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Parents' Guide to

Miss Sloane

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Engaging but uneven political drama has mature content.

Movie R 2016 132 minutes
Miss Sloane Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 16+

Based on 4 parent reviews

Natalia A.
Natalia A. Adult
May 31, 2022
age 13+

One of the best political thrillers I have ever seen. A must watch.

This is one of the best political thrillers I have ever seen. The acting, the script, the dialogue, plot twists... astounding. Jessica Chastain performance in this movie is phenomenal. The topics in this movie are mature and wouldn't interest most kids under 13 years of age. In terms of content, there is swearing, social drinking, and one love scene. Not much in terms of violence except for one character being shot. This movie has great educational value. Elizabeth is smart, driven, ruthless, and callous. She portrays a strong woman role model. She's good at what she does and is capable of assessing herself honestly and attempting to remedy an injustice. A must watch court/legal thriller. 5/5 13+

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
BrigidArmbrust
BrigidArmbrust Adult
October 3, 2020
age 15+
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Lobbyist Elizabeth Sloane (Jessica Chastain) didn't get where she is -- courted by clients and feared by opponents -- by being shy, retiring, or easily defeated: MISS SLOANE aims to win. That's what motivates her the most. But then Elizabeth decides to leave an established firm and join an upstart outfit fighting for gun control laws, an issue for which she was previously recruited to fight by pro-gun politicians. This makes her no longer the hunter, but the hunted. Her enemies won't rest till she loses and is humiliated, possibly even in jail. Who will prevail?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4 ):
Kids say (3 ):

Chastain is singularly responsible for elevating this film from a just-OK political drama/thriller to a compelling one. She expresses so much with just a quiver of her eyelid or a deep breath. When she's onscreen, you can hardly take your eyes off her. Never mind that sometimes the wonky dialogue gets so dense that you need a weed-whacker to get through it, or the scene plotting so circuitous that you really could use a map.

These complaints aside, Miss Sloane is supremely watchable, albeit confusing in parts. The strong ensemble helps, led by the confident Mark Strong as Elizabeth's boss and Gugu Mbatha-Raw as a new colleague with something to hide. And in the end, the story feels urgent, relevant, and, yes, necessary.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Miss Sloane depicts the business of lobbying. Is there any benefit to it? Do you think it's portrayed honestly/fairly?

  • Is Elizabeth Sloane a hero or an anti-hero? What's the difference? If her character was a man, do you think he'd be under the same microscopic scrutiny?

  • Parents, talk to teens about Elizabeth's dependence on pills. Does the movie glamorize her substance use?

  • What role does sex play in the story?

Movie Details

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