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Parents' Guide to

Liza, Liza Skies Are Grey

By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Tender coming-of-age tale has language, drugs, and sex.

Movie NR 2017 86 minutes
Liza, Liza Skies Are Grey Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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What's the Story?

It's 1966, and 15-year-old Liza (Mikey Madison) and 16-year-old Brett (Sean H. Scully) are two sensitive teenagers worrying about the state of the world. His older brother was killed in the Vietnam War, so what will Brett do if he's drafted? And with kids practicing Take Cover drills in school, how does a teenager live day to day knowing the hydrogen bomb could wipe everyone off the planet in an instant? Such questions provide the backdrop to LIZA, LIZA, SKIES ARE GREY. Both teens have troubled families. The two forge a quick bond, perhaps seeking the security and affection absent in their lives. They decide to lose their virginity to each other and plan a motorcycle trip from Los Angeles up the coast to Big Sur, hoping for the nerve and privacy to consummate their relationship. Adventures along the way open their eyes to the unpredictable dangers of the world. In the process, Brett displays decency, responsibility, and protectiveness, and Liza allows herself to understand what it means to be loved.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

There's an overwhelming sweetness and tenderness here that will appeal as much to teens experiencing the usual growing pains as to adults for whom coming-of-age is a distant memory. Mikey Madison and Sean H. Scully in the leads are sympathetic actors delivering earnest performances. What the film does well is re-create the agony and joy of inching toward maturity.

Note that Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey omits any lead-up to the road trip, leaving the audience to wonder throughout if frantic parents are back home calling the police and launching search parties. That tension, underlying every moment of the road trip, remains unresolved until late in the action. Still, there's a lot to enjoy in this tale that celebrates the beauty of young love.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how events of the moment can affect growing up. What are some late 1960s developments that provide the backdrop for Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey? How do they influence decisions made by the characters? What current events do you think are affecting growing up today?

  • Both Liza and Brett come from difficult but economically privileged backgrounds. How did their respective family situations make their bond stronger?

  • Does this story feel as if it was set in the past? Do you think the challenges teens must overcome as they mature have or haven't changed since the 1960s?

Movie Details

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