Common Sense Media Review
By Monique Jones
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Steamy sports romance has sex, swearing, violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Perfect Addiction
What's the Story?
PERFECT ADDICTION brings romantic drama to the boxing ring. Sienna (Kiana Madeira) is a boxer/trainer who falls in love with her first "project," Jax (Matthew Noszka). After Jax cheats on Sienna with her sister, Beth (Bree Winslow), Sienna takes on another emerging fighter, Hayden (Ross Butler), to beat Jax in the ring for revenge. But as she and Hayden build a relationship outside of the ring, Sienna's plans get complicated.
Is It Any Good?
Some might look down on this surprisingly fun sports romance because it was adapted from a racy, self-published Wattpad story. But Perfect Addiction actually holds its own against more "traditional" romantic films -- and in some ways surpasses them because it brings people of color to the forefront as romantic leads. Perfect Addiction offers a great counterpoint to the false perception that leads of color, especially Asian male leads, can't be seen as desirable.
Yes, there are steamy sex scenes -- more than you might expect if you aren't familiar with Wattpad's typical story style. But the scenes do support the overall story (and, thankfully, safe sex is shown, with the crinkle of a condom wrapper in a scene). The film also doesn't really characterize Sienna's ex, Jax, as a manipulative, gaslighting abuser as well as it could have. But overall, Perfect Addiction is a fun film that provides some surprising life lessons alongside the love scenes.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about perseverance as a theme in Perfect Addiction. How do Sienna and Hayden demonstrate perseverance during training?
Did you notice positive diverse representations in the movie? Why is that important?
What secrets is Hayden hiding? How do those secrets hinder him in relationships?
What does Sienna learn about forgiveness, particularly in regards to her sister?
Movie Details
- In theaters : March 27, 2023
- On DVD or streaming : June 13, 2023
- Cast : Kiana Madeira , Ross Butler , Matthew Noszka , Manu Bennett
- Director : Castille Landon
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Multiracial Movie Actor(s) , Asian Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : DECAL
- Genre : Romance
- Character Strengths : Perseverance
- Run time : 96 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : sexual content and language
- Last updated : May 30, 2023
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