Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Slight but touching father-daughter drama, with UFOs.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Acidman
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In ACIDMAN, Maggie (Dianna Agron) tracks down her estranged father, Lloyd (Thomas Haden Church). He's living in a rundown house in the middle of nowhere, with the graffiti "ACIDMAN" scrawled on the side of the house. A brilliant engineer, Lloyd lives alone with his dog, Migo, and has been spending his time searching for alien visitors, studying patterns in the sky. Maggie won't tell him exactly why she's there, but they try to reignite their bond as Maggie spends time there and helps out. One day, convinced that the visitors will be arriving in two days, Lloyd launches a plan to send a signal into the skies.
Is It Any Good?
This low-key familial drama isn't really about aliens, and not a lot actually happens, but the two actors are so fully emotionally invested in their roles that we can feel their shared history. Directed and co-written by Alex Lehmann, Acidman more or less drifts along through its days, and even the suggestion that Lloyd might have a cognitive difference -- he sometimes stares off into space and doesn't seem to hear anything -- never comes to much. And Maggie's ultimate reason for seeking out her dad isn't all that interesting, either. But spending time with the two of them is more than enough to make Acidman worth a look. The characters have a genuine rapport. ("I am you! I do the same things!" Maggie confesses to him, referring to their shared DNA, and we believe it.) The movie slows down when their paired energy splits off into solo scenes, but it always comes back. A climactic scene, in which they attempt to contact the aliens, is really quite lovely.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Acidman's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
How is drug use portrayed? Is it glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?
Do you believe in visitors from other worlds? Why do you think the movie remains ambiguous on this subject?
What is the father-daughter relationship like here? What traits do the characters share? In what ways is Maggie trying to improve?
How does communication come in to this story? What does Lloyd mean when he says "the truth is more important than the facts"?
Movie Details
- In theaters : March 31, 2023
- On DVD or streaming : March 31, 2023
- Cast : Dianna Agron , Thomas Haden Church , Sameerah Luqmaan-Harris
- Director : Alex Lehmann
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Brainstorm Media
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 87 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : April 12, 2023
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