Miss Representation

Movie review by S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media
Miss Representation Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 14+

Earnest, illuminating documentary about women and the media.

NR 2012 85 minutes
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Parents say

age 16+

Based on 11 reviews

Kids say

age 12+

Based on 3 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

Stands out for .

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this documentary offers a powerful, uncompromising look at how the media trivializes and sexualizes women. It's informative and enlightening and will be a total eye-opener for girls and their mothers. And it could move teens -- both girls and boys -- to re-examine how they absorb the images presented to them. Expect some strong language describing women (including one use of "f--k"), and photos and clips presenting women in sexual (or sexualized) situations, all of which are used to help drive home the movie's message. Note: Common Sense Media's founder/CEO, Jim Steyer, is one of the movie's interviewees.

Community Reviews

doctora
doctora Adult
June 10, 2022
age 12+

Finally...some media literacy!

A documentary that offers a wide breadth of information over the representation of women in media. It offers a media analysis of what can be perceived as upholding patriarchal structures and how this impacts how women are perceived in society. The connection of how women and girls are taught to see themselves and other women around them offers a damning portrait of how we are consistently undercutting ourselves. Necessary viewing for all who consume media, especially the young ones.
JJFin CA
JJFin CA Adult
February 21, 2020
age 16+

Not Good For Viewing Without a Trusted Adult

I agree with the view that women (and girls) have been sexualized by liberal media (movies; streaming; social media). But this documentary grossly misrepresents the Christian Faith and further leads women down the path to unfulfilled, confused, lives and bitterness. I did use it to demonstrate to my strong (and feminine) daughter that character shows true beauty in girls AND boys, not physical characteristics.

This title has:

Too much sex
See all 11 parent reviews

What's the Story?

This documentary by Jennifer Siebel Newsom examines how women are misrepresented -- hence the title -- by the media day in and day out. Drowning in misleading images of women that portray them as valuable primarily for their looks and youth, the film suggests that today's teens may be growing up with a skewed perspective, one that undermines their intelligence and substantive accomplishments. Grounded in Siebel Newsom's own personal experiences, as well as those of others -- young and old, famous and not-so-famous -- MISS REPRESENTATION invites viewers to examine gender bias in what we see, hear, and view at the movies, on TV, and on the Internet.

Is It Any Good?

Bravo to Miss Representation for calling into question the way the media -- TV, movies, the Internet -- trivializes women and paints them in subtle and not-so-subtle ways as sex objects. It's fascinating -- and, honestly, disheartening -- hearing actresses like Daphne Zuniga discuss the pressure to look younger through Botox and plastic surgery, and Jane Fonda talk about getting the message that she's not good enough.

We rarely get such candor, and what the interviewees say will really make you think (for example, one commentator wittily describes morning talk show pairings as grandfather types and their second wives). And it's discomfiting to hear and see clips of admirable, accomplished women being disparaged, usually by men, for how they look. (One radio host calls former Secretary of State Madeline Albright a "fat hag"!) That said, what's revealed here isn't exactly new. Plus, the connections that the film makes by pairing interviews with statistics sometimes seem overemphasized, the dots too neatly connected. Nevertheless, Miss Representation is an absorbing, if sometimes dispiriting, film to watch. Show it to your girls -- and your boys.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how the media shapes our views of women. What messages do you see on TV, in movies, and on the web?

  • How do you think the media's many images of scantily clad women affect the way that young women learn to view themselves?

  • How do you think the ways women are presented in the media has changed in the past several decades?

Movie Details

Our Editors Recommend

For kids who love strong female characters

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