CRACKING THE CODE: PHIL SHARP AND THE BIOTECH REVOLUTION
A beautifully made portrait of a humble Nobel scientist.
Should You Watch It?
Here is the decision. This is a genuinely excellent documentary — beautifully shot, thoughtfully assembled, and warmed by the humility of its subject. If you love science, or you're raising a teen who does, it's an easy recommendation.
The caution is small but real. There's a single obscenity, a couple of inoffensive nude moments, one scene of celebratory drinking, and some tobacco imagery. More significantly, the film sheds a consistently positive light on the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, without noting any potential repercussions — a subject worth knowing about before you press play, especially with older children and sensitive adults.
So: if you or your teens have an appetite for science and can navigate a controversial topic with discernment, this one is worth watching. Younger children will simply be bored — save it for when they're older.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESNarrated by Mark Ruffalo, this is the life of American geneticist Phillip Sharp, who co-discovered RNA splicing and shared the 1993 Nobel Prize for it.
Born and raised on a Kentucky farm, Sharp climbed from childhood poverty through Union College — where he met his wife, Ann — to a Ph.D. in chemistry and a professorship at MIT. Along the way he co-founded Biogen, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, and Magen Biosciences, and his research fed developments from insulin to a coronavirus vaccine. Family, colleagues, and former students fill in the man behind the discoveries.
Is It Any Good?
Four stars, and the craft earns them. The production values are outstanding: seamless transitions, interviews chosen to connect directly to each topic, and stock footage that genuinely serves the narrative. Documentaries have staged reenactments before, but the budget and cinematography here place this near the top of the genre.
The direction is a highlight. The filmmakers guide the silent actors playing interviewees through real moments of frustration and excitement, and they let Sharp's humility shine — a man who genuinely wants to cure people and who congratulates his own students after winning the Nobel.
It isn't flawless. The film tends to be slow in parts, and the dense medical terminology will lose younger viewers entirely. But for its intended audience, this is confident, first-rate filmmaking.
The Worldview
The film carries a light moral worldview centered on doing the right thing. Its scientists encourage one another to cure people through the advancement of modern science, and that impulse toward healing and service is a good one. A man says he feels blessed. People weigh the moral consequences of genetic experimentation, and one woman uses the words "hope" and "prayer" in an interview. Faith is present only at the edges, but the film's admiration for humility, diligence, and the desire to relieve suffering is real.
Discernment is warranted on one point. The documentary presents the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in a consistently positive light, without any reference to potential repercussions. That one-sidedness is why a measure of caution attaches to an otherwise gentle film — weigh it as you will.
At its heart, this is a story about a man who spent his life trying to heal others, and about the humility that made him easy to admire. Scripture treats healing and the care of the suffering as near to God's own heart, and it commends the humble spirit that seeks no glory for itself: "Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:4).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements
A light moral worldview about doing the right thing where scientists encourage each other to cure people through the advancement of modern science. A man says he feels blessed. People talk about the moral consequences of genetic experimentation, and one woman says the words “hope” and “prayer” during an interview.
Foul Language
A man says, “what the h*ll.” Another says he was screaming obscenities and says holy but does not say the actual words
Violence
No violence
Sex
No sex. A woman references getting in bed with pharma but will probably go over children’s heads
Nudity
Footage of a doctor putting a stethoscope on the bare belly of a pregnant woman. A brief scene of a man’s back while he swims in a pool
Alcohol Use
One instance of people drinking alcohol in celebration
Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse
Depiction of tobacco farm through stock footage, but there is no use. One man has a cigarette in his mouth. Another man smokes a cigar
Miscellaneous Immorality
A controversial reference involves the use of the COVID-19 vaccine without any reference to potential repercussions.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Sharp spent his career trying to heal and help others. Where does Scripture show us that the care of the sick and suffering matters to God?
Matthew 25:35–40 · Luke 10:33–37Everyone who knew Sharp mentions his humility, even after a Nobel Prize. Why does Scripture prize humility so highly, and how do we cultivate it in ourselves?
Philippians 2:3–4 · Matthew 18:4The film raises the moral consequences of genetic experimentation. How should Christians think carefully and faithfully about new scientific powers?
Genesis 1:27–28 · Proverbs 2:6This documentary presents one side of a controversial topic. How do we watch persuasive media with both charity and discernment?
1 Thessalonians 5:21 · Proverbs 18:17The Final Word
This is a beautifully made film about a genuinely admirable man — the kind of documentary that rewards a curious, science-loving family. Just go in knowing it argues one side of a controversial subject. For teens and adults ready to weigh it thoughtfully, it's worth watching.
