The film is based on the parable of The Prodigal Son and a story by Brandon Rice, written and directed by Brad J. Silverman, and stars AJ Michalka, Jamie Grace, Shawnee Smith, James Denton, and Kevin Pollak.

After meeting her favorite female singer, Renae Taylor, Grace gets asked out by a movie star and overhears his conversation on the phone.

[3] The movie is based on the parable of The Prodigal Son and in part on the real-life experience of producer Russ Rice, whose daughter ran away from home after rejecting the Christian faith in which she was raised.

"[5] In an interview before the film's release, Michalka described the title character's journey as learning that family and God are more important than stardom.

[11] It features songs by Michalka, as well as Christian artists TobyMac, Chris Tomlin and Luminate, as well as former American Idol contestant Colton Dixon.

Lionsgate and Roadside showed the film to Christian groups over seven months as part of a wide outreach effort leading up to the release.

[14] Writing for the Los Angeles Times, Gary Goldstein said the film "proves a far more involving, accessible and enjoyable movie than its peek-a-boo marketing strategy suggested", praising its "smartly measured script".

He called the story "gentle and largely convincing" and expected the film to "satisfy its intended audience and maybe even bring a few new viewers into the flock.

"[15] Variety's Joe Leydon wrote: "The makers of Grace Unplugged deserve at least some credit for resisting temptations toward melodramatic excess but even though they may be successful at preaching to the converted, their tepid and predictable pic isn't likely to attract crossover audiences.

"[16] Christa Banister of Crosswalk.com also wrote a mixed review: "Grace Unplugged is a movie with a message and strong production values.

[17] Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter wrote that Grace Unplugged would "please its target audience while leaving everyone else indifferent", explaining the film is "ultimately bland to make much of an impact."

"[19] Kenneth R. Morefield of Christianity Today gave the film two stars out of four: "It's not that Grace Unplugged has a bad message: it just doesn't happen to be a great movie.