Parents' Guide to Amber: The Girl Behind the Alert

Movie NR 2023 92 minutes
Large, pixelated image of half of a young girl's face.

Common Sense Media Review

Andrea Beach By Andrea Beach , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 13+

True-crime docu inspires hope amid grief and tragedy.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 13+?

Any Positive Content?

  • Amber: The Girl Behind the Alert Trailer
  • A sad woman with glasses and long silver hair.
  • A framed poster of a young girl with brown hair, bangs, and freckles.
  • A concerned woman with shoulder-length blonde hair.

Parent and Kid Reviews

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What's the Story?

AMBER: THE GIRL BEHIND THE ALERT tells the true story of 9-year-old Amber Hagerman, who was kidnapped and murdered in January 1996. She and her younger brother went out riding bikes around their neighborhood one afternoon. Her brother came home, but Amber never did. Almost immediately, an intense search and investigation got underway that brought the entire community together. Sadly, Amber's body was discovered several days later just a few miles from where she was taken. But her legacy lives on in the now-nationwide system of alerts that Amber's mother Donna, and many others, worked tirelessly to create in hopes of saving other children from Amber's fate.

Is It Any Good?

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

This is a moving documentary that combines elements of true crime and police procedurals with the chance to get to know Amber, her family, and all they have endured since she was taken. Amber: The Girl Behind the Alert takes advantage of professional video footage taken in the months before her disappearance to help viewers get to know her and her family. Tension and suspense are at a high level throughout. Interviews with law enforcement officials, some of whom worked the case for many years, add to the sense of drama and frustration at the lack of resolution. Documenting the creation of the Amber alert system, too, brings a hopeful note to the end.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the violent themes in Amber: The Girl Behind the Alert. Is this movie trying to teach us something, or is it sensationalizing a tragedy? How is the information presented?

  • It's easy to get scared for yourself and loved ones after learning about real-life events like in this movie. What do you and your loved ones do to feel safe?

  • Did you know much about Amber alerts before you saw this movie? Have you ever seen one? What happened?

Movie Details

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Large, pixelated image of half of a young girl's face.

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