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Parents' Guide to

Bait

By Danny Brogan, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

British drama looks at class issues; some adult themes.

Movie NR 2019 89 minutes
Bait Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

age 17+

Based on 2 parent reviews

age 16+

Hard to slog through

Interesting movie, very different style of storytelling than standard Hollywood fare. Frankly seemed rather strange. Not only B&W, but intentionally rough print. Our 14-year-old only made it through 20 minutes.
age 18+

Cliches Galore

A self indulgent and ponderous film full of cliches and stereotypes. Read between the lines of the positive reviews.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (2 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

This outstanding British sleeper hit looks at class and the consequences of gentrification on existing communities. Set in Cornwall, England, Bait shows how the locals, specifically Martin, struggle to come to terms with the arrival of rich tourists. Shot in black and white, with the sound dubbed in after filming, Bait looks like an old home movie. Yet, rather than hurt the film, this style reinforces a key message: the old versus the new. For example, in one scene, Martin and his nephew Neil (Isaac Woodvine) are fishing, which is intercut with a tourist working on her laptop.

Dialogue is minimal, and with its slow pace, Bait resembles a fuse slowly burning down to an explosive powder keg. Despite a relatively unknown cast, the performances feel authentic. Arguably, there's some stereotyping -- the locals are hardworking but quick-tempered, while the rich tourists are snobby and arrogant -- but there's a realness to Bait that means this doesn't distract. Bait may not provide any answers to what's increasingly happening to lower-income communities, but it certainly asks the right questions.

Movie Details

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