When granted the opportunity to watch the movie “Mighty Oak” on Paramount’s Digital Screener Platform, given my love and passion for music, I felt so grateful. Having watched tons of music films before, like “Rock of Ages,” “Mamma Mia,” “Valley Girls” and more, I was excited to see what “Mighty Oak” would bring to the stage. I went in with no expectations — or even full knowledge of what the movie was about, but I definitely enjoyed this unique film.
“Mighty Oak” is a different type of music movie. It’s not so much a musical as other music films, but it does present that same musical vibe. It’s about a 10-year-old named Oak Scoggins who’s musical talents grant Army of Love, a band whose lead singer and guitarist, Vaughn Jackson, died in a tragic car accident, the opportunity to get back together and play music again after 10 years. Given Oak’s similar mannerisms and talents, Gina Jackson, Vaughn’s sister and manager of Army of Love, begins to think that Vaughn somehow reincarnated into Oak. With both tearjerkers and comedical moments, the film definitely pulls audiences in despite some of the more fast-paced scenes and montages.
The film also has a great soundtrack featuring songs from Coldplay, The Animals and A Great Big World. Given I am in a band myself, “Mighty Oak” does a good job of depicting what the songwriting process can really look like — doodles and all. The diverse cast also brought back fond memories of my childhood given Janel Parrish, previously seen in the “Pretty Little Liars” series and “Bratz: The Movie,” Carlos PenaVega from “Big Time Rush,” Raven-Symoné from “That’s So Raven” and Alexa PenaVega from the “Spy Kids” film series all star in the film.
“Mighty Oak” presents different themes that are relatable to viewers and even helps older generations relate and understand younger generations. The film discusses topics such as the loss of a family member and friend, trauma, drug-abuse, friendship and love for music. Given it’s diverse cast and characters, the film is also appreciative of different cultures and different social statuses.
Overall, the film presents a good dynamic and relationship between adults and kids. With it’s strange, yet in some ways truthful and entertaining, direction, “Mighty Oak” is definitely a movie worth watching if you’ve got a rock ‘n’ roll loving soul.
