28 chapters.

In each, Reese (the main character in the movie) first writes in the first person, giving background information and insight into the story, explaining her perspective and the background for some of the decisions she makes in the movie.

The second part is written in diary form, which offers even more insight into her character and thoughts,  and the third part is more book-club-ish with a number of leading questions to ponder.

Not So Nutty Nitty Gritty 

• Company: Mapelle Films
• Product: Trust Fund (Movie) Love Was Near (Book)
• Ages: 12+
• Price: 
• Trust Fund Movie $14.99
• Love was Near $12.99
• Movie Soundtrack $9.99

Connect with Mapelle Films and Trust Fund on Social Media, where you might hear more about their next film "How to Pick Your Second Husband~ FIRST" as well as connecting with them about Trust Fund:
Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram  

Please click the banner below to visit the TOS Homeschool Review Crew and see what others had to say. As always, I hope that this review was useful to you as you choose where best to spend your homeschool budget.

Blessings~

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