Review: 'A Week Away,' a Christian-themed summer-camp movie, is as earnest and peppy as you'd expect — and that's a good thing

Every 15 years, the world gives us a new generation of teen-agers, and gives that generation their own bouncy, free-spirited musical. The peppy, achingly earnest “A Week Away” seems likely to inherit the throne once occupied by “High School Musical.”

Will Hawkins (played by Kevin Quinn) has bounced in and out of a handful of foster homes, committing small crimes around Nashville, ever since his parents died. His next stop is a juvenile detention center, until he’s given an out: One week at Camp Aweegaway, a Christian summer camp. Will takes up the offer from Kristen (Sherri Shepherd), one of the camp counselors, and becomes cabin mates with Kristen’s ultra-nerdy son, George (Jahbril Cook).

Camp Aweegaway, we’re told by the proprietor (David Koechner), is pronounced with a hard “g,” so it sounds like “a week away” — following the owner’s philosophy that one week away from civilization can be life-changing for any teen. Will is skeptical, because he’s forgotten what kind of movie he’s in.

Will immediately meets cute with Avery (Bailee Madison), the camp owner’s daughter. Avery is the captain of the Crimson Angels, one of three teams into which the campers are divided for a week of games and contests. Will joins George in the green team, while the hyper-competitive Sean (Iain Tucker) and his snobbish sycophants make up the blue team.

Avery is guarded about Will at first, and vice versa, but soon teen-age sparks start flying, with the complication that Avery doesn’t know about Will’s criminal past. Meanwhile, George pines for Avery’s best friend Presley (Kat Conner Sterling), thinking he’s not good enough — that’s the name of the song for this part: “Good Enough” — for her, without realizing Presley feels the same way about him.

Can Will be honest with Avery? Can Will find a spiritual awakening? And who’s going to win the weeklong camp competition? The answer to all three questions is, of course: What do you think? Because this isn’t a movie that reinvents the wheel, but keeps things spinning pretty effectively.

Director Roman White, who’s best known for his music videos (such as Taylor Swift’s “You Belong With Me”), fills the many musical numbers with youthful exuberance and earnest feeling. And he pays proper homage to the teen musicals that have come before, like the way the guys-vs.-girls vibe of “Good Enough” is reminiscent of the “Summer Lovin’” number in “Grease.”

Be advised, though, that “A Week Away” is solid in its Christian themes, and is the most squeaky-clean teen romance since Annette Funicello stopped hanging out on the beach. The talented young cast, though, still makes it engaging.

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‘A Week Away’

★★★

Available for streaming, starting Friday, March 26, on Netflix. Not rated, but probably PG for mild peril and mature themes. Running time: 95 minutes.