To earn your Eagle-required Citizenship in The Community merit badge, you’ll need to watch a movie that demonstrates the positive effects citizens can have on their communities. However, some Scouts can have a difficult time finding new and interesting movies to watch.
That’s why, in this article, I’ll be listing 17 of the best citizenship-teaching movies that you can watch to complete this badge. Before choosing a movie to watch, take the time to read requirement 5 of the Citizenship in the Community merit badge:
Requirement 5: With the approval of your counselor and a parent, watch a movie that shows how the actions of one individual or group of individuals can have a positive effect on a community. Discuss with your counselor what you learned from the movie about what it means to be a valuable and concerned member of the community.
All of the movies listed are entertaining, age-appropriate, and satisfy the merit badge requirements. Younger Scouts will probably enjoy the newer animated films most, while older Scouts may prefer sports movies. Whatever you choose, just don’t forget to be watching out for how the main characters have a positive effect on their communities!
Personally, I’d really recommend checking out the movie, Follow Me, Boys! (Link is to the movie on Amazon) as it’s the ultimate Scouting movie that does a great job of demonstrating Scout spirit. Truly, every Scout should watch it at least once!
If you plan to watch the movie with your family, you can search it up at Commonsensemedia.org beforehand, to see an overview of the film’s content and reviews. That way, you can choose to watch something your whole family will love!
| Movie Title/Year | Movie Runtime/Rating | Age Recommendation/Genre/Plot Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Follow Me Boys (1966) | 2hr 11min Rating: 7.2 | G (Family): My top pick! A heartwarming movie about a Scout troop being formed in a small town that brings an unlikely group together. |
| 42 (2013) | 2hr 8min Rating: 7.5 | PG-13 (Sports): In 1947, Jackie Robinson confronts racism and becomes the first African-American to play Major League Baseball. |
| Lincoln (2012) | 2hr 30min Rating: 7.3 | PG-13 (Historical): Abraham Lincoln’s heroic story of abolishing slavery and working to end the Civil War. |
| Pay it Forward (2000) | 2hr 3min Rating: 7.2 | PG-13 (Family): A young boy comes up with an amazing idea to make his community a better place. |
| Zootopia (2016) | 1hr 48min Rating: 8.0 | PG (Animated): A bunny cop and con artist fox set aside their differences to uncover a conspiracy and save their city. |
| Holes (2003) | 1hr 57min Rating: 7.0 | PG (Adventure): A wrongfully convicted boy is sent to a desert detention camp where he joins a community of other boys in digging holes. |
| He Named Me Malala (2015) | 1hr 28min Rating: 6.9 | PG-13 (Documentary): A look into the tragic story of Pakistani schoolgirl, Malala Yousafzai, who spoke out for girls’ education at the United Nations. |
| Remember the Titans (2000) | 1hr 53min Rating: 7.8 | PG (Sports): A newly appointed African-American coach and his high school team confront racism and come together to form a mixed-race football team. |
| Dunkirk (2017) | 1hr 46min Rating: 7.9 | PG-13 (War): Allied soldiers come together to evacuate and protect civilians during a fierce battle in World War II. |
| The Blindside (2009) | 2hr 9min Rating: 7.6 | PG-13 (Sports/Family): Michael Oher, a homeless and traumatized boy, becomes a first-round NFL draft pick with the help of a caring woman and her family. |
| Cars (2006) | 1hr 57min Rating: 7.1 | G (Animated): A self-centered race car gets stuck in a small town and finds the true meaning of friendship and family. |
| Facing the Giants (2006) | 1hr 51min Rating: 6.6 | PG (Sports): An underdog football team and losing coach face their ‘giants’ of fear and failure on and off the field. |
| Mr. Holland’s Opus (1995) | 2hr 23min Rating: 7.3 | PG (Music): A frustrated composer becomes a high school music teacher and finds fulfillment in bringing together a community |
| Hidden Figures (2016) | 2hr 7min Rating: 7.8 | PG (Biography/Drama): Based on a true story, a mathematician team of female African-Americans play a vital role in the early years of NASA. |
| The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (2019) | 1hr 53min Rating: 7.6 | PG (Drama): A thirteen-year-old boy in Malawi, Africa, invents a way to save his family and village from famine. |
| Dark Waters (2019) | 2hr 6min Rating: 7.6 | PG-13 (History/Drama): An attorney singlehandedly takes on an environmental lawsuit against a giant chemical company that exposes a lengthy history of pollution |
| The Kite Runner (2007) | 2hr 8min Rating: 7.6 | PG-13 (Drama): After spending years in California, Amir returns to his homeland in Afghanistan to help an old friend’s son. |
After finishing your chosen movie, take five minutes to write out a short summary. Include details about the movie’s protagonist, their message, as well as the sacrifices they made to serve their community. You’ll be discussing these points with your merit badge counselor later on.
Also, if you’re working on the Citizenship in the Community merit badge, you can click here to see my ultimate guide. Now, it’s time to enjoy the movie!