Diptheria, Dysentery, Red Boots, and Romance (1800s style!)

I have an autistic son who loves to see movies. Regularly, he comes to me and asks to check to see if any new movies are coming out. His calendar is filled with upcoming movie dates. When researching new movies, I came across Go West, and it is billed as family-friendly entertainment. But will it live up to this billing? In this Go West Christian Movie Review, I give you the information you need before viewing this movie with your children.

Additionally, if you have never read one of my reviews before, I encourage you to read My Movie Review Guidelines so you understand how I conduct my reviews. Remember, I try to mention things that someone might be offended by, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I found it offensive.

Go West Christian Review

Studio Synopsis:

Go West tells the tale of two sisters traveling the Oregon Trail, and the hardships they endure by traveling from Illinois to Oregon in the 1800s. A combination of a crazy cast of characters, a long and arduous journey, filled with harsh elements and sickness and death, this family comedy adventure pits the fragile group of handcart travelers against each other, traveling thousands of miles to find a place to call home.

My Synopsis:

Widow Aveline Jenkins sent her children with her parents to Oregon while she stayed behind in Missouri to care for her sick sister, Cora Jenkins. The sisters set off to reunite with the rest of the family and travel with a band of misfits and quirky characters. 

Go West Christian Movie Review What Parents Want to Know

Language:

There are no uses of foul language or taking God’s name in vain. One person says they, “swear on all the names of my ancestors.”

Violence:

A man gets smacked in the face accidentally.

There is mention of a man who killed another person.

Bandits hold up some people, and guns are shot a few times. However, no one is injured. A person is branded with a hot branding iron. But, it is apparent a branding isn’t performed and is done in a slapstick manner.

One man meets and untimely death, and even that is done in a comedic manner.

Spiritual Content:

A woman is considered cursed. 

One character is named Elijah. Comments are made regarding the Prophet Elijah from the Bible, and someone calls him Samson.

Another person makes a reference, “I sold my soul to the devil.” “When I die, I go straight to Hades.”

A reference is made to “Christian duty” in response to a person doing a good deed.

Someone says, “The devil is real, and he lives in your digestive tract.”

A dead person appears to a woman, giving her advice and clearly unBiblical counsel.

Other Content:

While there is no “nudity,” one man is a runner and runs with just shorts on. He is shirtless throughout the movie and wears band-aids on his nipples. There is a man in the river without a shirt on.

Another man wears high-heeled thigh-high red boots throughout the film.

A man tells a woman, “I will not tolerate your desire for physical touch.”

Furthermore, a man talks in a high voice and says a buffalo kicked him.

A woman is named Robert, and she says it was because her father wanted a boy. 

Deception:

A salesman swindles people. Furthermore, a shop owner believes she has been conned and seeks revenge.

Positive Content:

If you love stupid humor (which I do), you will enjoy Go West! Furthermore, this talented group will keep you own your toes as you figure out which actors/actresses are playing multiple characters. Also, the setting for the movie has not been overdone, and the Oregon Trail occurred long ago, so this topic shouldn’t offend anyone. (But I know it will, and I know I will get an email or two questioning my Christianity – it always happens!)

Christian Movie Review for Go West – Viewing Recommendations

Is the film, Go West, family-friendly? While there is very little content that is inappropriate for younger children, and it is all done tongue-in-cheek, the younger crowd will not understand some of the humor. Additionally, the first half of Go West is slower moving, but it picks up in the second half.

I am aware that some families may object to some of the humor and silliness of Go West, but it really is just good-natured shenanigans.

This comedy is complete with Monty Python vibes and laugh-out-loud moments. But for me, it is today’s vocabulary mixed with the setting of the Oregon Trail that has an underlying wit that some people will miss. Watching the movie more than once is essential to pick up on the subtle references you missed the first time.

About the Movie Go West

Rating: Not Rated – Deemed Family Friendly by studio

Release Date: August 11, 2023

Runtime: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Genre: Comedy/Western

Studio: JK! Studios

Director: Stephen Meek, Jeremy Warner

Producer: Adam Montierth, Donavan Montierth, Stephen Meek

Writer: Adam Berg, Whitney Call, Mallory Everton, Jason Gray, Stacey Harkey, Natalie Madden, Stephen Meek, Matt Meese, James Perry, Jeremy Warner

Music by: Jeremy Warner

Produced by: JK! Studios & Brothers’ Ink Productions

Distributed by: Purdie Distribution

The Cast of Go West Movie:

Sean Astin as the Narrator

Natalie Madden as Adeline Jenkins and Madame Molly

Stephen Meek as Elijah

Adam Berg cast as Henry, Stranded Man, The Mime, Joseph and 

Buckeye Billy

Whitney Call is cast as Charlotte, Robert Failure Gladstone, The Nurse

Mallory Everton as Cora Jenkins

Jason Gray as The Doctor, Chesterton, Kit Carson, Delmar

Stacey Harkey as Clarence, Terrence, Ringmaster

Matt Meese as Willy, The Captain (Captain Evander Lillianquest), Unfortunate Man

James Perry as Angus, Johnny River, Porchman, and Julian

Jeremy Warner as Hank and The Lion

Teaching with the Go West Film:

This movie is perfect for teaching many aspects of the Oregon Trail and the Donner Party.

Research the modes of travel found in the movie and what years they were used, including covered wagons, horse and buggy, handcart, and Penny-farthing.

Additionally, what type of men’s and women’s clothing would have been found in the mid-1800s?

Look at individual components of the movie: What was a general store? What would they have sold at the general store?

Shady salesmen can be found throughout all of history. While the handcart salesman is an exaggeration of a hustler, teaching children to be aware of less-than-honest business practices is a good lesson.

Define the following words: Rigor Mortis, diphtheria, dysentery, consumption, anthrax. 

Look for words in the movie that would not have been uttered in the 1800s, such as “carbon footprint,” deforestation, or rodeo. What other ideas, items, and ideas can be found in the movie that would not have been found at that time?

Answer the following questions: 

Why is 13 considered the devil’s number?

What is the practice of putting coins on dead people’s eyes, and when was it started?

Why do runners put band-aids on their nipples?

Frequently Asked Questions about Go West Christian Movie Review:

Where can I watch Go West?

Go West has a release date of August 11, 2023. Watch the JK! Studios website to see if your area is on the list. 

Is there an end-credit scene for Go West?

No, there is not an end-credit scene for this movie.

Will Go West stream on Disney+? 

No, Go West will not be streaming on Disney+.

Will Go West stream on Peacock?

Currently, there are no definite plans to stream on any particular platform.

Where did the phrase “Go West, young man!” originate?

“Go West, Young Man, Go West,” was said by John Babsone Lane Soule as recorded in the Terre Haute Express in 1851. 

Then in 1854, a New York newspaper editor, Horace Greeley, said the phrase “Go West, young man, and grow up with the country” to Josiah B. Grinnell.

What is the opening song in the movie Go West 2023?

The song is entitled Go West and was initially recorded by The Village People in 1979. While people speculated whether the song was penned with a gay theme in mind, lead singer of The Village People, Victor Willis, said the song was about the phrase by the American newspaper editor Horace Greeley. Greeley was encouraging the settling of the West.

Who is JK! Studios?

Originally, “Studio C” was an American comedy sketch television show produced by BYUtv (Brigham Young University). I am assuming the cast are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon). In September 2018, ten members (the main cast) left Studio C and formed JK! Studios. 

Read: Tips to Make Screen Time More Meaningful for Kids