21 Bridges
By Jeffrey M. Anderson,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Decent NYC cop drama has violence, language.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
21 Bridges
Community Reviews
Based on 7 parent reviews
this movie was DA BOMB (:
Action packed- fast paced.
What's the Story?
In 21 BRIDGES, criminals Ray (Taylor Kitsch) and Michael (Stephan James) show up for a job: stealing 30 kilos of cocaine. But when they get there, they find 300 kilos instead. They're also interrupted by a quartet of cops. Ray shoots eight police officers in all, and the pair escapes. Police detective Andre Davis (Chadwick Boseman), who has a history of shooting perpetrators, is called in to find the two cop killers. Paired with narcotics detective Frankie Burns (Sienna Miller), Andre orders the city of Manhattan closed off, giving him only four hours to find them. He and Frankie follow their noses and piece together the clues, but as they get closer, Andre learns that something isn't quite right inside the police force.
Is It Any Good?
This New York City cop action drama has a bit of a stiff start and a somewhat silly ending, but in between, it's a brisk, no-frills entertainment, thanks mainly to Boseman's star charisma. 21 Bridges begins with an attempt to explain young Andre's motivations, which isn't really followed up -- or really needed. Then there's an awkwardly written scene of grown-up Andre being interrogated by Internal Affairs. But after that, things get going very quickly, and director Brian Kirk -- a TV veteran (Game of Thrones, Penny Dreadful, etc.) making his feature debut -- keeps the ball rolling.
For most of the movie, the action is fairly clean, interactions are brief, and Kirk makes excellent, colorful use of Manhattan, from villains' lairs to the underbellies of restaurants and hotels. Boseman is well paired with Miller, who's tough and relentless while looking a bit shabby and ratty; she certainly isn't defined by her looks or gender. The two cop killers, likewise, are more than just sneering bad guys. They have a history and a shorthand, and they're smart and scared. It's all pretty good until the final showdown, which does have one or two interesting themes but then throws it all away on a rush job. Still, Boseman is commanding from start to finish, and 21 Bridges is a passable enough entertainment for fans of the genre.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about 21 Bridges' violence. How strong is it? Does it seem excessive or necessary to the story? What's the impact of media violence on kids?
How are drugs depicted? Are they glamorized in any way? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?
Is Andre Davis a role model? Why or why not? How does he demonstrate integrity?
What's the argument for being a crooked cop and taking a little extra to make life easier? What's the argument against that? Which side does the movie seem to fall on?
Movie Details
- In theaters: November 22, 2019
- On DVD or streaming: February 18, 2020
- Cast: Chadwick Boseman , Sienna Miller , J.K. Simmons
- Director: Brian Kirk
- Inclusion Information: Black actors, Female actors
- Studio: STX Entertainment
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Character Strengths: Integrity
- Run time: 99 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: violence and language throughout
- Last updated: March 5, 2023
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.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
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