Common Sense Media Review
By Andrea Beach
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Edgy marriage drama has sex, language, and drugs.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Diorama
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
DIORAMA introduces us to a young couple, Frida (Pia Tjelta) and Bjorn (David Dencik), at a housewarming party for their first apartment together. They're crazy in love and really happy to be starting their lives together. Over the years and the course of managing three kids and two full-time jobs, things change for Frida and Bjorn, and they begin to wonder if they're still happy together or just going through the motions out of habit. Eventually, they both reach a breaking point and decide to divorce. Can they get past the sadness, anger, and bitterness enough to do what's best for everyone?
Is It Any Good?
This edgy but low-key relationship story balances the drama with some quirks that are sometimes funny and sometimes stray into the downright weird. Diorama shows the disintegration of a marriage over time through a series of scenes interrupted by actors in odd costumes, mostly of animals, exploring the science of human relationships and sexuality. There's humor in these scientific segments, but it's very understated and wry, and the abrupt transitions between the two elements sometimes take a bit of adjusting.
Teen appeal is mostly limited to edgy stuff like sex, drinking, and drugs. There aren't any teen characters, and the main story is about dealing with the problems and drudgery of everyday life. But mature teens who can handle the grown-up content may enjoy speculating about their own futures and asking some of the big questions about human nature and relationships.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the sex scenes in Diorama. Do they seem realistic, or gratuitous? Does that matter? How is seeing sex on a screen different from reading about it?
What about the drinking and drug use? Is it excessive? Are any consequences shown?
Is the use of strong language realistic, and if it is, does that make it OK in movies or other media? Why, or why not?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : September 6, 2022
- Cast : Pia Tjelta , David Dencik
- Director : Tuva Novotny
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Friendship
- Character Strengths : Communication , Teamwork
- Run time : 99 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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