Parents' Guide to Charlie's Angels (2019)

Movie PG-13 2019 119 minutes
Charlie's Angels (2019) Poster Image

Common Sense Media Review

Tara McNamara By Tara McNamara , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 13+

Super fun reboot mixes female empowerment, lots of violence.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 13+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 13+

Based on 20 parent reviews

Parents say that while some viewers found the film fun and entertaining, especially for teens and pre-teens, many others criticized it for its excessive violence, confusing plot, and poor writing. The film's portrayal of female empowerment received mixed reviews, with some appreciating the strong characters while others deemed the overall execution shallow and disjointed.

  • excessive violence
  • confusing plot
  • poor writing
  • strong characters
  • mixed reviews
  • enjoyable for teens
Summarized with AI

age 12+

Based on 29 kid reviews

Kids say the film has received mixed reviews, with some praising its fun action and positive messages about female empowerment, while others criticize its plot and execution, deeming it boring and cliché. While younger viewers may find certain scenes inappropriate, it has been noted to be entertaining for older teens and tweens with an appreciation for action films.

  • mixed reviews
  • positive messages
  • cliché and boring
  • appropriate for teens
  • fun action
  • violence and language
Summarized with AI

What's the Story?

CHARLIE'S ANGELS is an update of the 1970s TV series; in this iteration, multiple teams of highly trained operatives known as "Angels" work for "Charlie" at the Townsend Agency, alongside a handler known as Bosley (portrayed here by director Elizabeth Banks). Their job is to take on the most dangerous missions in the world. When Elena (Naomi Scott) comes to the Angels with news that the technology she's working on could be used as a weapon, Angels Sabina (Kristen Stewart) and Jane (Ella Balinska) decide that the best bet is to take her on as one of their own. Together, the trio must stop the project before lives are endangered.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 20 ):
Kids say ( 29 ):

The Angels of the Townsend Agency now have swagger rather than jiggle, thanks to Banks, who creates something fantastic and fun out of what was once fluff. Watching three strong, capable women working together to take down villains with their physical and mental prowess is a rare pleasure. It was in 1976, too -- but back then, girls may not have realized that the show was primarily intended to let men watch Sabrina, Jill, and Kelly run around in skimpy clothes in sexy situations, which may have led to some young fans picking up unintentional messages about what it is to be a woman. Banks reverses that completely. Here, the women's wardrobe is sick, the makeup slick, and the hair sensational: The Angels look good, but not in a way that says they're "a good time." It's an update of the '70s feminist mantra "you can have it all"; now, the movie seems to say, you can kick butt and look super cool doing it.

Stewart steals the show, transforming her trademark mumbly delivery into a torrent of unexpectedly hilarious throwaway lines. Her cool cred, already sky high, jumps into the stratosphere. Like a comical Brad Pitt character, Stewart's Sabina may not be clear on all things, but she gets the job done. Banks' tweaking of the original trio of Angels -- a blonde, a brunette, and a darker brunette -- also makes positive inroads on representation. Does it all make sense? Oh no -- and it doesn't need to. It's the right movie giving teens the right role models at the right time. As Charlie would say, "Well done, Angels!"

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the evolution of how the Angels have been portrayed through the years. What do you like or dislike about the way the Angels are presented in this incarnation? Do you think having a female director is important in telling a story about women?

  • Do you think violence is glamorized in Charlie's Angels? Does the impact of the violence change depending on the movie's tone -- or who's involved?

  • How do the Angels demonstrate teamwork? How does that lead to friendship? How does this film show that confidence and courageousness go hand in hand?

  • Elena is called out for her inquisitiveness with the saying "curiosity killed the cat." What does that mean? How did Elena exhibit her curiosity? Why is it an important character strength?

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

Charlie's Angels (2019) Poster Image

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