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Parents' Guide to

Girl, Positive

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Frank, thoughtful look at teen sexuality and HIV.

Movie NR 2010 88 minutes
Girl, Positive Poster Image

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What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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What's the Story?

In GIRL, POSITIVE, an unsuspecting teen faces the reality of HIV. Rachel Sandler (Andrea Bowen of Desperate Housewives) is a popular high school senior with a bright future. But when word spreads in her quiet community that the all-around golden boy at her school (who died in a car accident) was using intravenous drugs, Rachel receives a mysterious email claiming that he was HIV-positive. She realizes she is also at risk since they had a one-night-stand -- and didn't use a condom. The story follows Rachel as she discovers she has HIV; is befriended by her teacher, Sarah Bennett (Jennie Garth of Beverly Hills, 90210), who has been living with the virus for years; and finally confides in her boyfriend, Greg (Evan Gamble), whose shock turns to anger and then blame. As rumors start circulating, Rachel must face the consequences of her bad judgment.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (2 ):

Girl, Positive is an eye-opening look at the image-driven nature of teen life, where sexuality is a big part of popularity. Throughout the movie, one of the students gathers video clips for a school blog; these one-on-one conversations reflect the sense of invincibility and lack of knowledge that many teens have about STDs in general -- and HIV in particular. They talk openly about hooking up with multiple partners, the physical drawbacks of using a condom, and the fact that most of them have never had honest discussions about sex with their parents. The movie works hard to dispel misconceptions about HIV: "It won't happen to me," "That's a disease for gays," and "I had unprotected sex, but only one time."

You may find your teens balking at the idea of watching a movie like this with you, but Girl, Positive is so well done that it's worth the time, and hopefully will generate a frank discussion about the decision to have sex and the importance of protecting yourself.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about teens and sex. Teens: How does this movie compare to your own experiences? Are the characters and subject matter relatable? What parts seemed less realistic?

  • Do you and your friends talk about sex the way the kids in the movie do? Is there pressure to have sex as a teenager? Where does that pressure come from?

  • What messages does the media send about sex and sexuality?

  • Parents can also encourage a frank discussion about sex, STDs, and methods of protection.

Movie Details

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