Parents' Guide to Americanish

Movie PG-13 2023 91 minutes
Americanish Movie Poster: The cast -- including Lillete Dubey, Shenaz Treasury, Aizzah Fatima, and Salena Qureshi -- are featured in front of a yellow and teal-tinted picture of New York City

Common Sense Media Review

Monique Jones By Monique Jones , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 13+

Heartfelt, diverse film about love, life; strong language.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 13+?

Any Positive Content?

  • Americanish Movie: Purva Bedi, Godfrey, Lillete Dubey, Shenaz Treasury, Aizzah Fatima, and Salena Qureshi dance at a wedding
  • Americanish Movie: Aizzah Fatima, Shenaz Treasury, and Salena Qureshi share a bedroom
  • Americanish Movie: Salena Qureshi stares longingly

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What's the Story?

In AMERICANISH, sisters Sam (Aizzah Fatima) and Maryam (Salena Qureshi) live with their mother, Khala (Lillete Dubey), after their father leaves them. Sam and Maryam's cousin Ameera (Shenaz Treasury) comes to live with them in order to find her dream husband. All three young women face various challenges when it comes to navigating love, personal goals, and family drama.

Is It Any Good?

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

This romantic dramedy packs a lot into its hour-and-a-half runtime, telling a fulfilling story about love, growth, and family. Americanish shares the Pakistani American perspective with viewers -- one that's often represented inaccurately or is full of stereotypes perpetuated by non-Pakistani creators. Here, viewers who aren't already familiar with the topic can learn not only some of what Pakistani American and South Asian Americans go through in the United States in terms of racism, but they can also learn how racist thoughts get perpetuated, even among minority groups. And then there's the fact that the movie deals with the broadly relatable struggle of trying to achieve your dreams while balancing familial relationships. Overall, Americanish is a funny, thoughtful, and heartfelt film that will leave you feeling happy after the credits roll.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how the characters in Americanish represent aspects of Pakistani American life. How do they balance tradition with American ideals?

  • What do the main characters learn about pursuing their dreams? Why is that a common plot thread for movies?

  • How are racism and colorism portrayed in the film? How do the characters grow from these moments?

  • How does the film examine the meaning of family? What does "family" mean to the characters?

Movie Details

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

Americanish Movie Poster: The cast -- including Lillete Dubey, Shenaz Treasury, Aizzah Fatima, and Salena Qureshi -- are featured in front of a yellow and teal-tinted picture of New York City

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