Common Sense Media Review
By Betsy Bozdech
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Wrenching doc about underage sex trafficking, legal battles.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
I Am Jane Doe
What's the Story?
I AM JANE DOE introduces viewers to young women who, as teenagers, found themselves caught up in the sordid world of underage sex trafficking. Recruited by pimps who know exactly how to prey on vulnerable, self-loathing girls who've run away or simply feel alone and alienated, the victims of this appalling abuse are frequently featured in explicit online ads. A website called Backpage.com is specifically called out as the primary online peddler of this kind of solicitation. Narrated by Jessica Chastain, the film describes the horrible things that most sex-trafficking victims experience -- rape, drug addiction, inability to escape -- but also spends a lot of time detailing the lengthy legal battles mounted by the victims and their families against Backpage and its owners/leadership.
Is It Any Good?
If you've ever been a teenage girl, know any teenage girls, or have a daughter who will become a teenage girl (so, basically everyone), this wrenching film is going to leave you fighting mad. It feels unconscionable that online companies can get away with facilitating abuse and prostitution by claiming that they're not liable for third-party content. But First Amendment issues do come into play, which just ups the frustration level; it flat out isn't right that defending these practices falls under the wide umbrella of protecting "free speech." And then there's the gut punch of a montage of young girls and women repeating the film's title: "I am Jane Doe," they all say, and you can't help but imagine them in the explicit, degrading positions featured in so many Backpage.com. It's horrifying.
I Am Jane Doe's focus on the long, complicated legal fight mounted by the featured trafficking victims and their families offers an eye-opening, discouraging look at the dark corners of both boardrooms and courtrooms. But all the appeals and hearings can be hard to follow, and ultimately those portions of the film don't have the same emotional impact as the stories of the girls themselves. Still, the film sheds light on a terrible situation that demands justice -- here's hoping that it helps keep more girls safe.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the issues raised in I Am Jane Doe. Did you know about underage sex trafficking before watching the movie? What do you think might help prevent it from happening to other girls?
Backpage.com's role in advertising sex services plays a key part in the film -- as does their legal protection from being liable for third-party content. Do you agree with that law? How does it relate to the First Amendment? Do you think of this as a free-speech issue?
Why do you think the victims were bullied after they tried to resume their regular lives?
Movie Details
- In theaters : February 10, 2017
- On DVD or streaming : May 26, 2017
- Cast : Jessica Chastain
- Director : Mary Mazzio
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : 50 Eggs Films
- Genre : Documentary
- Character Strengths : Perseverance
- Run time : 98 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 20, 2019
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