Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Green
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Teens swear and drink in quirky coming-of-age dramedy.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Mustache
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In MUSTACHE, Pakistani American teenager Ilyas (Atharv Verma) is forced out of his sheltered Islamic private school and into a public high school in 1990s California. It doesn't help that he's had a mustache since he was 10 that his parents won't let him shave. Obedient to them, and to religious and cultural rules that prohibit him from having a girlfriend, he enters high school awkward, shy, and friendless. He hatches a plan to get his parents to send him back to private school. But when he wanders into a drama class taught by Miss Martin (Alicia Silverstone), things might just change for him. He'll need to make friends, but also learn to accept himself (and his mustache).
Is It Any Good?
This film takes a beat to settle into its sometimes-overbearing voiceover (by the 13-year-old main character), but once the story picks up, you discover a heartfelt and original coming-of-age dramedy. Mustache is many things—high school comedy, family drama, and a cross-cultural story about the double lives immigrants and their children sometimes lead. For Ilyas and other kids, the double life can involve adhering to cultural rules that conflict with their adopted culture. But older characters are also shown to be hiding parts of their private lives in public, something all viewers can probably relate to. The film's celebration of the creative process is also uplifting and provides for both poignant and comedic moments.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the portrayal in Mustache of kids raised in the US by immigrant parents. What rings true? Do you or anyone you know have this experience? What do you think are challenges and benefits to having two cultures and languages?
Did you notice any stereotypes? How did they make you feel? Why are accurate depictions in the media important?
Which characters, if any, do you consider role models? Why?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : July 31, 2026
- Cast : Atharv Verma , Rizwan Manji , Alicia Silverstone
- Director : Imran J. Khan
- Studio : Quiver
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Family Stories ( Dads , Moms , Siblings ) , Friendship , School ( High School )
- Run time : 83 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : July 30, 2026
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