A Little Prayer Parent Guide
A quiet little film, this comes with a definite agenda.
Parent Movie Review
Life seems idyllic for Bill (David Strathairn). He lives with his wife Venida (Celia Weston) in a home that shares land with the smaller house inhabited by his son David (Will Pullen) and daughter-in-law, Tammy (Jane Levy). Bill and David work together at the family business, carrying lunches packed by Tammy, who provides attentive care to her in-laws. Then the cracks appear…
Life is upended when daughter Patti (Anna Camp) returns home with granddaughter Hadley (Billie Roy), bringing noise, bitterness, resentment, and a need for money in her wake. As Bill frets over Patti and Hadley, Tammy takes the time to comfort and amuse the little girl. But problems are brewing for David and Tammy as well…
A Little Prayer is a quiet film. Nothing much happens on screen; there are no action sequences, car chases, or major explosions. Instead there are frequent conversations; moments of hurt, heartache, and betrayal; and the painful process of self-assessment. As Bill becomes aware of the true state of his children’s lives, he reckons with his own past, his parenting, and the limits of parental influence on adult children. David Strathairn is a talented actor and he imbues Bill with credible weary disillusionment and bone-deep decency. Thanks to Tammy’s gentle kindness and Venida’s hard-earned wisdom, the other characters are sufficiently well drawn to keep the film alive despite its slow crawl across the screen.
Given its leisurely pace, this is a movie that will only appeal to mature viewers who like character- and issue-based films. You should know that A Little Prayer is more than just a character-based story; it’s also a movie with a strong pro-choice perspective. Abortion is frequently discussed and strongly defended. One character is seen receiving misoprostol pills for a medication abortion to be completed at home and another asserts her right to choose, even though she keeps the pregnancy.
The movie also features enough negative content to drive it into a Restricted rating. There are over four dozen profanities in the movie (including nine sexual expletives) and several scenes of alcohol consumption, not to mention the intoxication of main characters. There is no on-screen sex but adultery is a major plot point, as is abortion and there’s mention of intimate partner violence. This isn’t a sweet little family film: it’s sad and painful and hard to watch. It might also be realistic – and that’s a real achievement but also a disincentive for viewers looking for a cozy tale or an escape.
Directed by Angus MacLachlan. Starring David Strathairn, Jane Levy, Will PUllen. Running time: 91 minutes. Theatrical release August 29, 2025. Updated August 28, 2025About author
Watch the trailer for A Little Prayer
A Little Prayer
Rating & Content Info
Why is A Little Prayer rated R? A Little Prayer is rated R by the MPAA for language
Violence: There’s mention of a man dying in his sleep. A mother yells and hits her child. A child is heard crying. There’s mention of a man beating a pregnant woman to coerce her into having an abortion.
Sexual Content: Adultery is a major plot point. A married couple are seen in bed on a couple of occasions: they kiss. A woman takes abortion inducing medication. There’s conversation about abortion.
Profanity: The script contains approximately two dozen terms of deity, a dozen scatological curses, nine sexual expletives, and a smattering of minor profanities and crude anatomical terms.
Alcohol / Drug Use: Adults drink alcohol at a social event. A woman is intoxicated. There’s mention of opioid addiction and manufacture. People become intoxicated. There’s mention of a man’s drinking problem.
Page last updated August 28, 2025