Father and child sit together smiling while looking at a smart phone.

Want more recommendations for your family?

Sign up for our weekly newsletter for entertainment inspiration

Parents' Guide to

Showing Up

By Tara McNamara, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Michelle Williams shines in drab art dramedy; male nudity.

Movie R 2023 108 minutes
Showing Up Movie Poster: Michelle Williams peers over a table at several colorful sculptures of women

A Lot or a Little?

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

  • Showing Up Movie: Michelle Williams paints sculpture figures of women
  • Showing Up Movie: Michelle Williams and Hong Chao stand together outdoors, looking up toward the sky
  • Showing Up Movie: Michelle Williams points a finger at a cat that's on top of a table

Community Reviews

See all
age 14+

Based on 1 parent review

wanthonygerard
wanthonygerard Parent of 18+-year-old
June 8, 2023
age 14+

Introspective art movie

This is a quiet art movie that will make you feel inadequate, and this is intentional. Michelle Williams plays a sculptor preparing to open a new show. She seems mildly depressed, and as scenes from her life unfold, the audience feels this too. She balances her creative life with daily dramas from her complicated family, and navigates this with quiet resolve. The movie skillfully immerses the audience in the creative but strange world of an art school. The tone of the movie is quiet, and the drama is subdued. Long takes on modern art thru the eyes of the characters make the art subtly vibrant and meaningful. But meanings in this movie are intentionally cryptic. This movie is like a Dutch still life or portrait. You have to observe patiently. William’s character wears unflattering clothing, and seems to be uncomfortable with beauty ( certainly her own). But her sculptures are all of “women in motion” with intense colors. This movie is a character study, and the viewer has to watch carefully to see what the point is. “You’ve got to listen to what’s not being said”, says a major character in the film. Patience is required to watch this film, but the reward is 2 hours of immersion in the life of a quiet, complicated sculptor.

This title has:

Educational value
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In SHOWING UP, Portland sculptor Lizzy (Michelle Williams) is in the hectic week leading up to her big art show. When her neighbor, Jo (Hong Chau), asks her to keep an eye on an injured pigeon she's nursing back to health, it becomes one more distraction in a growing list.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

While there's deep complexity in this character study, it's such a quiet little movie that it seems like very little happens. Writer-director Kelly Reichardt offers viewers an opportunity to do something we typically only joke about: watch paint dry. Lizzy may defy some people's idea of the colorful lives that they imagine artists live: Lizzy is drab, her life is boring, and many teens will find her work uninteresting, none of which will help keep younger viewers engaged.

On the other hand, Williams is marvelous in her portrayal of a woman who's pushed to the side by her family and friends, always the lower priority. It takes some maturity and sophistication to see everything that's between the strokes. Lizzy is creating something out of nothing -- her art and her life -- and that's not always splashy or dynamic, but the quality is up to the creator.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about setting boundaries. How do other characters in Showing Up take advantage of Lizzy's reliability?

  • Which characters demonstrate compassion, and why is it an important character trait? Discuss Lizzy's evolving treatment of the injured pigeon: How does this speak to the complexity of her character? How does it extend to her relationship with her brother?

  • Is Lizzy lonely, or does she enjoy her isolation?

  • Are Lizzy and Jo friends or just colleagues? Do you think their relationship is realistic?

Movie Details

Inclusion information powered by

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate