Door Mouse
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Door Mouse
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Door Mouse is a vivid indie neo-noir/mystery focused on comic book artist Mouse (Hayley Law) and her sidekick, Ugly (Keith Powers), who try to track down a burlesque club's missing dancers. Expect mature sexual content, including a sex trafficking ring, "sexy" performances (like spanking) in the club, implied sex between characters, mildly graphic drawings, sex-related talk, and more. Language is extremely strong, with frequent uses of "f--k," "motherf----r," "s--t," "a--hole," "bitch," "whore," etc. Characters drink and smoke frequently in the nightclub, a minor character sells drugs, and drugs are discussed and/or seen. Violence -- including guns, shooting, and knives -- is mostly depicted in animation, although some lifelike blood is seen. Characters die, and women are kidnapped.
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What's the Story?
In DOOR MOUSE, Mouse (Hayley Law) is a comic book artist who also works nights in a burlesque club that's run by Mama (Famke Janssen). One morning, Mouse has a bad cup of coffee that brings with it a sense of dread. Sure enough, she learns that one of her co-workers at the club has gone missing. Mouse and her stalwart sidekick, Ugly (Keith Powers), start investigating. But then another co-worker, Riz (Michela Cannon), also vanishes and is later found dead. Through further sleuthing, Mouse traces the disappearances to the Sophia Hotel, where mysterious parties are held for the rich and powerful on an upper floor. Unfortunately, the only way Mouse can get up there is to allow herself to be taken.
Is It Any Good?
This low-key neo-noir doesn't go much deeper than its assertion that some people are just monsters, but it has more than enough punk-grunge style and flip attitude to make it consistently interesting. The writing and directing feature debut of actor Avan Jogia (who also co-stars as drug dealer Mooney), Door Mouse has a great central character in Law's "Mouse." She's like a combination of Philip Marlowe and Tank Girl. (Her nickname is courtesy of her dual-poof hairstyle, which is reminiscent of Mickey Mouse ears.) Both detective and narrator, she's cynical and stoic, but she also genuinely cares about goodness. Even less emotional (and with only a few dozen lines of dialogue), Powers' "Ugly" is a great sidekick. He's the Robin to Mouse's Dark Knight. The movie's mystery story is a little inert, and its themes are a bit familiar, but Jogia's seedy world of burlesque clubs, adult-oriented comic book shops, and crummy apartments is memorably vivid. It's an outsider's world, and part of the drive behind Door Mouse is the outrage over the inequality of it all.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Door Mouse's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
How does the movie depict sex and/or sex work? How is sex valued here?
How are drinking, smoking, and drug use depicted? Are they glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?
Do you consider Mouse and Ugly examples of positive representation, even if they're not always admirable?
Mouse seems to value honor and doing the right thing above everything else. How does she demonstrate this? What mistakes does she make?
Movie Details
- In theaters: January 13, 2023
- On DVD or streaming: January 13, 2023
- Cast: Hayley Law, Keith Powers, Famke Janssen
- Director: Avan Jogia
- Studio: Gravitas Ventures
- Genre: Thriller
- Run time: 101 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: January 26, 2023
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For kids who love mysteries and thrills
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