The World We Make has been compared to a Hallmark Movie in another review, and while I understand why, this movie has far more substance. The interracial romance as the main theme is what drew me to this film despite its low score; I figured the other reviewers were just harsh against it because of a possible religious angle (it doesn't have one) or actual incompetency.
This film is rated PG, which I didn't know before I started it (or I may have skipped it). It turned out to be a non-issue, though the movie is extremely tame save for a character death fairly early on and a fistfight later (which is filmed so that most violence is barely seen). The characters here are fairly well-developed. Rose Reid (whose prior work includes a small role in the laughable "I'm Not Ashamed", but I give her a pass for her decent performance here) plays Lee, a Caucasian equestrian trying to hold her family and dreams together after a series of tragedies. Caleb Castille plays Jordan, an African-American football player who dreams beyond his means in terms of college and career. That they are drawn together makes sense; Lee and Jordan have great chemistry, a shared social circle (for the most part), and common interests.
The issues that arise in this film stem from the chemistry between the two leads. I said their chemistry was great, but it seems to come from a friendly angle rather than a romantic one. Lee and Jordan encourage one another, play off one another, but rarely do they display believable attraction or affection. A lot of this is likely due to the movie's rating and the age of the characters (though Jordan is in college, Lee is in high school for the majority of the movie's run-time). Still, I think the film played it too safe; though all the ingredients for a believable romance are here, I just didn't feel it.
Still, I cared about the characters, and the racist events that come about from both sides of this divide were so realistic to things I've seen and/or heard about that anger actually caused me to groan a few times. I felt for these characters and their struggle, even if the movie slipped up elsewhere. There were a lot of feel-good montages accompanied by drab feel-good music that dragged on a little too long. A few of the scene transitions were abrupt. The acting wasn't bad, but there were a few cringe-worthy lines that no human being would ever be caught dead saying. On a positive note, The World We Make had no religious proselytizing despite its tameness (which I expected based on the southern actors and low rating), and unlike Hallmark, it didn't tie everything up in a neat little bow. While there is an arguably happy ending, many problems remain unsolved and dreams broken, bringing a refreshingly realistic edge to a movie that could have stuck with the cliche.
The World We Make won't win any rewards, but it's a harmless coming-of-age movie about an interracial relationship that doesn't deserve the low rating it has. It's a heartwarming movie and I don't regret my time watching it.
