Parents' Guide to

Maps to the Stars

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 18+

Dark send-up of Hollywood mixes wit with abuse, dysfunction.

Movie R 2015 112 minutes
Maps to the Stars Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 18+

Based on 2 parent reviews

doctora
doctora Parent of 5-year-old
June 5, 2022
age 18+

Who am I to argue with Cronenberg?

An exceptional film. Cronenberg nails the cynicism, the isolation, the lack of limits, the abundance of money and scarcity of love, and the strangeness of too much money on random people who think they are innately special. Every performer is tailor perfect and convincing in their portrayal. The ending still feels a bit forced for my taste but who am I to argue with Cronenberg.
Salem P.
Salem P. Adult
August 3, 2016
age 17+

Breaking bad

This show is as the title say bad

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much consumerism
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

A limo driver (Robert Pattinson) picks up a fare, and MAPS TO THE STARS is set in motion. The passenger is Agatha (Mia Wasikowska), a mysterious young woman with many visible burn scars; she name-drops a connection to Carrie Fisher and hints at a back story over a burnt lot. Meanwhile, a movie star battling the pressures of aging (Julianne Moore) craves a role her mother originated -- never mind that she has her own troubled history with her and her memory. And a young actor, Benjie (Evan Bird), is fresh out of rehab but can't manage his demons, some of which actually may be ghostly, and his mother (Olivia Williams) is as stagey and unstable as they come. Even his father (John Cusack), a self-help guru, appears to be skating on the edge of stability.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (2):
Kids say: Not yet rated

David Cronenberg's film is as dark as they come, and the positives don't balance the odious parts of human nature he unearths with stylish detachment. Strong performances buoy MAPS TO THE STARS somewhat, particularly the dependably brilliant Moore, the revelatory Bird, and the powerhouse Wasikowska, who imbues a character who's frankly hard to embrace with some pathos and humanity.

Here's the rub: While the film serves up a witty and cutting examination of the spoils of fame and a celebrity-hungry Los Angeles, the dysfunctions it unearths are so extreme -- all of them -- as to seem alien. So alien that viewers may not care, nor have the patience to sift through the grit and doom.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the impact of the violence in Maps to the Stars. Is it more or less upsetting than what you might see in a horror movie? Why do you think that is? Is all of it necessary to tell the story?

  • Why do you think most of the characters are so extreme in some form? What is the filmmaker trying to impart through these characters?

  • What role does sex play in the movie? Is it loving or something else? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.

Movie Details

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