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Parents' Guide to

Jem and the Holograms

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 9+

Strong messages can't save otherwise so-so adaptation.

Movie PG 2015 118 minutes
Jem and the Holograms Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 11+

Based on 10 parent reviews

SelectiveAudience
SelectiveAudience Adult
June 3, 2016
age 12+

Frustrating!

I am really frustrated after watching this movie with my two daughters (7 and 10). I am frustrated with the movie, but MOSTLY with this common sense review. It does not list in the "language" section that the word "bad@$$" is used frequently in the movie. That's rather relevant information that was left out! I usually preview movies, but this sounded safe enough. I don't know if I can trust this website anymore. The movie had quite a bit of language. My girls loved the catchy music and the messages about family, but I was really disappointed that I was blindsided by the content. Thanks for nothing, common sense media!

This title has:

Too much swearing
1 person found this helpful.
Cake7914
Cake7914 Adult
October 6, 2019
age 17+

Don't Bother

As a fan... characters and their roles are completely altered. The only black girl in the original tv series is cast as a girl who's race is unidentifiable and therefore not obviously African American, which was important to black girls growing up watching Jem in the 80's. It was one of the features that stirred my interest in the show. I felt proud to see a girl that looked like me represented in American culture. Unlike the message the movie tried to convey, it seemed the film was too afraid to just be itself, and took the less threatening route of casting a girl that appeared to be in between white and non- white? Overall, the message was to venture out, be true to yourself and your dreams, and the girls in Jem's band were portrayed innocently, mostly, and with good hearts and intentions. Some sexual overtones, and adult language or behaviours

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 10 parent reviews

What's the Story?

JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS is a live-action modernization of the popular late '80s cartoon. In the movie, orphaned Jerrica Benson (Aubrey Peeples) lives with her social media-obsessed sister, Kimber (Stefanie Scott); their aunt, Bailey (Molly Ringwald); and Bailey's foster daughters, Aja (Hayley Kiyoko) and Shana (Aurora Perrineau). After Kimber convinces her sisters to raid Aunt Bailey's garage for costumes, Jerrica eventually loosens up enough to record one of her own songs while wearing a pink wig and heavy makeup. Kimber secretly uploads the video to YouTube, calling Jerrica "Jem" (the nickname their father had for her); by the next morning, the song's gone viral, attracting attention from Erica Raymond (Juliette Lewis), the splashy CEO of Starlight Records. Jerrica must balance her newfound fame with Erica's desire for her to go solo, a distracting scavenger hunt to fix Synergy (her father's unfinished robot invention), and a promising relationship with Rio (Ryan Guzman), her record-label handler.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (10 ):
Kids say (10 ):

This adaptation of the popular '80s animated series will likely entertain preteen girls, but Gen-Xers who grew up watching the show will find only a few fleeting tributes to the hit cartoon. Some changes are understandable, but the Jerrica-to-Jem transformation is more Hannah Montana-meets-Justin Bieber-style viral YouTube sensation than anything that resembles the spirit of the TV series. But maybe that's not surprising, given the fact that the movie's director is Jon M. Chu (who directed two Bieber documentaries), and his fellow producer is Bieber's own manager/BFF, Scooter Braun.

On the bright side, the musical performances are strong thanks to Peeples' talent (she also co-stars on Nashville). The songs are catchy girl-empowerment anthems that seem like plausible Katy Perry or Taylor Swift-style hits. And Lewis' egomaniacal record producer is hilariously shallow; the actor obviously relishes playing a Machiavellian executive. The sisters don't have much to do except look pretty and act supportive or surprised, while -- as the obvious love interest -- Guzman (last seen as JLo's young lover-turned-stalker in The Boy Next Door) is attractive in a way that's not too intense for the not-quite-teen set. Oh, and original Jem devotees should stick around through the end credits for a "reward" scene that's obviously just for fans of the cartoon.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Jem and the Holograms depicts fame, especially viral Internet/YouTube fame. Why does Jem have trouble adjusting to her whirlwind celebrity? Do you think artists/performers have to make concessions for their fame?

  • What role does social media play in the movie? How does that compare to how kids and their friends use it in real life? What are the basic social media rules for kids?

  • Talk about the enduring popularity of movies based on TV shows. Does Jem and the Holograms live up to nostalgic expectations? Does that matter? What audience do you think its trying to appeal to: today's kids or grown-ups who loved the cartoon?

  • Those familiar with the original show -- how does the movie adaptation compare? What parts of the show translated well, and what parts do you miss?

Movie Details

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