An American Girl: Chrissa Stands Strong (NR, 2009)

common sense media says

Tween mean girl meets her match in Chrissa.


parents & educators say
  • 54% say there are positive role models
  • 54% say there are positive messages

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this movie packs a wallop of a message about bullying, but manages to entertain in the process. Watching as a family would be an excellent way to approach the topic of bullying as it may affect the children in the household. A new kid in town is picked on mercilessly by her 4th grade classmates. A recently deceased grandpa is discussed with tears and smiles. One character is mildly injured in a diving accident. Children of diverse sizes and ethnicities are depicted.

Positive messages: Meaningful lessons about standing up to bullies, being a friend, telling the truth, and coping with difficult times come through with minimal preachiness. Children of diverse sizes and ethnicities are depicted.
Positive role models: A close and caring multigenerational family is depicted. One character is
picked on when her status as a temporary resident of a homeless shelter
is inadvertently revealed.
Violence & scariness: A diving board accident is portrayed in a non-graphic way.
Sexy stuff: Not applicable.
Language: Not applicable.
Consumerism: Since the movie comes from the American Girl empire, it's bound to fuel desire for the Chrissa, Sonali, and Gwen dolls; as well as books, clothes, and accessories.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.

More on An American Girl: Chrissa Stands Strong

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
  • Families can talk about Chrissa's travails. Have you, or any of your friends, been subjected to similar treatment? How have you tried to solve the problem?
  • What are clues that a problem you may be having is too big for you to solve alone -- when should you involve an adult, whether it's on your behalf or on behalf of a friend?

What's the story?

What's the story?
In its first movie not focused on an historical figure, American Girl chooses a pertinent 21st-century topic with AMERICAN GIRL: CHRISSA STANDS STRONG. Engaging new girl in town Chrissa (Sammi Hanratty) is shy but determined to make new friends when she starts fourth grade at her new school in Minnesota. She doesn't count on the Mean Bee posse, led by blonde and brittle Tara (Adair Tishler), who do all they can in person and online to thwart Chrissa's determination to fit in. Well-meaning parents and a clueless teacher don't appreciate the depth of the problem that Chrissa is trying to handle alone. The bullying escalates to affect others in Chrissa's life before she realizes that she has to stand up for herself.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
Thanks to great casting, understated child actors, and a strong vein of humor (in the form of Chrissa's imagined torment of her oppressors) Chrissa Stands Strong manages to skim the melodramatic after-school special feel that it might otherwise have. Hanratty and Tischler are perfect foils, and the evolution of side characters from doormats to strong girls is nice to observe. It's a relief, too, to see these modern 10-year-olds dressing and acting like children, not tiny adults. Michael Learned makes an appearance as a widowed grandma with a penchant for llamas, 30 years after The Waltons.

But the most valuable part of this movie is the way that it can pry open the door between parents and kids about the issue of physical, mental, and cyber-bullying. The parents, played by Annabeth Gish and Timothy Bottoms, make some missteps in how they handle Chrissa's woes, as do school administrators. Kids and adults alike may come away from this movie with a heightened awareness of the dangers of bullying, a better sense of how to identify it, and best of all, some approaches for addressing it.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: HBO
Director: Martha Coolidge
Cast: Annabeth Gish, Michael Learned, Sammi Hanratty
Genre: Family and Kids
Run time: 90 minutes
Theatrical release: January 5, 2009
DVD release: January 5, 2009
MPAA Rating: NR

This review was written by Nancy Davis Kho
 
 

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What parents & educators say

6
Based on 13 parent & educator reviews:
  • 54% say there are positive role models
  • 54% say there are positive messages

Most useful reviews by all members

 
In the hands of the wrong 4th grader, this film is the ultimate ‘for dummies’ guidebook to power and popularity though bullying, manipulation, cruelty, fear, humiliation, and snobbery without empathy, regret, regard for others, or concern for consequences. If your daughter is a Queen Bee, a Sidekick, a Banker, or a Pleaser/Wannabee/Messaenger, be advised- this film could give them the tools to perfect the sophistication of their power strategy (Read Rosalind Wiseman’s “Queen Bees & Wanna Bees” to find out more). The most powerful, gut wrenching, impressionable moments of this film all revolve around the cruelty of the bullying and the success of the bully and her posse. In her book “Consuming Kids,” child psychology expert Susan Linn touches on the dangers of presenting material for children in which the destructive elements are more powerful than the positive elements. The most powerful messages that children take away from this movie concentrate on the immensity of a bully’s power to control, manipulate, and hurt those who get in her way. Even though the point of the movie is to discourage kids from giving in to bullying- the negative power emphasis means that this film has the potential to convey the message that going along with bullies is better than fighting against them and that being a bully is the best way to achieve popularity. While this film does portray a disturbingly honest look at the power of school bullies, the conflict resolution at the end is dangerously unrealistic. When Tara finally confides in parents and teachers about the bullying she is experiencing, the bully automatically looses her power over the entire school and Tara and the bully become friends. Bullies don’t just abdicate their thrones because someone tattled. This film reinforced all of the reasons why girls shouldn’t talk to their parents about bullying.

awesomenessgirl51
kid, 11 years old
 
Stand up to bullies!!
This is a good movie, but kind of depressing. In one of the scenes, Chrissa's brother gets hurt after the bully calls him a chicken and saying that he can't jump from the diving board. This has a good message though!!!

Fabulus1221
teen, 14 years old
 
Awesome, Awesome, Awesome Movie!!!
I LOVED this movie!!! "Chrissa Stands Strong" is about a 5th grade girl named Chrissa. Chrissa moves to a new town. But there is a group of girls called the "Mean Bees" and they make everyone's life miserable. In this movie, Chrissa shows young girls how to stand up to bullies and for those who are being bullied.

Ericasdinardo
kid, 11 years old
 
Stand up from bullies
I had watched this movie at school one day and It had made me rethink the bullying thing . After the movie I started to buy American Girl dolls happily I stoped .

love2
parent of 19 year old
 
great movie
there are some good rolemodels and some bad. and there is slight vilonce but still it is a great fun movie that teaches kids how to stand up to bullies.

poohpaula
parent
 
Zero tollerance = saving our children emotional scars.
This is a wonderful movie for both boys and girls. I believe the movies shows the dangers of bullying. Kids will get the messages from this movie. Many times our kids do not fully understand the difference between telling and tattling. tattling ( telling something about someone to get them in trouble. telling ( telling to get help for yourself or others). This movie can be used as a teaching tool to inform children about bullying. Bullying should not be a right of childhood passage. To combat this problem, I think we need to have a zero tolerance, and immediate consequences for aggressive behaviors. We need to have programs in school to educate our teachers, children about bullying.

R*Q*E
kid, 13 years old
 
I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I loved this movie!!! Another great movie produced by American Girl........ This is a great movie about friendship, loyalty, and what public school really can be like!!!(just kidding!) My favorite characturs were Chrissa, Gwen, Sonali, Tara, and, of course, the llamas!!! If you liked this, you should see Felicity, Samantha, Kit Kittredge, and Molly!!!(if there are any other ones, see them too!!!) G-R-E-A-T M-O-V-I-E!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

motown2
teen, 18 years old
 
awww this is a sweet book or movie!
i love this its so awsome and cute

littlemisszozo
kid, 11 years old
 
sweeeeeet!
loved it . one scary part though this guy hits his head while jumping off diving board and almost drowns. girls are mean

Artist422
kid, 12 years old
 
I am Glad I saw this movie!!
Some violence with a diving board accident caused by Tara; gives publicity for dolls; Tara and Jadlyn are bad role models and send bad messages; Chrissa is smart to tell a teacher/parent what is happening at school with Tara. Sonlani gets away from Tara's 'possy' after becoming friends with Chrissa; Chrissa is nice to Gwen, regardless of how she is homeless. Tara takes cyber bullying to a new level: she post's (on the swim club website) that Chrissa has a rare skin problem but Mr. Beck gives her a consequence. A REALLY GOOD MOVIE!!

Diamond98
parent of 4 year old
 
Bulling and educational stuff
This movie teaches about bulling and standing up proud and strong

 
A MUST see for all parents of girls 6-12!
My girls and I watched this tonight. We don't watch TV, but only occasional movies most of which are American Girl. This movie is a MUST SEE for all parents of 6-12 y/o girls. If you get over the clothes that the mean girls wear (thankfully my girls wear uniforms!) then the rest is fantastic! I love the fact that the Mom is a doctor, drives a Prius, the Dad is an artist, and they live with the Grandmother who raises llamas! I realize the American Girl ending is a bit unrealistic, but, the movie is still wonderful.

 
What is up with the makeup and wardrobe?
My girls and I enjoyed this movie (and message) however, the makeup and wardrobe choices were horrible! The girls (especially the bullies) looked like 7th graders but they were supposed to be 4th graders...BIG difference! I live in a very liberal part of California, and I'm very liberal myself, so I'm not being a prude. My girls are close to the ages of the girls in the movie so I feel I (we) can relate. 4th graders DO NOT have cell phones, nor do they have eyeliner, finely plucked eyebrows or perfectly styled hair. So if you're attempting to make a movie that speaks to real girls, this movie is very distracting in this area. My girls like fashion, cell phones and popular music...but even THEY thought the girls in this movie looked "creepish." I had to agree...

duquoi
educator and parent of and 4 , 7 , 9 , 11 year old
 

poptropica
parent of 19 year old
 
good movie

BallerinaGirl
kid, 12 years old
 

Kelsey kara
kid, 11 years old
 
lets put an end to bullying together!!
its about a fourth grade girl getting bullied and in the end she stands strong and puts an end to bullying...very educational!! all my friends love it!

doggielover19
kid, 12 years old
 
a fun true movie with great ideas!
good story about the tween bulling,if you love A.G you'll love this movie!

monkeymelgirl7
teen, 14 years old
 
Are You Being Bullied, A life Lesson
This is a good movie. It shows how friends should be treated and it's a good lesson for life. It's shows a lesson about bullying,and that's what some people need to learn about. So if your a bully or your getting bullied, or even knows who is getting bullied, then watch this movie and learn from it.

november27
teen, 14 years old
 
Brilliant
Tells kids that you have to tell when you are being bullied. It won't get worse if you do it will get better

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