Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Graphic violence, sex in dull Jennifer Lawrence thriller.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Red Sparrow
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 19 parent reviews
Based on 14 kid reviews
Kids say the film is a mix of genres, offering drama, suspense, action, and dark themes, but it's overwhelming in terms of graphic content, including nudity and violence. While some viewers appreciated the complexity and strong female lead, others found the plot disappointing and excessive in its brutality and explicit scenes, recommending against it for younger audiences.
- graphic content
- mixed reviews
- strong female lead
- excessive violence
- not for kids
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In RED SPARROW, Dominika Egorova (Jennifer Lawrence) is a star dancer with the Bolshoi Ballet. The company pays for the care for her ailing mother, Nina (Joely Richardson), and for their generous apartment, but when Dominika is injured in a gruesome onstage accident, those perks are suddenly in jeopardy. Dominika's uncle, Vanya Egorov (Matthias Schoenaerts), offers her a chance to become a Sparrow: a secret agent who preys on the desires of political targets. If she agrees, she can continue to care for her mother. So she's sent to a training facility led by a harsh matron (Charlotte Rampling) to learn the ways of seduction. She's then assigned to an American agent, Nate Nash (Joel Edgerton), who's been working with an unknown Russian mole. As things get more complicated and deadly, Nate and Dominika could be falling in love.
Is It Any Good?
Jennifer Lawrence re-teams with her Hunger Games director for this more grown-up attempt at a complex, sexy thriller, but the result is airless, mopey, and dull. Lawrence gets to try on a finely tuned Russian accent, as well as many gorgeous costume, makeup, and hairstyle changes, but although she tries her best, the character never really comes to life. The story is based on a novel by Jason Matthews, and it's structured adequately; Red Sparrow looks and sounds good, but it just fails to find a spark -- and it's far too chilly to be sexy.
It also never generates much suspense; it moves sluggishly and gets more and more tiresome as it trudges through its 139 loooong minutes. Director Francis Lawrence brought this same quality to his massively popular Hunger Games movies -- he helmed the final three in the series of four -- and their brooding quality appealed to teens. But this attempt an an edgier thriller still feels juvenile as it dabbles in excessive amounts of sex and bloodshed; its attempt at stoicism just feels like boredom. Try as it may to unveil twists and surprises, Red Sparrow remains routine -- it only manages to emphasize the "cold" in Cold War.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Red Sparrow's violence. Does it seem intended to thrill or to shock? What's the impact of media violence on kids?
How is sex portrayed in the movie? Is it based on trust? Power? Something else? Parents, talk to your own kids regarding sex and relationships.
Is Dominika a role model? Is she controlled by others, or does she make her own decisions? Are her actions positive or negative?
How are drinking and smoking shown? Do they look cool or glamorous? Are there consequences? Why is that important?
Movie Details
- In theaters : March 2, 2018
- On DVD or streaming : May 22, 2018
- Cast : Jennifer Lawrence , Joel Edgerton , Mary-Louise Parker
- Director : Francis Lawrence
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Twentieth Century Fox
- Genre : Thriller
- Run time : 139 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong violence, torture, sexual content, language and some graphic nudity
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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
Suggest an Update
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