Parents' Guide to

Alright Now

By Tracey Petherick, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

British feel-good '90s nostalgia comedy has drinking, sex.

Movie NR 2018 95 minutes
Alright Now Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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What's the Story?

ALRIGHT NOW tells the story of Joanne Skye (Cobie Smulders) the aging lead singer of a once great 1990s "Britpop" band. When she finally accepts that the band is breaking up, she needs a career change and her best friend Sara (Jessica Hynes) drunkenly persuades her to enroll at a university in an English seaside town. Making friends with the scruffy but warm-hearted Pete (Richard Elis) Joanne begins to reassess her life, realizing she might need to let go of the past if she's going to find happiness.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Filmed over just five days this film must have been made on a shoestring, but what it lacks in big-budget grandeur it makes up for in warmth and realism. Filled with typical British humor -- awkwardness, self-deprecation, sarcasm -- this tale of unexpected romance was part improvised, and it shows. In the capable hands of Smulders, Hynes, and Elis, the characters feel like real people having real conversations -- with all their flaws on display. Joanne (Smulders) can be juvenile, needy, impulsive, and overly flirty -- but she's also full of energy, perseverance, and blind confidence. Pete (Elis) is the ultimate lovable "scruff bag" and you're rooting for him right from the off.

An indulgent 1990s nostalgia trip for anyone over 35, Alright Now might not hold much appeal for younger viewers. It's not glamorous, or particularly well-polished. But it is genuine and authentic -- and for all the romantics out there, it has a refreshingly simple happy ending.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how alcohol is depicted in Alright Now. Do you think the movie glamorizes drinking, or is it shown in a negative way? Does it feel realistic?

  • Discuss the movie's attitude toward sex. Do characters seem more interested in casual sex or in establishing deeper connections? Does this change throughout the movie?

  • Do you think the characters in the movie are good role models? Joanne is fun and feisty but also needy and attention-seeking. Talk about their flaws as well as their qualities. Does this make them more relatable?

  • Talk to your kids about the concept of beauty in movie and TV characters. Do characters need to fit certain ideals in order to be considered attractive?

Movie Details

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