Girl, Positive - NR

Frank, thoughtful look at teen sexuality and HIV.

TV Rating: NR Network: Lifetime Television Cast: Jennie Garth, S. Epatha Merkerson, Amanda Bowen Genre: Drama

Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that this made-for-TV movie takes a frank look at teen sexuality. The young characters all discuss promiscuity, unsafe sex, drug use, and their assumed invincibility to STDs at length -- as well as their belief that parents are more judgmental than understanding. (Teen viewers might not be surprised by the characters' active sex lives, but parents could be -- consider this a wake-up call!) The movie works to dispel common myths associated with HIV, including how it is (and isn't) contracted, who's at risk, and how much exposure is required to infect a person. Teens drink, use drugs, text- and instant-message each other constantly, and get pretty intimate (though the movie stops short of nudity), but there's no language or violence to speak of.

Families can talk about teens and sex. Teens: How does this movie compare to your own experiences? Are the characters and subject matter relatable? What parts seemed less realistic? Do you and your friends talk about sex the way the kids in the movie do? Is there pressure to have sex as a teenager? Where does that pressure come from? What messages does the media send about sex and sexuality? Parents can also encourage a frank discussion about sex, STDs, and methods of protection.

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Emily Ashby

In the made-for-TV movie GIRL, POSITIVE, an unsuspecting teen must face the reality of HIV when she learns that a guy she had a one-night-stand with was HIV-positive.

High school senior Rachel Sandler (Andrea Bowen of Desperate Housewives) is living every teenager's dream. She's pretty and popular, she has an adoring boyfriend, and she's enjoying every minute of being a senior on the brink of a bright future.

But when word spreads through her quiet community that Jason Bartlett (Erik von Detten) -- the school's former football star and all-around golden boy, who died earlier that year in a car accident -- was using intravenous drugs, Rachel's confidence is shaken. Not long afterward, she gets a mysterious email claiming that Jason was also HIV-positive, and she starts worrying that she might be at risk, too, since they had a one-night-stand -- and didn't use a condom.

Advised by her new teacher, Sarah Bennett (Jennie Garth of Beverly Hills, 90210), Rachel seeks out more information about the virus at a local AIDS clinic where Sarah volunteers. Rachel takes a rapid HIV test, but she's too scared to hang around for the results; when Sarah later discovers them, she breaks the bad news to a defiant Rachel and confides that she, too, has been living with the virus for years.

Uncertain where to turn next, Rachel confides in her boyfriend, Greg (Evan Gamble), whose shock turns to anger and then blame. It isn't long before rumors start spreading, and Rachel has to decide whether to face up to the reality of the cost of one night of misjudgment.

Girl, Positive is an eye-opening look at the image-driven nature of teen life, where sexuality is a big part of popularity and the rules of engagement are virtually non-existent. Throughout the movie, a student gathers video clips for a school blog; these one-on-one conversations reflect the sense of invincibility and lack of knowledge that many teens still have about sexually transmitted diseases in general -- and HIV in particular. They talk openly about hooking up with multiple partners, the physical drawbacks of using a condom, and the fact that most of them have never had honest discussions about sex with their parents.

The movie works hard to dispel many of the traditional misconceptions associated with HIV: "It won't happen to me," "That's a disease for gays," and the one that hits home for Rachel, "Yes, I had unprotected sex, but it was only one time." Staggering facts about HIV are posted onscreen at the end to drive home the message that young people are at the highest risk of contracting the virus because so many are living unknowingly with HIV and could be infecting others.

Certainly sex and STDs aren't always comfortable subjects for parents and teens to talk about and you may find yours balking at the idea of watching a movie like this with you. But Girl, Positive is so well done that it's worth the time, and hopefully it will generate a frank discussion about the decision to have sex and the importance of protecting yourself.

For another emotional look at HIV, try Philadelphia. And for a wrenching documentary about another big issue that affects a lot of teens -- eating disorders -- try Thin.

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Content		CS	adults	kids
Content
Sexual Content Given the movie's storyline, sex is one of its biggest issues/topics. Teen characters talk openly about their sexual habits, including how many partners they've had, whether they practice safe sex, and -- from both guys and girls -- how much they enjoy and desire it. On the physical side, there's just about everything except nudity -- teens kiss, make out, simulate sex (there's one brief scene, which is mostly obscured by bedding), and have pre-intercourse discussions about whether a condom is necessary or if "pulling out" will do.
Violence In one scene, a girl gets a bloody nose when a soccer ball hits her in the face. Blood is also drawn during HIV tests.
Language
Message
	Social Behavior Some teen characters are described as promiscuous, and most dismiss their susceptibility to the dangers of HIV and harshly judge those infected with it, implying that they've brought it upon themselves with their lifestyle. But overall the movie works hard to dispel many of the stereotypes associated with HIV.
	Commercialism Cell phones, text messaging, blogs, and MySpace.com are a big part of how these teens communicate with each other and are central to the plot.
	Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco Party scenes show teens drinking (presumably beer), and although it's not attributed to drunkenness, a subsequent car accident kills one of the partygoers. A male teen is seen shooting heroin, a young woman takes birth control pills, and an HIV patient downs multiple medications as part of her daily routine.