Common Sense Media Review
By Andrea Beach
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Absorbing French drama has lots of sex, nudity, and alcohol.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
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An Easy Girl
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
AN EASY GIRL tells the story of Naima (Mina Farid) during the summer when she just turned 16. She lives in Cannes, in the south of France, and her cousin Sofia (Zahia Dehar) arrives from Paris for a visit. Sofia's four years older, and Naima quickly becomes enthralled by Sofia's sophisticated lifestyle. Sofia attracts the attention of an older, wealthy yachtsman (Nuno Lopes), and she and Naima enjoy the luxurious lifestyle he offers. But Naima's got plenty of other stuff going on, too. She's auditioning for a play with her best friend, and she's supposed to intern at a hotel restaurant kitchen this summer. The two worlds pull Naima in opposite directions, and she'll soon have to decide whether to take control of her own life, or go wherever the winds may take her.
Is It Any Good?
This absorbing movie goes beyond the stereotype of a "sexy French girl discovering herself" movie while still offering just about everything you'd expect from one. Attractive, sophisticated characters, gorgeous scenery, smart people having interesting conversations -- An Easy Girl has all that. But it also stands out because it's not about 16-year-old Naima discovering her sexuality. It's about her discovering her self worth and learning what kinds of things will make her happy in life. Naima doesn't have any romantic relationships or sexual encounters at all. Also unique for going against stereotype is the gorgeous, sexy Sofia. Sofia claims not to be interested in love or emotional attachment; she just wants to enjoy physical sensations and a luxurious lifestyle. But far from just being a sexual object, Sofia is smart, kind, generous, and grieving.
The acting is terrific, and newcomer Mina Farid as Naima holds her own. There's some interesting food for thought about wealth, work, value, friendship, and of course relationships, but instead of exploring anything in any real depth, director Rebecca Zlotowski merely presents the shimmering surface of Naima's 16th summer. Strong sexual content and mature themes make it best for older teens and up.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the strong sexual content in An Easy Girl. Is it too explicit? What about the nudity? How much is OK for teens to see? Why?
What about the strong language? Is it realistic? Does it matter if it is?
In France teens can buy wine and beer at age 16, and hard alcohol at 18. How do the teens in this movie handle alcohol consumption? Do some research to find out why that might be a good strategy for France, and whether it works to keep alcohol abuse rates low. Would a policy like that work in the U.S., or is 21 an effective way to keep underage drinking and alcohol abuse at a low rate?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : August 13, 2020
- Cast : Mina Farid , Zahia Dehar , Benoit Magimel , Nuno Lopes
- Director : Rebecca Zlotowski
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Middle Eastern/North African Movie Director(s) , Multiracial Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Friendship
- Run time : 92 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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