GLEASON
An immensely moving portrait of fatherhood, faith, and legacy.
Should You Watch It?
GLEASON is a deeply moving documentary about Steve Gleason, a former New Orleans Saints football player diagnosed with ALS shortly after learning that his wife was pregnant. He begins a video journal for his future son, hoping to pass on his wisdom, values, and love before the disease takes away his speech and movement.
The film’s four-star strength is its honesty and emotional power. It faces fatherhood, marriage, death, pain, faith, and reconciliation without pretending that suffering is simple. Steve’s struggle with not being healed by God may lead to meaningful reflection, while the language, medical material, and naturalistic nudity make this a poor choice for children and young teens.
If you are an adult prepared for difficult content and a nearly guaranteed tearjerker, WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESAfter a successful NFL career, Steve Gleason is ready to build a family with his wife, Michel. Then he is diagnosed with ALS, and the couple learns that Michel is pregnant.
Knowing the disease will gradually affect his muscles, speech, and breathing, Steve starts recording a video journal for his son. As he confronts fatherhood, family tensions, faith, and the meaning of a full life, he works to leave his child something lasting.
Is It Any Good?
Four stars means this is an exceptionally strong documentary. GLEASON is described as truly profound, immensely moving, and very well structured. It balances deep sadness and hopelessness with joy and inspiration, creating a powerful emotional experience.
The documentary’s focus gives its themes room to develop. Steve’s video journal, his love for his toddler son, his wife’s devoted support, and his ongoing wrestling with faith all contribute to a portrait that is both painful and hopeful. It is nearly a guaranteed tearjerker, but the emotion serves a serious story rather than existing for easy effect.
The Worldview
GLEASON presents fatherhood, faithful marriage, family sacrifice, reconciliation, and passing a legacy to children as profound moral goods. Steve’s resolve to care for his son and live fully through extreme trials offers hope and challenges viewers to become better children, parents, and spouses.
Faith is treated as a real struggle rather than a simple answer. Steve is hurt by his father’s “name it and claim it” approach, especially when healing does not come and his condition worsens. Their disagreements include specific Bible passages, yet Steve continues to hold onto faith, and he and his father eventually reconcile. The film also includes a cross tattoo, a crucifix, an earlier statement that love matters more than fear, and a picture of a couple meditating in a New Age fashion.
The film’s central longing is to leave love and wisdom behind for a child. Scripture affirms the gift of children: “Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD” (Psalm 127:3).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Very strong moral worldview of fatherhood, passing on legacy’s to children, loving spouses unconditionally, seeking reconciliation with family, the immense sacrifice family and friends make for one another, with strong moments of faith, as well as struggles of faith when main character deals with not being healed by God and then disagrees with his father’s “name it and claim it” view of faith (they even argue about specific Bible passages), but the main character still holds onto faith in the end, man has tattoo of cross on his back, and a crucifix sits on a shelf, plus earlier camera footage of main subject saying he doesn’t believe in the fear the Bible talks about, but instead believes in love, a picture of couple meditating in a New Age fashion; 27 obscenities (half of which are “f” words), two profanities and graphic discussion of bowel obstruction in a medical context; no violence, but discussion of medical conditions, and a woman gives birth; no sexual content; upper male nudity, women in a two-piece bathing suit, brief frontal and rear male nudity in a naturalistic setting; no alcohol use; no drug use; and, some dysfunctional family behavior, which are repented of, but no other immoral content.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Steve wants to leave his son wisdom, values, and love. What kind of legacy are you building through your daily choices?
Proverbs 22:6 · Psalm 78:4–7Steve struggles when healing does not come. How can someone bring anger and disappointment honestly to God without letting go of faith?
Psalm 13 · Mark 9:24Steve and his father carry family tensions, but eventually reconcile. What does repentance require when relationships have been damaged?
Ephesians 4:31–32 · Colossians 3:13Michel stands by Steve through increasingly difficult circumstances. What does faithful love look like when life becomes costly?
1 Corinthians 13:4–7 · Galatians 6:2The Final Word
GLEASON is a profound, four-star documentary about fatherhood, sacrifice, faith, and the legacy one person can leave behind. Its strong language, medical discussion, and nudity make it unsuitable for children and young teens. For discerning adults ready for an emotional experience, it is WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY.
