Common Sense Media Review
Docu about Brazilian star with language, sex, and drinking.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
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Larissa: The Other Side of Anitta
What's the Story?
In LARISSA: THE OTHER SIDE OF ANITTA, global sensation Anitta shares an intimate look into her life behind the glitter and glory of the stage. Using rare footage of her childhood, as well as never-before-seen footage of her rehearsals for Coachella and other major events, directors Pedro Cantelmo and João Wainer paint a rare portrait of a superstar at her most private.
Is It Any Good?
While documentaries deal in alleged objectivity and often demand distance between the subject and filmmaker, this film about Brazilian superstar Anitta breaks the rule. It delivers a beautiful portrait of a superstar learning to compromise between her celebrity self and who she is to those close to her. Director Pedro Cantelmo was personally recruited by Anitta for Larissa: The Other Side of Anitta, in which he and co-director João Wainer gain access to her at her most private.
Cantelmo, her childhood sweetheart, captures Larissa, the quiet, often insecure young girl hiding behind the glitter and dazzle of Anitta, the first Brazilian music superstar of the 21st century. Through her confessional moments, we meet a young woman trying her best to make her family and culture proud of her achievements. We see her go in and out of a performance that should help younger viewers understand that fame requires constant work and demands that a high price be paid by those who encounter it. The film doesn't condemn celebrity culture, but it allows for something more rare and important in our social media-filled society: a reminder of the humanity within every single one of us.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Anitta shows courage and perseverance in her career. How is she making her family proud? How is she celebrating her culture through her work?
How do Larissa and Anitta differ in their behavior? What questions would you ask each of them?
Do you think a celebrity can be themselves with a camera filming all their moves? Why, or why not?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : March 6, 2025
- Cast : Anitta , Snoop Dogg , Thalía
- Directors : Pedro Cantelmo , João Wainer
- Inclusion Information : Latino Movie Director(s) , South American Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Latino Movie Actor(s) , South American Movie Actor(s) , Mexican Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Documentary
- Character Strengths : Courage , Perseverance
- Run time : 100 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : March 16, 2025
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