Parents' Guide to Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga

Movie PG-13 2020 123 minutes
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga Poster Image

Common Sense Media Review

Renee Schonfeld By Renee Schonfeld , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 13+

Silly spoof has swearing, comic violence, sexual humor.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 13+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 12+

Based on 19 parent reviews

Parents say that this film is a mixed bag, with many praising its humor and music while others criticize it for excessive adult content and sexual references that may not be suitable for younger audiences. Despite the divisive opinions, it is noted for its family-friendly moments and the appeal of its catchy songs, making it enjoyable for a range of ages, though some believe it misses the mark on humor.

  • family friendly
  • catchy songs
  • mixed opinions
  • adult content
  • humor critique
Summarized with AI

age 12+

Based on 34 kid reviews

Kids say the film is a goofy and over-the-top comedy that appeals especially to fans of the Eurovision Song Contest, though it contains numerous sexual references, mild profanity, and some scary imagery, such as a ghost. While the music and comedic elements are praised, some viewers found parts inappropriate for younger audiences, although many consider it a fun and entertaining watch with a heartwarming story.

  • goofy comedy
  • sexual references
  • enjoyable music
  • family-friendly
  • mixed reactions
Summarized with AI

What's the Story?

The lifetime goal of Lars Erickssong (Will Ferrell) is to participate and win Europe's most important annual singing competition in EUROVISION SONG CONTEST: THE STORY OF FIRE SAGA. Still living at home with his disapproving dad (Pierce Brosnan) in a small town in Iceland, Lars and childhood best friend Sigrit Erickssdottir (Rachel McAdams) have worked for decades to make Fire Saga, their band, a worthy competitor. In Lars' mind, 2020 will be their year to shine. Sigrit's beautiful voice, however, cannot compensate for her partner's limited talent and propensity for messing up. A fluke gets them into Iceland's regional finals. A tragic explosion sends them to Edinburgh, Scotland, as Iceland's entry. Complicating their quest for the championship is Sigrit's longstanding but unspoken love for the clueless Lars, as well as an unsettling connection (for Lars) with Alexander Lemtov (Dan Stevens), a Russian singer with a yen for Sigrit.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 19 ):
Kids say ( 34 ):

The filmmakers and high-spirited cast simply can't sustain more than two hours of comic frenzy along in this sometimes funny but crude spoof. There are some musical highlights (Demi Lovato makes a surprising appearance, and Molly Sanden, voice performer for McAdams, is wonderful). Ferrell's devoted following and fans of over-the-top goofiness will still find much to like, but judicious editing plus a little less of Ferrell's man-child persona and Dan Stevens' sleaziness might have taken Eurovision Song Contest up a notch.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the violence in this movie. Was it meant to be realistic and disturbing, or cartoon-like? How can you tell? What is the impact of different types of media violence on kids?

  • What does the term "predictable" mean when it applies to movies? When did you know how Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga would end? Do you think it's OK for a movie to be predictable if taking the journey with the characters is entertaining or enlightening? Why or why not?

  • Were you aware of the Eurovision Song Contest before you saw the film? If you weren't, did the movie work anyway? What are some of the universal characteristics of talent competitions that evoke humor? Find out more about the famous competition, whose past winners include ABBA (1974) and Celine Dion (1988).

Movie Details

  • On DVD or streaming : June 26, 2020
  • Cast : Will Ferrell , Rachel McAdams , Dan Stevens
  • Director : David Dobkin
  • Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
  • Studio : Netflix
  • Genre : Comedy
  • Topics : Friendship
  • Run time : 123 minutes
  • MPAA rating : PG-13
  • MPAA explanation : crude sexual material, including full nude sculptures, some comic violent images, and language
  • Last updated : January 12, 2026

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