Buck is a traditional farmer who prefers the time-honored methods his family has used for generations.
He's a dairy farmer living on a scenic strip of Wisconsin land his father cultivated and his father's father before that. It's the type of farm that made America -- the kind that Norman Rockwell would often capture in his paintings, the kind synonymous with hard work, family traditions and the simple joys of life.
Unfortunately, though, the bank isn't so nostalgic.
Milk prices have plummeted nationwide, which means Buck and farmers like him are struggling to stay afloat. The result: Buck cannot make payments on his loan.
"We just need more time," he tells his banker. "Milk prices are going to go up."
His skeptical banker, though, isn't so convinced. Worse: The banker has ordered a foreclosure on Buck's farm.
"Milk prices coming up are about as likely as the Packers winning the Super Bowl," the banker taunts.
For Buck, such words hit hard -- not merely because of his roots but because of his deep love for sports. He's a die-hard fan of the NFL's Green Bay Packers.
The banker then offers Buck a bet. If the Packers win the Super Bowl, then the bank will give him another year. But if they don't, Buck must pay off the loan in full.
"We ain't betting folks," Buck responds.
Eventually, though, a desperate Buck agrees.
But will the Packers hold up their end of the deal?
It's all part of the new family movie Green and Gold (unrated), which follows Buck (Craig T. Nelson) and his family as they fight to keep their farm.
The film has a few content bumps for families, but it's an inspiring watch for older children and beyond. Here are three reasons why your family will love it.
Photo Credit: ©Fathom
1. It's a Tribute to Farming and Small-Town Communities
1. It's a Tribute to Farming and Small-Town Communities
Inspired by true events, Green and Gold opens with a scene that feels like a snapshot of rural Wisconsin -- the birth of a calf. Buck's 20-something granddaughter, Jenny, pulls its hooves with all her strength as the elder Buck offers advice. With a successful birth out of the way, the two discuss their plans for the day.
Jenny wants to travel to the nearest town and have fun with friends from college. Buck, though, wants her to stay and help with chores.
"We live in the middle of nowhere," Jenny tells him, expressing her desire to move.
An aspiring singer, she has dreams of traveling the world and, perhaps, even obtaining a college degree. Buck's dreams are more concrete: He wants to pass the family farm down to her.
Jenny's musical prowess allows her to earn extra cash at local establishments, which hire her to sing her latest tunes. ("I see God smile when you sing," her grandmother tells her.) The extra cash, though, is a drop in the bucket compared to what Buck needs to stay afloat.
As the narrator tells us, Buck doesn't view farming as a mere job. To him, it's a sacred act, and his land is the Garden of Eden. Buck's worldview is rooted in a love for God and family and a deep commitment to living off the land. He's driven by a passion to provide -- not just for his family, but for the world around him.
The scenery in Green and Gold is breathtaking: deer leaping through the meadows, a bear off in the distance hunting for its next meal, and sunrises painting the sky in brilliant hues. There's even a local lake. It looks like a corner of a national park -- only, it's a family farmer's backyard.
In Buck's mind, his community includes everything you need for a joy-filled life: friends to share a game of cards, neighbors who lend a hand in times of need (Buck cleans out a friend's chimney), and a church that nurtures the soul.
The Wisconsin-based restaurant chain Culver's partnered with the filmmakers to bring it to theaters.
Photo Credit: ©Fathom
2. It Celebrates Faith and Family
2. It Celebrates Faith and Family
Green and Gold pays tribute to faith and family like few films have. And thanks to Buck's unwavering love for the Packers, the film delivers plenty of church scenes -- some comical -- where the sermon and game time go head-to-head.
"He's talking Truth up there if you'd just listen," Buck's wife whispers to him, urging him to pay attention.
Buck retorts: "Kickoff's any second now."
Buck then hears even worse news -- the church is hosting a potluck after the service. When the service ends, the pastor thanks him for fixing the church's hot water heater. But Buck, never one to linger or accept thanks, grumbles, "Why'd you schedule a potluck on game day?" Without waiting for a reply, he bolts to his truck.
Buck may be a grouch, but later, we see him deliver a heartfelt prayer. We also listen as Jenny wrestles with life's biggest questions.
"Do you think that God cares about all the things that we try to do, like normal things?" she asks a friend, an elderly man. He responds, affirming their way of life, "There's a holiness about how you guys care for things."
Green and Gold also celebrates love that endures. Buck still has eyes—and a heart—for the woman he married long ago, and he makes that clear once or twice.
Photo Credit: ©Fathom
3. It's an Uplifting Story Filled with Unexpected Twists
3. It's an Uplifting Story Filled with Unexpected Twists
The film's themes extend beyond sports. It's a story of the little guy versus the giant and of worldly fame versus what truly matters. Midway through the film, Jenny gets her big break when a well-known singer visits her neck of the woods, seeking inspiration from the beauty of nature. She even journeys to the big city, where she faces a crossroads, forced to choose between her family farm and her dreams.
Green and Gold didn't end the way I expected, but in hindsight, its final moments were even more inspiring than the ending I had imagined.
It includes a handful of coarse words (details below) and a few thematic elements that may keep it from being appropriate for the youngest children. Buck's farming neighbor, also facing foreclosure, contemplates suicide. (We briefly see him holding a shotgun to his chin; Jenny sings to him and helps change his mind.) We also see Jenny and her boyfriend kiss.
But for older children and families who enjoy uplifting, faith-adjacent stories, Green and Gold is, well, golden.
"I'm convinced the world's maintained by the quiet work of unnoticed, faithful people who choose to do the right thing," Jenny says at the end.
It's a truth reflected in Scripture.
Green and Gold is unrated. Treat it as a PG/PG-13 film. Coarse words: h-ll (8), d--n (2), G-d (1), s--t (1), OMG (1).
Entertainment rating: 4 out of 5 stars.
Family-friendly rating: 4 out of 5 stars.
Photo Credit: ©Fathom
Originally published January 31, 2025.
