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Mighty Oak Review: A Film About Family, Love, & Loss

Mighty Oak is a film about family — and not just your typical family. It is a heartfelt drama that is an absolute must see.

mighty oak movie poster

The story of Mighty Oak is a powerful one. Be prepared though as you will encounter death, loss, drug use, and some strong language along the way. So maybe don’t watch this with the little ones — but it is perfect for a Friday or Saturday night film!

This movie starts off with the death of the lead sings of the band, Army of Love. It is very sudden and tragic. Even though I had only seen Vaughn, played by Levi Dylan, for a few minutes on screen, I was already captivated by him. He has a presence about him which made it easy to believe he was so loved and missed by the other characters.

mighty oak

The movie then jumps to ten years later and we see the fallout of Vaughn’s death. The band is no longer together, and the members don’t even seem to see each other often anymore. My immediate comparison is a they seemed to be a broken family. They had been so close before, and they let tragedy pull them apart instead of bring them together. And yes, it was heartbreaking to see.

However, they are brought back together again because of a ten year old boy who can play guitar and sing, just like the former front man. Vaughn’s sister is convinced he has be reincarnated into this little boy, and wants him to be the new front man for the band, Army of Love. 

mighty oak tommy ragen

Who can blame her really because he is GOOD! I am not sure if the actor, Tommy Ragen, is really playing guitar, but I am pretty sure he is really singing. Talk about talent. Anyways, I don’t want to tell you what happens next because I want to avoid spoilers, but let’s just say there is a lot of heart in this film. 

Yes, I cried a couple times (no surprise there), but I also laughed. I was overjoyed in moments and so sad in others. Every single actor steps up to the plate, which is impressive in an ensemble cast like this. Not one of them drags down the rest of the cast. 

mighty oak review

Overall Thoughts

Mighty Oak is a movie that is sure to tug at your heart stings. It is about love, family, and loss. There are a lot of lessons packed into this movie, but none of them are buried too deep you won’t find them.

This is a movie to help inspire those that have lost their way. It will also teach you to never give up on your dreams, not matter what. But most of all, Mighty Oak proves that family isn’t always biological. 

The twist came as a surprise to me, although I knew there was a connection somewhere. I know that sounds really vague but I don’t want to spoil it for you. You will just have to watch Mighty Oak to figure out what I am talking about — and trust me, you are sure to love it!

mighty oak

About Mighty Oak

Gina and Vaughn are the sister and brother duo taking the SoCal music scene by storm with their band Army of Love. Gina “Jean Jacket” Jackson (Janel Parrish) is behind the scenes as the savvy and determined music manager while her talented brother Vaughn Jackson (Levi Dylan) is the gifted frontman of their popular band, Army of Love.

On the night of their biggest break yet, the siblings’ bond is shattered when Vaughn is killed in a tragic car accident and Gina is unable to pick up the pieces of her life.

Ten years later, a 4th grade guitar prodigy named Oak Scoggins (Tommy Ragen) enters Gina’s orbit, and she becomes convinced that this child must be the reincarnation of Vaughn. While Oak does have Vaughn’s talent and some of his traits, Gina’s friends become concerned with her decision to re-launch their long dormant band with Oak as the frontman taking Vaughn’s place.

Oak comes from a disadvantaged household and as he is thrust into the spotlight, he finds that music is the perfect escape and the much needed outlet for his pain. Gina in turn finds an outlet for her grief and a way back into living life out loud and to the fullest.

You can see Mighty Oak in select drive-ins and movie theaters.