Parents' Guide to Goldfish

Movie NR 2023 103 minutes
Goldfish movie poster: The headshots of a young Asian woman and her mother as a goldfish swims by on a beige background.

Common Sense Media Review

Sakhi Thirani By Sakhi Thirani , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 14+

Intimate drama on mother-daughter dynamics and dementia.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 14+?

Any Positive Content?

  • Goldfish Trailer
  • Goldfish: An Asian mother comforts her daughter who is lying in bed.
  • Goldfish: A young Asian woman and her mother talk in the street.
  • Goldfish: A young Asian woman sits pensively by a window.

Parent and Kid Reviews

See all

What's the Story?

In GOLDFISH, Anamika (Kalki Koechlin) returns to her childhood home when her mother, Sadhana (Deepti Naval), is diagnosed with dementia. With the help of her supportive neighborhood, Anamika tries to come to terms with the ghosts of her past and reconcile with her mother.

Is It Any Good?

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

This delicate drama, directed by Pushan Kripalani, deals with love, loss, and loneliness in a beautifully bittersweet manner. Set in London during the early COVID-19 lockdowns, Goldfish brings together one character's sense of alienation due to her past, with her own mother's struggles with dementia. When Anamika tries to rekindle a relationship with her mother, Sadhana, there are bitter fights, lost words, and the customary "tea at four." It's a gentle, soft, and warm film that encompasses the fragilities between remembering and forgetting. Koechlin and Naval come together beautifully on-screen and represent the complexities within a mother-daughter relationship wonderfully. The result is a tender tale of togetherness overcoming loneliness and isolation.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how dementia was represented in Goldfish. How did it impact the characters and the relationships between them? Do you think the film handled this illness sensitively? Why, or why not?

  • Communication, compassion, and empathy are shown within the film. Why are these such important character strengths? Can you think of a time when you've shown these traits?

  • Discuss the language used in the movie. Did it seem necessary, or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?

  • How were drinking, smoking, and drug use portrayed in the film? What are some of the real-life consequences of such acts?

  • Talk about how the film dealt with themes of loss, death, and pain. How did the neighborhood support one another during such difficult times? Why is a sense of community important?

Movie Details

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

Goldfish movie poster: The headshots of a young Asian woman and her mother as a goldfish swims by on a beige background.

What to Watch Next

See all

Best Family Drama Movies

See all

Mother-Daughter Movie Night

See all recommended movie lists

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