Parents' Guide to

An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Sweet, inspiring tale about a girl reaching for her dreams.

Movie NR 2012 94 minutes
An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 4+

Based on 8 parent reviews

Ryley R.
Ryley R. Parent
September 16, 2022
age 4+
This was a great movie! My 4, 6, and 8 year old loved it. The 8 and 6 year old were boys. Great example of how to get through the ups and downs in life as a young girl.

This title has:

Great messages
brookesingleton
brookesingleton Adult
June 15, 2022
age 5+

The movie is not racist.

Another reviewer said the movie was racist because the main character does a reading comprehension exercise in which she reads that the climate in India is not healthy for children. The reviewer was upset that there was no examination of that belief or discussion on it. I would like to point out that the main character is reading from a classic in literature called The Secret Garden which is from 1911. The characters discussing why or why not it would be racist would completely take away from the purpose of the scene in the movie, because the scene is simply about the girl stumbling over words and not comprehending them. Had they stopped to discuss the “racism” in the book, they would have lost the focus of the scene being about her inability to read. Not everything is a racial matter.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
See all 8 parent reviews

What's the Story?

McKenna (Jade Pettyjohn) is a fourth-grade gymnast who loves nothing more than competing for her club's team with her best friend Toulane (Ysa Penarejo). But when her grades start to slip and she's caught looking around during a test, McKenna's teacher suggests that her parents (Nia Vardalos, Ian Ziering) enlist the help of a tutor, Josie (Kerris Dorsey). Just as things couldn't get any worse for McKenna, she falls and hurts herself during a competition, winding up in a cast for eight weeks. Unhappy with her tutoring and inability to prepare for a spot on the Olympic training team, McKenna acts sulky and defeated. Josie, who's in a wheelchair, shows McKenna that if she applies hers gymnastics-honed discipline and determination to her tutoring sessions, there's nothing she can't accomplish.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (8):
Kids say (17):

AN AMERICAN GIRL: MCKENNA SHOOTS FOR THE STARS is a surprisingly sweet and empowering tale, particularly for young girls (regardless of whether they have an American Girl doll or not). Although McKenna's story provides many inspiring lessons, the movie isn't overly preachy or maudlin. There's a believable dramatic tension in all of McKenna's relationships, especially her growing rapport with Josie and her emotional disagreements with her BFF Toulane. Pettyjohn is a talented and expressive young actress, as is Josie, who's played with the same impressive nuance that Dorsey employed as Brad Pitt's daughter in Moneyball.

The only quibble with the movie's narrative is that it introduces Toulane's hyper-competitive and critical mother (Paula Rivera) but doesn't expand on that subplot until a couple of lines at the end of the film. Otherwise, this is exactly the kind of heartwarming movie that makes for a perfect sleepover or play date pick for tween girls. The movie's themes empower kids to see beyond the superficial and to recognize that there's nothing wrong with needing a little bit of help -- whether from your family, friends, or a tutor -- to better yourself and "shoot for the stars."

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the way the movie depicts McKenna's learning and Josie's physical disabilities. How can kids learn from the way McKenna and Josie handle their personal challenges?

  • How is Toulane's relationship with her mother different than McKenna's? What does McKenna's mom teach her about following your passion and asking for help when you need it?

  • Does McKenna Shoots for the Stars seem like a tie-in to the American Girl doll, or would it be good even without the American Girl in the title? Does the connection to the brand make you more likely to watch the movie?

Movie Details

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