Common Sense Media Review
By Marty Brown
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Stage adaptation superficially grapples with complex issues.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
American Son
What's the Story?
AMERICAN SON begins with Kendra Ellis-Connor (Kerry Washington) in an empty waiting room at the police station, waiting for information about her son, Jamal, who didn't come home last night. The officer on duty (Jeremy Jordan) is especially unhelpful, and Kendra thinks that race may have something to do with it: She is Black, he is White. When her estranged husband (Steven Pasquale) shows up, himself a White police officer, it further complicates the situation and heightens the tension between the three of them.
Is It Any Good?
Movie adaptations of stage plays can be tricky, if for no other reason than that theater is a verbal medium while film is visual. American Son, based on a 2018 Broadway play with the same cast, has minimal visual intrigue and relies almost solely on its dialogue to drive the narrative. It is, effectively, a 90-minute argument about race, racial identity, and police brutality. But American Son chooses pure melodrama over thoughtful, informed debate, so it consistently undermines any real impact it could have.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Jamal's racial identity. What does Kendra try to teach her son about the way the world works? How does that affect his behavior? How does her point of view impact her relationships with the other characters in the movie?
What does American Son say about the relationship between police procedure and race? Do you think it effectively makes its point?
The characters in American Son are all extremely articulate about their beliefs, which are often in conflict. Do you think the actors succeed at their performances? What kind of feelings do they evoke?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : November 1, 2019
- Cast : Kerry Washington , Jeremy Jordan
- Director : Kenny Leon
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Activism
- Run time : 90 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Award : NAACP Image Award - NAACP Image Award Nominee
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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