Sarah's Oil

Sarah’s Oil

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7 / 10

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7 Based on 1 Votes

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Overview

Sarah Rector, a Black girl born in early 20th-century Oklahoma Indian Territory, believes there is oil beneath the barren land she’s allotted, and her faith proves right. As greedy oil sharks close in, Sarah turns to family, friends, and some Texas wildcatters to maintain control of her oil-rich land, eventually becoming among the nation's first Black female millionaires—at eleven years old.

Media

Sarah’s Oil | Official Trailer

Cast

Garret Dillahunt

Naya Desir-Johnson

Director:

Cyrus Nowrasteh

Writer:

Tonya Bolden, Betsy Giffen Nowrasteh, Cyrus Nowrasteh

Release Date:

2025-11-06

Run Time:

103m

Tagline:

Inspired by a true story of faith and fortune.

Genres:

Keywords:

20th century based on novel or book based on true story christian faith independent film oil pre-teen

Financials and Popularity

Budget: 18,000,000.00$

Revenue: 11,675,627.00$

Vote Average: 7.8/10

Vote Count: 92 Votes

Movie Popularity: 7.7966

Spoken Languages: English

Review

View all reviews

Insomniacs Reviews
- 01 May 2026 at 12:51 pm

7 Based on 1 Votes
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⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 7/10 THE SUMMARY Set in the early 1900s, eleven-year-old Sarah Rector (Naya Desir-Johnson) receives a land allotment in Oklahoma as a descendant of Creek Nation slaves. While everyone dismisses the rocky terrain as worthless, Sarah has a sincere gut feeling that something valuable lies beneath the dirt. Teaming up with a charming but ambitious drifter named Bert (Zachary Levi), she sets out to prove her hunch right. When she strikes oil and becomes one of the youngest millionaires in America, she suddenly finds herself in a gritty fight against corrupt oilmen and a system designed to strip her of her fortune. THE PROS This is an honest, feel-good drama that brings a pained and forgotten piece of history to the screen. It hits a 7 because Naya Desir-Johnson is a total highlight, playing Sarah with a simple, astounding trust that makes her pained journey feel visceral. Zachary Levi delivers one of his best performances, bringing a sincere mentor energy to Bert that feels grounded and punchy. The production values are solid, capturing the sun-baked, dusty grit of turn-of-the-century Oklahoma with an epic sense of scale. It’s a fair shout for fans of inspiring true stories, offering a pained look at resilience and faith that feels both historical and relevant. THE CONS It stays at a 7 because the script can feel a bit conventional, following a fairly predictable "underdog beats the odds" blueprint. It misses a higher mark because some of the dialogue feels an honest bit pained by its own earnestness, and the villains are a massive head-scratcher who lean a little too far into cartoonish greed. While the film addresses the pained racism of the era, some critics have noted it feels a bit sanitized, making the town's acceptance of Sarah's success feel a touch more pained and convenient than it likely was in reality. It’s a punchy story, but it lacks the visceral edge needed to push it into that truly epic status. THE VERDICT 7/10. A sincere, pained, and inspiring Western drama. It’s an honest win for the cast and a fair shout for a family-friendly film that finally tells an epic American story. INSOMNIAC TRIVIA • The real Sarah Rector’s income was so massive by 1915 that she was said to earn more per month than the President of the United States, leading to her being nicknamed "the richest girl in the world."• Director Cyrus Nowrasteh utilized the children's book by Tonya Bolden as a primary resource, even bringing Bolden on as a consultant to ensure the pained details of the Rector family’s life remained honest.• To keep the setting feeling visceral and authentic, the production filmed on pained, rugged locations that mirrored the actual 160-acre plot in Creek County where the original oil strike occurred. THE VIBE Like a sunrise over a flat horizon. It smells of crude oil, dry grass, and the metallic tang of a brand-new drill.

Videos

Sarah’s Oil | Official Trailer

Cast

Garret Dillahunt

Naya Desir-Johnson

Sonequa Martin-Green

Jonathan Lipnicki

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Sarah’s Oil

Comment (1)

Insomniacs Reviews
- 1 May 2026 at 1:51 PM

⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 7/10
THE SUMMARY
Set in the early 1900s, eleven-year-old Sarah Rector (Naya Desir-Johnson) receives a land allotment in Oklahoma as a descendant of Creek Nation slaves. While everyone dismisses the rocky terrain as worthless, Sarah has a sincere gut feeling that something valuable lies beneath the dirt. Teaming up with a charming but ambitious drifter named Bert (Zachary Levi), she sets out to prove her hunch right. When she strikes oil and becomes one of the youngest millionaires in America, she suddenly finds herself in a gritty fight against corrupt oilmen and a system designed to strip her of her fortune.
THE PROS
This is an honest, feel-good drama that brings a pained and forgotten piece of history to the screen. It hits a 7 because Naya Desir-Johnson is a total highlight, playing Sarah with a simple, astounding trust that makes her pained journey feel visceral. Zachary Levi delivers one of his best performances, bringing a sincere mentor energy to Bert that feels grounded and punchy. The production values are solid, capturing the sun-baked, dusty grit of turn-of-the-century Oklahoma with an epic sense of scale. It’s a fair shout for fans of inspiring true stories, offering a pained look at resilience and faith that feels both historical and relevant.
THE CONS
It stays at a 7 because the script can feel a bit conventional, following a fairly predictable “underdog beats the odds” blueprint. It misses a higher mark because some of the dialogue feels an honest bit pained by its own earnestness, and the villains are a massive head-scratcher who lean a little too far into cartoonish greed. While the film addresses the pained racism of the era, some critics have noted it feels a bit sanitized, making the town’s acceptance of Sarah’s success feel a touch more pained and convenient than it likely was in reality. It’s a punchy story, but it lacks the visceral edge needed to push it into that truly epic status.
THE VERDICT
7/10. A sincere, pained, and inspiring Western drama. It’s an honest win for the cast and a fair shout for a family-friendly film that finally tells an epic American story.
INSOMNIAC TRIVIA
• The real Sarah Rector’s income was so massive by 1915 that she was said to earn more per month than the President of the United States, leading to her being nicknamed “the richest girl in the world.”
• Director Cyrus Nowrasteh utilized the children’s book by Tonya Bolden as a primary resource, even bringing Bolden on as a consultant to ensure the pained details of the Rector family’s life remained honest.
• To keep the setting feeling visceral and authentic, the production filmed on pained, rugged locations that mirrored the actual 160-acre plot in Creek County where the original oil strike occurred.
THE VIBE
Like a sunrise over a flat horizon. It smells of crude oil, dry grass, and the metallic tang of a brand-new drill.

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