Want more recommendations for your family?
Sign up for our weekly newsletter for entertainment inspiration
My Louisiana Sky
By Brian Costello,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Sweet coming-of-age movie has mature themes.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
Where to Watch
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
Tiger Ann Parker (Kelsey Keel) is a 12-year-old living in rural Louisiana in the 1950s. Her mentally handicapped parents are loving and sweet, but aren't much help as Tiger Ann begins to grow into womanhood while beginning to feel trapped in her slow-paced country life. But with the arrival of her Aunt Dorie Kay (Juliette Lewis) from Baton Rouge, many changes -- some good, some bad -- begin to happen, culminating in a trip to visit Dorie Kay. It is here, in "the big city," that Tiger Ann gets a glimpse into the adventure and freedom of a life unfettered by small town gossip and the difficulties her parents face. But as Dorie Kay helps Tiger to see the pure love of her parents, when she returns home, she begins to understand and appreciate her unique life and family situation.
Is It Any Good?
MY LOUISIANA SKY is a wonderful coming-of-age movie set in 1950s rural Louisiana. It manages to evoke a time and place while showing the challenges a tween girl faces in having mentally handicapped parents, without resorting to heavy-handedness. Simply put, this is a moving story about a girl's first realizations of a bigger and potentially better world out there as she learns to appreciate what she has.
The slower pace and subject matter will make this one difficult for younger kids, but families with tweens and older will enjoy this simple story of love, understanding, and growth. From Juliette Lewis to a very young Michael Cera, from Amelia Campbell to Chris Owens (who play Tiger Ann's mentally handicapped parents), the acting is neither mawkish nor overblown, but just right. This is the rare coming-of-age movie where all the characters are fully drawn, and the story is well-balanced and evenly-paced, presented without unnecessary fanfare or gimmicks.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about coming-of-age movies. What makes this movie similar to and different from other movies where tweens begin to grow up?
What are some of the ways in which the culture and attitudes of the Deep South of the 1950s is conveyed?
How does this film present the issue of mentally handicapped parents?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: July 9, 2002
- Cast: Juliette Lewis , Kelsey Keel , Michael Cera
- Director: Adam Arkin
- Inclusion Information: Female actors
- Studio: Showtime Ent.
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Book Characters
- Run time: 98 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- Last updated: June 2, 2023
Inclusion information powered by
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate