Father and child sit together smiling while looking at a smart phone.

Want more recommendations for your family?

Sign up for our weekly newsletter for entertainment inspiration

Parents' Guide to

Going to the Mat

By Alistair Lawrence, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Sports drama has positive representations; some bullying.

Movie G 2004 92 minutes
Going to the Mat Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

  • Going to the Mat Movie: Scene #1
  • Going to the Mat Movie: Scene #2
  • Going to the Mat Movie: Scene #3

Community Reviews

See all

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

GOING TO THE MAT follows Jace Newfield (Andrew Lawrence) a talented, but flawed, blind teenager, as he adjusts to life in a new city and a new school. Jace must overcome a series of obstacles that begins with him getting off on the wrong foot with many of his new classmates because of his rudeness and snobbery. But when he joins the wrestling team to test himself and to try to fit in, it provides a new personal and sporting challenge for him to conquer.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Despite its labored dialogue and limited budget, this movie does a decent job of portraying what it's like to live as a blind teenager and the difficult journey through adolescence. Going to the Mat also addresses the issue of being uprooted from your hometown and having to start again in a different part of the country. The plot has a few contrivances and holes -- Jace bears a grudge against the other wrestlers only after he's provoked them for no reason -- and the script hammers home plenty of points about why Jace is treated differently because of his blindness. The action sequences are similarly stilted, but serve the plot.

Despite all that, the main characters are well drawn. Jace, Fly (Khleo Thomas) and other students have moments where they talk about their struggles and insecurities, and learn that they must be honest and work together in order to deal with them. They also learn the value of listening to parents and teachers who have their best interests at heart.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Jace's blindness is portrayed in Going to the Mat. Do you think it was a positive portrayal of someone who has a disability? Do you know anyone who is blind? How do you think their life must differ from yours? Discuss other movies with characters who have physical disabilities.

  • Talk about the bullying in the movie. Why do you think Jace's new classmates pick on him? How does Jace turn the situation around? What are the effects of bullying? Have you witnessed or experienced bullying? How did it make you feel?

  • Set in the mid-2000s, there are none of the modern technologies to help Jace stay in touch with the friends he leaves in New York. How would things be different today?

Movie Details

Inclusion information powered by

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate