Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Heartfelt Sondheim musical deals with mature themes.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Merrily We Roll Along
What's the Story?
MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG is a filmed live performance of the Tony-winning 2024 revival of Stephen Sondheim's musical. Told in reverse chronological order, the story opens in the late 1970s at a party hosted by hotshot Hollywood producer Franklin Shepard (Jonathan Groff). His longtime friend, writer Mary Flynn (Lindsay Mendez), drinks her way through the evening while mocking Frank's superficial L.A. crowd. When someone mentions Charley Kringas (Daniel Radcliffe)—Frank's former creative partner and once-best friend—the mood shifts from jubilant to dramatically silent. As the party unravels, the musical rewinds through important moments in the now-estranged trio's friendship, finishing at the hopeful early days when they were ambitious, idealistic 20-somethings.
Is It Any Good?
Musical lovers will be thrilled to see the stage performance of this acclaimed revival, even though movie fans might wish it had been an adaptation. Groff, Radcliffe, and Mendez are all fantastic as the main characters in Merrily We Roll Along, as are supporting performers Krystal Joy Brown as Gussie, Frank's second wife, and Katie Rose Clarke as Beth, his first wife, who memorably sings one of the show's best-known numbers, "Not a Day Goes By." Like the filmed version of Hamilton, this isn't an adaptation. For that, audiences will have to wait for director Richard Linklater's ambitious planned project starring Paul Mescal, Ben Platt, and Beanie Feldstein.
In the meantime, this version proves why Groff, Radcliffe, and director Maria Friedman won Tonys for the production. The top-notch ensemble captures the pathos of Sondheim's bittersweet musical about the cost of fame. Standout numbers include "Old Friends," which explores whether best friends should make demands of one another, and "Franklin Shepard, Inc.," which points out how the composer has disappointingly sold out. The supporting cast shines in the transition sequences, rolling back the years as audiences watch exactly what went down to cause the opening sequence's broken friendships. This is a must-see for Broadway fans who missed the revival's run.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the depiction of the cost of fame in Merrily We Roll Along. Do you think that's accurate to what it's really like? Would that cost be worth it to you?
Which characters do you consider role models, if any? Which character's choices felt most understandable, and which were most disappointing?
How does watching a story told in reverse impact your empathy for and understanding of characters and their relationships?
Talk about the tension between artistic integrity and financial success. What do you think the musical's messages are about that subject?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 5, 2025
- On DVD or streaming : January 20, 2026
- Cast : Jonathan Groff , Daniel Radcliffe , Lindsay Mendez
- Director : Maria Friedman
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Gay Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Sony Pictures Classics
- Genre : Musical
- Topics : Arts ( Music and Sing-Along ) , Friendship
- Run time : 150 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : drug use, some strong language, and smoking
- Last updated : December 4, 2025
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