Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Green
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Coming-of-age tale remains hopeful despite heavy themes.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Little Wing
What's the Story?
Kaitlyn McKay (Brooklynn Prince) is depressed in LITTLE WING. Her parents are getting divorced, and her mom (Kelly Reilly) might have to sell their childhood home. Kaitlyn has lost interest in school, and her brother (Simon Khan) barely talks anymore. When a family friend gifts her two pigeons and best friend Adam (Che Tafari) discovers that some racing pigeons are worth a lot of money, Kaitlyn hatches a plan to steal a valuable bird to pay off her mom's mortgage. The plot sends Kaitlyn, Adam, and her family into the world of pigeon racing, and she and the owner of the valuable bird, Jaan Vari (Brian Cox), begin a complicated friendship.
Is It Any Good?
Featuring powerful performances and an emotional storyline matched by a moody setting, this is a film that can connect with a lot of different age groups. Brian Cox (Succession) and Kelly Reilly (Yellowstone) lead the adult cast in Little Wing, but the star is really 13-year-old Brooklynn Prince (The Florida Project). Prince is present in just about every scene, and we experience the film through her. It's a testimony to her sincerity as an actor, and the writing and directing, that the film strikes very few false notes in constructing the life of a depressed teen. Cox is also fantastic at conveying tenderness beneath the gruff. This isn't always an easy movie to watch, but it's a poignant tale that is well told and pays off.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Kaitlyn's emotional state in Little Wing. In what ways is she like the pigeons? What seems to help turn her (and her brother's) feelings around?
What did you take away about the setting of Portland, Oregon? It provides the background but isn't discussed much. What other films have been set in Portland? How could you find that out?
What would you say are the main messages of this film?
Kaitlyn's mother admits that eighth grade "sucks," and Kaitlyn seems to find school similar to a prison or cage. Does this fit with your feelings about school? Why, or why not?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : March 13, 2024
- Cast : Brooklynn Prince , Brian Cox , Kelly Reilly
- Director : Dean Israelite
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Paramount+
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship , School ( Middle School )
- Run time : 100 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : thematic elements including suicide, brief strong language and suggestive material
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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