
Misbehaviour
By Stefan Pape,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Uplifting tale of women fighting for gender equality.

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Misbehaviour
Community Reviews
Based on 2 parent reviews
Powerful movie, great for mature kids
Great!
What's the Story?
Set in 1970, in MISBEHAVIOUR, Sally Alexander (Keira Knightley) befriends renegade student Jo Robinson (Jessie Buckley) as they fight for equality between genders. Despite their approaches being different -- Sally being more conservative -- they join forces to make a public stand at the Miss World beauty competition in London. With Bob Hope (Greg Kinnear) hosting, they see an opportunity to protest on live television. But they must also make it clear to the contestants, such as Grenada's Jennifer Hosten (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) that their fight is against the concept of judging women on their bodies, rather than attacking the girls themselves.
Is It Any Good?
This movie enters sensitive and interesting territory that is delicately tackled, and creates a nuanced and layered drama. Knightley and Mbatha-Raw impress, and while the movie can be accused of being quite cliche at times, it's enriched by a strong, and sadly still relevant storyline.
Misbehaviour follows in a long line of uplifting British dramas, in the same vein as Made in Dagenham and Suffragette, though perhaps just abides by convention a little too much. It's a fascinating story for director Philippa Lowthorpe to untangle, because the issue is a complex one. Naturally we side with the female protestors, risking everything to help create a fairer society. But is the Miss World event the right place to start? Contestant Jennifer Hosten (Mbatha-Raw) isn't so sure, for she feels any success she may have would inspire young black girls to realize that their beauty is valued, and shouldn't just accept what they see in movies and magazines.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the gender equality in Misbehaviour. Discuss the history of women's rights. Is it surprising that women were forced into acting in such a way? What other examples from history are there of women fighting for a fairer society? How important is it that there is more equality in the world?
Discuss some of the character strengths displayed. Why are courage, integrity, perseverance, and teamwork such good traits to have?
Were the protestors right to choose Miss World because of what it represents? Or was that competition important in proving that beauty is diverse and global?
Talk about the power of protesting. What do you feel passionately about or would like to change? How is the likes of Greta Thunberg an inspiration?
Movie Details
- In theaters: March 13, 2020
- On DVD or streaming: September 25, 2020
- Cast: Keira Knightley , Gugu Mbatha-Raw , Jessie Buckley
- Director: Philippa Lowthorpe
- Inclusion Information: Female actors, Black actors
- Studio: Shout! Studios
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Activism , Great Girl Role Models
- Character Strengths: Courage , Integrity , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Run time: 106 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: April 4, 2023
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