Common Sense Media Review
Darkly funny thriller features violence and strong language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
CTRL
What's the Story?
Nella (Ananya Panday) and Joe (Vihaan Samat), the main characters of CTRL, are the perfect couple, and they have thousands of followers and likes to support that claim, but when Joe cheats on her, Nella turns to an AI app that promises to delete all trace of him. Joe's disappearance from the digital and physical world triggers a journey that Nella is not prepared for.
Is It Any Good?
The perils of social media and the influence AI can have in one's life have become a part of everyday conversation. But in the wickedly entertaining CTRL, they become the stuff of pure nightmare as a heartbroken young influencer realizes the lifelike AI assistant she has downloaded to help her forget about her cheating ex might be taking its task way too far.
In director Vikramaditya Motwane's vision, daily life becomes a series of screens and pop-ups through which our lives become distorted and even more artificial than the AI we believe is helping us keep everything in order. Thanks to its dark sense of humor and elegant jump scares, the film will undoubtedly keep viewers of all audiences entertained, even if it's not always able to get its message across.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Nella's decision to erase Joe from her life. What would you do if someone you loved acted the way Joe did? Would you also choose to erase them from your life?
What is the film saying about the power we give to social media and AI? Do you think this message is over the top, or is it based in reality? Why?
How does Joe show courage and resilience as he tries to let people know about what he's discovered?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : October 4, 2024
- Cast : Ananya Panday , Vihaan Samat , Rohan Joshi
- Director : Vikramaditya Motwane
- Inclusion Information : Indian/South Asian Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Indian/South Asian Movie Actor(s) , Indian/South Asian Movie Writer(s) , Female Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Thriller
- Character Strengths : Courage
- Run time : 99 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : December 10, 2024
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
Suggest an 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
