Common Sense Media Review
By Kat Halstead
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Meandering comedy drama has language, drinking.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Portraits of Dangerous Women
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In PORTRAITS OF DANGEROUS WOMEN, Steph (Jeany Spark) is arguing with her father, when she hits a dog in the road. At the scene of the accident, she discovers that Tina (Tara Fitzgerald) has also hit the same dog, and the person claiming to be the dog's owner, Ashley (Yasmin Monet Prince), is understandably upset. This random event sets in motion burgeoning friendship and changes in all of their lives.
Is It Any Good?
There's something very slight about this comedy drama, even though it's entertaining enough to maintain interest throughout. The title, Portraits of Dangerous Women, promises something a little more impactful than what the film delivers. Dangerous here means more unpredictable and unwilling to fit the mold than it does aggressive or physically threatening. That idea of danger in women would be an interesting subject, but it's just not explored enough to say anything meaningful here. The women have a level of complexity, but everything remains on the surface. They could have grown much closer, shown more vulnerability, learned more, had more surprises under their belts. Instead, everything is just a little underwhelming, albeit intriguingly off-kilter. The acting is solid across the board, and it's easy enough to root for the characters to grow and succeed. But the stakes never feel as high as the concept's potential.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Portraits of Dangerous Women centered three female leads. How were women portrayed in the movie? How did it compare to other films with women in leading roles? Why is on-screen representation important?
What positive traits did the lead characters show? What aspects of themselves did they struggle with? Did any of them learn or change during the movie?
Central to the plot is the idea of strangers connecting. Why do you think this is a popular focus for a movie? Can you think of other films that bring strangers together in unexpected circumstances? How does that help to build tension/conflict?
Discuss the strong language used in the movie. Did it seem necessary, or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?
How was smoking and drinking depicted in the film? Was it glamorized? Why does that matter?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : July 11, 2025
- Cast : Tara Fitzgerald , Jeany Spark , Yasmin Monet Prince
- Director : Pascal Bergamin
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s) , Black British Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Buffalo 8 Distribution
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Friendship
- Run time : 93 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : May 5, 2026
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