Common Sense Media Review
By Andrea Beach
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Quirky coming-of-age tale about teen with synesthesia.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Magnetosphere
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
MAGNETOSPHERE is the story of 13-year-old Maggie (Shayelin Martin), who recently moved with her family to a new town in Ontario. As if dealing with a new school and trying to fit in weren't enough, she starts to notice that she sees strange things when she hears sounds, and hears strange things when she notices colors. Thinking there's something wrong with her, and wanting to fit in most of all, Maggie tries to hide what's going on, until one of her teachers suspects she has synesthesia and recommends consulting with a neurologist. Meanwhile, Maggie is navigating life's ups and downs, like her first love, and being someone else's first love. Through all this, can Maggie learn to accept herself and see herself as others see her?
Is It Any Good?
This is a quirky, gentle coming-of-age story that will foster empathy and understanding of neurodivergence, especially synesthesia. In Maggie (Shayelin Martin), Magnetosphere shows a character who's easy for tweens and teens to relate to as she struggles with school, friends, love, and wanting to fit in.
She's surrounded by eccentric adults whose activities, like Gil (Colin Mochrie), who tries to get rid of rats, and her father (Patrick McKenna), who's directing a musical for the local community theater, sometimes seem like part of a different movie, or like they were added to pad the movie out for length. The acting varies in quality, but the way Maggie's synesthesia is portrayed on screen is innovative and colorful.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how having synesthesia is portrayed in Magnetosphere. Did you know much about it before you saw this movie? Did it change what you think about people who are neurodivergent?
How do Wendy and Travis show compassion for Maggie, and how does that help her?
Which characters work well together as a team?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 8, 2024
- On DVD or streaming : July 22, 2025
- Cast : Shayelin Martin , Steven He , Mikayla Kong
- Director : Nicola Rose
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s)
- Studio : Freestyle Digital Media
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Family Stories , Friendship , STEM ( Science ) , Space
- Character Strengths : Communication , Compassion , Teamwork
- Run time : 89 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 6, 2025
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