Parents' Guide to

Mainstream

By Tara McNamara, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Nudity, drinking, profanity in loud influencer satire.

Movie R 2021 94 minutes
Mainstream Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

age 15+

Based on 3 parent reviews

age 13+

13+

This movie was OK. I think it’s similar to other Netflix movies I’ve seen with my daughter in the past. There’s nothing too bad about this movie I think 13+ is an appropriate age rating.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
age 14+

Pretty good movie

I think this movie was very good, and there were some gray actors in it. I watch this with my younger daughter, who is 13 and I think it was fine for her. It’s just one of those teen movies that have sort of the same concept. Overall, I think it was fine for her.

This title has:

Educational value

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3):
Kids say (2):

Gia Coppola's sophomore feature effort is a memorable, jarring satire that could help teens think critically about the personalities who influence their actions, attitudes, and self-worth. It starts when Link, a handsome stranger with a big personality, jumps into the frame of wannabe filmmaker Frankie's recording and creates something unexpected. Inevitably, the video racks up views on YouTube. Who wouldn't want to seize the moment to see where the self-generated streaming content train takes them? Link is a modern-day prophet of sorts, and he, Frankie, and Jake start with a vision to create art that offers commentary about how smartphones are taking away people's connectedness and mental acuity. But with success, they become the very thing they're parodying. This offers a valuable media literacy lesson for the modern age, but the delivery -- while creative -- isn't likely to shake the hold that actual YouTube and other social media platforms have on teens.

As an actor, Garfield is so likable that it catches you off-guard when he wholly transforms into Link, an authentically outrageous and obnoxious YouTuber. There's not a drop of Peter Parker or Eduardo Saverin in this wild performance, and it gets harder and harder to see the actor inside the outlandish character. Instead, it's easier and easier to see provocateurs like Jake Paul (who cameos without irony). Link's antics aren't outside the realm of believability, particularly in the unregulated wilds of the internet. But in following content creators who criticize people's unhealthy dependence on digital platforms, Coppola misses exposing the sloppy, opportunistic motivations of influencers who abuse their viewers' trust and loyalty for personal profit. Teens may be put off by a film that preaches to rather than speaks with them, but the seeds of skepticism about influencer culture will likely germinate.

Movie Details

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