Parents' Guide to

Good Newwz

By Kat Halstead, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Slick Bollywood comedy about IVF has adult themes.

Movie NR 2019 132 minutes
Good Newwz Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

See all

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

What's the Story?

In GOOD NEWWZ, sophisticated career couple Deepti Batra (Kareena Kapoor) and her husband, Varun (Akshay Kumar), visit an IVF clinic after struggling to have a family. But they soon discover that Varun's sample has been mixed up with the sample from a man with the same surname. Now Deepti is pregnant with the biological child of Honey Batra (Diljit Dosanjh), and his wife, Monika (Kiara Advani), is pregnant with Varun's child. Polar opposites in every way, the two couples must decide whether to keep the babies and, if they have their children, whether to incorporate the biological fathers into their lives. Honey and Monika go all out to become friends with their fellow Batras, moving into the same building and smothering the other couple. But Varun and Deepti want them to sign a contract to stay out of their lives for good. Can they come to an agreement for the sake of their children, or is it bad news for a happily ever after?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (1):

From the camera panning across the Mumbai cityscape scored by contemporary music to the odd couple dynamics and the juvenile sex jokes, this is a modern romcom with universal appeal. Bolstered by Bollywood stars Kumar and Kapoor, and with equally strong performances from Dosanjh and Advani, the slick, farcical comedy keeps up the pace from start to finish. The characters are familiar. Kumar and Kapoor are the stylish city workaholics who have become completely disconnected from those outside their high-flying lifestyle. Meanwhile Dosanjh and Advani get to have a little more fun with their larger-than-life Punjabi characters, whose incorrect use of English brings the other Batras great amusement.

Tracking the pregnancies side by side, Good Newwz offers a poignant disparity between the way the couples communicate, entering well-trodden territory about priorities and what's important in life. This allows for some heartwarming and tear-jerking scenes -- particularly toward the end of the movie. Physical gags are as well executed as one-liners, and energy resonates from all four main actors. Supporting characters are equally well drawn, particularly IVF doctors Anand and Sandhya Joshi (Adil Hussain and Tisca Chopra). The two main song and dance numbers are vibrant, colorful, and full of personality, which perfectly sums up this Bollywood hit.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Good Newwz's attitude toward sex. What does it mean for the characters involved? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.

  • Discuss the movie's humor. What made you laugh? Can you think of any Hollywood movies with a similar sense of humor?

  • What does the movie say about the nature of family? What are some of the different -- and sometimes unconventional -- structures that make up modern families?

  • The character of Varun goes on the biggest journey. How does he change from the start of the movie to the end?

  • Which couple do you think are happier and why?

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 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