Common Sense Media Review
By Brian Costello
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Awful teen drama has drug and alcohol abuse, language, sex.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Deltopia
What's the Story?
In DELTOPIA, it's 2014, and laid-back nice guy Jack (Charlie Gillespie) is about to graduate from high school. He plans on attending college, unlike his best friend, the cynical and sarcastic Bones. Bones has just told Jack that his perpetual crush Hannah (Luna Blaise) has just broken up with her boyfriend of two years. Hannah's best friend, the free-spirited Ellery (Madison Pettis), has extended an invite for the four of them to visit Ellery's sister, who has a sorority house in the middle of the annual event known as "Deltopia," aka "the biggest college party in the country." As the four of them grapple with their identities and what their futures hold, they score drugs and binge drink as they join the massive party. Jack wants to finally confess his feelings for Hannah, but he has to find her at the party first, and hope that she isn't swept away in the craziness of a party scene replete with drugs, alcohol, and the possibility of sex with college guys.
Is It Any Good?
This is basically Dazed and Confused without the wit, joy, and entertainment value. True, there are some unintentionally hilarious moments to Deltopia, mainly centered on that old Hollywood chestnut of having actors in their mid-to-late 20s portraying 17- and 18-year-olds. The theme of the movie is how the lead character, Jack, according to his bestie Bones, needs to "stop being such a p---y." In the morass of the malaise of these characters facing coming-of-age crises, they find themselves in Deltopia circa 2014, a giant party that, as the beginning of the movie informs, turns into a riot between police and partygoers.
One would expect the riot scene to last more than five minutes or so, but for some reason, it doesn't last very long, and soon, it's morning, and the post-riot party scene looks more like any other giant wonton hedonistic collegiate party of forlorn red plastic cups in the yards, beer bottles, revelers sleeping it off on couches or on the sidewalk. The whole movie is out of whack because it lacks focus, among other things. The party scenes are reminiscent of every ‘80s party movie. Aside from very infrequent moments of halfway decent dialogue, none of the discordant pieces to this movie come close to fitting together.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about coming-of-age movies like Deltopia. How is this similar to and different from other movies about growing up?
How did the backdrop of Deltopia, and the true story of the riot that happened there in 2014, heighten the themes and issues the main teen characters faced in the story?
Does the movie glamorize binge drinking, drug abuse, and casual sex, or is it intended to be a reflection of what teens encounter in contemporary life?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : August 29, 2023
- Cast : Charlie Gillespie , Hart Denton , Madison Pettis
- Director : Michael Easterling
- Studio : Lionsgate
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : School ( High School )
- Run time : 103 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : Teen drug and alcohol use throughout, sexual content and pervasive language.
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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