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Parents' Guide to

The Adults

By Tara McNamara, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Dramedy about grown-up siblings has language, drinking.

Movie R 2023 91 minutes
The Adults Movie Poster: Michael Cera stands next to Sophia Lillis and Hannah Grace

A Lot or a Little?

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

  • The Adults Movie: Standing on a residential street in upstate New York, Hannah Grace looks on as Sophia Lillis and Michael Cera talk
  • The Adults Movie: Michael Cera talks to Sohpia Lillis in the kitchen

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What's the Story?

In THE ADULTS, Eric (Michael Cera) flies home for a brief visit to see a friend and reconnects with his estranged sisters, Rachel (Hannah Gross) and Maggie (Sophia Lillis). When a series of poker games entices Eric to stay longer, the siblings awkwardly work through feelings of hurt and abandonment by revisiting the childhood games they used to play together.

Is It Any Good?

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

It's right there in the title: This slight dramedy isn't intended for -- or likely to appeal to -- kids. Teens who do watch may find their minds leaping to how they'll interact with their siblings (if they have any) once they're grown up. Eric, Rachel, and Maggie reconnect through the silly voices, impressions, songs, and dances they engaged in together as kids, all of which feels a bit odd now that they're grown up, with adult problems. Eric has a gambling obsession. Rachel is depressed, withdrawn, and perhaps drinking too much. Maggie has panic attacks and has failed to launch. All three seem adrift; it's obvious to viewers that what they really need is one another. Teens who do hang in through the ending may realize that even if siblings annoy you, those relationships are among the most important to keep up.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how The Adults portrays drinking. Is it glamorized or normalized? Why does Eric question it when Rachel makes Bloody Marys at 2 p.m.? What's the greater point of this scene relating to siblings who used to play together now drinking together?

  • Talk about the role of sibling relationships in families over time. If you don't have siblings, can you think of close friends or extended family members who might fill a similar need?

  • What's the difference between making bets for fun and a gambling compulsion? What are the signs that Eric's enjoyment of poker is more of a problem than a fun pastime?

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