Common Sense Media Review
By S. Jhoanna Robledo
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Earnest, illuminating documentary about women and the media.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Miss Representation
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 11 parent reviews
Parents say this film sparks essential discussions about the representation and objectification of women in media but has received mixed responses regarding its appropriateness for younger viewers. While some praise its empowering message for teenagers, others criticize its explicit content and perceived political bias, cautioning that it may not be suitable for children and expressing anger over its availability in schools.
- media literacy
- mixed responses
- inappropriate content
- age concerns
- political bias
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 3 kid 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
- On DVD or streaming : April 10, 2012
- Cast : Geena Davis , Jane Fonda , Margaret Cho
- Director : Jennifer Siebel Newsom
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Bisexual Movie Actor(s) , Asian Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Girls' Club Entertainment
- Genre : Documentary
- Run time : 85 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
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