Parents' Guide to

Carnaval

By Jennifer Green, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Party-centered Brazilian romcom has language, drinking.

Movie NR 2021 95 minutes
Carnaval Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

Is It Any Good?

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

This frothy film about the #lifelessons an Instagram influencer learns during Carnival in Brazil is as superficial as it sounds, but its postcard-perfect setting and gorgeous cast are easy to watch. Scenes from the massive, pulsating street parties of Brazil's Carnaval are captivating, and viewers get a tour of some of the locations, people, and traditions of the gorgeous coastal city of Salvador de Bahia when the women are invited to explore tour guide "Salvador's Salvador." The sexy setting and cast offset a predictable story arc. Of course Nina will risk losing what's truly important to her in her single-minded pursuit of Insta followers. Obviously she needs to put down her phone and learn to enjoy what's "real." Curiously, two other recent Brazilian films take on similar themes -- Love.com and Airplane Mode.

The actors give it their best effort, especially charismatic lead Cordeiro, but they're straddled with surprisingly one-dimensional characters. The women are drawn in broad strokes -- the social one, the promiscuous one, the quiet one, and the nerdy one (whose actions are often accompanied by her own synthesizer riff to underscore she's, yep, the nerdy one). Their biggest concerns during this film are having the right bracelet and the right eyeshadow for the right parties. The men are mostly there as topless eye candy. A late twist on Freddy's character offers some welcome depth, but it comes a little late. Still, if you take this film at face value, meaning you enjoy watching beautiful people partying in gorgeous settings, getting gussied up in glittery costumes, and making out with each other, then go ahead and click on Carnaval.

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 suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate