The four heroines are multi-cultural and (mostly) confident in their abilities and friendships. Furthermore, they dare to socialize with people outside their clique at school, and one even urges her divorced parents to be civil to each other. There's a big qualifier though -- as befits characters based on a product toy line -- that they're fixated on fashion and material possessions (Buy! Buy! Buy!). Some stereotyping: the Asian-descended one is a science-math whiz. A boyfriend character is deaf, but defies the disability.

Violence & Scariness

Some slapstick pratfalls, food fights, and a hostile athlete gets martial-arts punched (and impressed) by a science student.

Sexy Stuff

A few provocative or tight dresses on the girls, and bikinis at poolside.

Language

Consumerism

Not only are the main characters inspired by a line of toys, they're surrounded by (and practically engulfed in) brand-name clothing, cars, computers (Apple, of course), and a shopping-as-empowerment message.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this movie derives from a popular line of dolls on the market with an outrageous arsenal of fashion accessories. A pro-shopping, pro-consumerism message underlies all the preaching about acceptance, confidence, standing by your friends, etc. There's a heavy emphasis on physical appearance; overweight or plain-looking girls are not very much in evidence. Food fights happen more than once.

User Reviews

Parents say
Kids say

Adult Written bynduns October 22, 2009

age 6+

Almost as bad as the show.

Like I said for the show, these girls are the worst role models ever! They're not nearly as bad as they are in the show, but nonetheless, they still act s... Continue reading

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Parent Written byCommonSenseParent December 25, 2010

age 5+

Great movie with wholesome and positive messages, is appropiate for all ages

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Kid, 11 years old June 19, 2014

age 5+

Please Actually Use Your Brain

Jeez, Common Sense Media DOES NOT UNDERSTAND. People who write these things grew up in the 70's or 80's, and things might have been different then, bu... Continue reading

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Kid, 9 years old December 20, 2009

age 17+

Terribele: Worst Role Models

Nothing good about it! Here I am, A nine year old saying TERRIBLE!! It has bikinis near the pool side and TERRIBLE STUFF! PARENTS DON'T LET YOUR KIDSWATCH... Continue reading

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What's the story?

Set in southern California, BRATZ centers around Chloe (Skyler Shaye), Sasha (Logan Browning), Yasmin (Nathalia Ramos), and Jade (Janel Parrish), four clothing-empowered girlfriends, so fashion-conscious they computer-conference each morning to coordinate their outfits. They eagerly enter freshman year at a cartoonishly caricatured Carrie Nation High School. Here a blonde, preppie class president Meredith Baxter Dimly (Chelsea Staub), who happens to be the spoiled and pampered daughter of the principal (Jon Voight), reigns like a queen. She personally assigns every beginning student a clique to belong to, outside of which they dare not stray.

Is it any good?

Bratz could be seen as a PG alternative for those whose children are too young to see Mean Girls. It's designed as a live-action adaptation of a product line of vampish, high-fashion dolls with outlandish fashion accessories, spun off into coloring books, CDs, and a CGI TV series.

Parents (and psychologists) have had their own issues with the dolls' unrealistic proportions and sexualized clothing, but there are issues other moviegoers will have as well. Bratz steals directly from Mean Girls, showing the severe peer pressure that forces girls to try to fit in and be popular. At least this clone, pitched to a younger (doll-buying) tween age group, took out the Lindsay Lohan movie's objectionable language, sex, and alcohol references, while delivering the same self-affirming morals. It gets grudging points on that count.

Talk to your kids about ...

Families can talk about whether the movie promotes an enlightened attitude, or lots of clothing, accessories, and Bratz dolls. Could its message have come across without all the materialism? What's the appeal of the Bratz dolls in the first place?

Movie details

In theaters: August 2, 2007
On DVD or streaming: November 27, 2007
Cast: Chelsea Staub, Janel Parrish, Jon Voight, Logan Browning, Nathalia Ramos, Skyler Shaye
Director: Sean McNamara
Studio: Lionsgate
Genre: Family and Kids
Topics: Friendship, High School
Run time: 99 minutes
MPAA rating: PG
MPAA explanation: thematic elements.

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