Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Aliens, sex, and punk in offbeat potential cult classic.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
How to Talk to Girls at Parties
What's the Story?
In HOW TO TALK TO GIRLS AT PARTIES, it's 1977 in the South of London, and young punks Enn (Alex Sharp), Vic (A.J. Lewis), and John (Ethan Lawrence) are headed to a party. Vic has no trouble talking to girls, and he tries to convince the slightly more reticent Enn to be more outgoing. Although they ultimately end up at the wrong party, they decide to stay. The people there are unusual, perhaps even alien, listening to strange music and dancing strange dances. Vic has a very unsettling encounter that upsets him greatly, but Enn meets the pretty Zan (Elle Fanning). Even though it seems to upset her people, Zan leaves with Enn, full of curiosity about his life and his world. They meet punk godmother Queen Boadicea (Nicole Kidman) and attend -- and perform at -- a punk show. But eventually Zan must make a tough decision.
Is It Any Good?
This punk sci-fi movie suffers a bit from stretching a short story to feature length, and it sometimes has a queasy quality, but otherwise it has everything it needs to become a cult classic. Based on a wonderful 2006 short story by Neil Gaiman, How to Talk to Girls at Parties is quite different from other works based on Gaiman stories (including MirrorMask, Stardust, and Coraline) in that it's more mature -- and much weirder. But when it focuses on Enn as a regular, confused kid who's trying to figure things out through art and music, it sparks to life.
Director John Cameron Mitchell, who made the now-cult-classic Hedwig and the Angry Inch, brings his unique, experimental touches to the movie, with unusual rock-'n'-roll fantasy sequences and more offbeat sexuality. The through line of the longer, main story doesn't always click -- it sometimes lacks drive -- but the wild, bizarre images that support it are always fascinating, from the aliens' costumes and odd grasp of language to the breathless world of punk rock music. Sometimes these scenes can make you feel a bit trippy, but -- like somewhat similar cult classics The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Repo Man, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and Hedwig itself -- it's all in the name of thinking outside the box.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how How to Talk to Girls at Parties portrays sex. Is it meant to be exciting? How much is shown, and how much is implied?
How much violence is shown? How is violence associated with punk rock music?
How is drinking depicted? Is teen drinking glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?
Movie Details
- In theaters : May 25, 2018
- On DVD or streaming : August 14, 2018
- Cast : Elle Fanning , Alex Sharp , Nicole Kidman
- Director : John Cameron Mitchell
- Inclusion Information : Gay Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : A24
- Genre : Science Fiction
- Topics : Book Characters
- Run time : 102 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : language throughout, sexual content, some drug use and nudity
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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
Suggest an Update
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