Parents' Guide to

Lemonade Mouth

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Melodic Disney movie has great messages for families.

Movie G 2011 107 minutes
Lemonade Mouth Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 9+

Based on 19 parent reviews

Joshua H.
Joshua H. Parent of 19-year-old
February 29, 2020
age 10+

A cleaner John Hughes movie

This is reminiscent of the John Hughes 80s movies (Ferris Bueller, 16 Candles, etc) without the things that makes those movies inappropriate.
1 person found this helpful.
AngelaF21
AngelaF21 Adult
June 21, 2020
age 10+

Great movie! *Trauma trigger*

Great movie overall and great music ! My kids and I were jamming out. Small warning though - Olivia’s dad is in prison and her mom died or left (I can’t remember which). Very similar to my adopted child’s story. We finished the movie fine, but BOY did we have a rough evening! (Not to mention we watched it on Father’s Day *face palm*). I wish I had seen this warning ahead of time, but nothing was written about this on here. Saving the next family a bit of grief!

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
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What's the Story?

A chance meeting in detention sparks friendship among five high school students, and soon their shared love of music yields Lemonade Mouth, an upstart band whose songs inspire the downtrodden among their peers. Stella (Hayley Kiyoko), Wen (Adam Hicks), Mo (Naomi Scott), Olivia (Bridgit Mendler), and Charlie (Blake Michael) go from seeming nobodies to heroes when they vow to make their voices heard in a school that venerates its athletes at the expense of every other group, including the school's music program. In no time, the unlikely friends garner a loyal following and challenge the school's popular rock band, Mudslide Crush, for top honors, and their own bonds of friendship give them the strength to speak up about tough issues at home as well. But when adversity strikes and it seems their very relationships are in jeopardy, it will take every bit of confidence they have to pull it together for themselves and their fans.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (19):
Kids say (84):

Based on a book of the same name, LEMONADE MOUTH is an uplifting celebration of the human spirit. The teens' refusal to back down to an establishment that discourages students' talents and interests should be inspirational to viewers of any age. The friends identify a problem that has far-reaching consequences, and they set out to fix it in a way that showcases the moving, unifying nature of music and encourages others to take pride in the gifts they have as well.

Families who tune in to this movie are also treated to a laundry list of positive messages they can discuss at its end. Friendship, empowerment, self-esteem, self-confidence, and the courage to stand up for what you believe in are just a few of the gems to be found here, and each is illustrated in a manner that will ring true with your kids. Besides the social themes, there are plenty that relate to family life, and the movie's message about honest communication between parents and kids is impossible to miss. The movie's only sticking point may be its unavoidable ties to its soundtrack, but rest assured that those same happy messages transfer to the songs' lyrics as well.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about rebellion. In what ways do the characters express themselves against adults? Are their actions harmful to anyone? How can rebellion be a good thing? Where's the line between a "good" rebellion and a "bad" one?

  • Kids: Friendship plays a big role in how the characters evolve. Which friendships are your most treasured? What qualities do you seek in a friend? How far does your loyalty to your friends go? What would you not do for them?

  • What are your special talents? How do you hone them? Do you feel that they're appreciated by society? What talents or skills get more recognition? Why is that? How, if at all, does money influence society's value of different talents?

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