Common Sense Media Review
By Andrea Beach
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Spike Lee's breakout comedy has lots of nudity and sex.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
She's Gotta Have It
What's the Story?
In SHE'S GOTTA HAVE IT, Nola Darling (Tracy Camilla Johns) is a young graphic artist living on her own in Brooklyn, New York. Three men and one woman each want to be the "it" that Nola's just gotta have. But all four of them, in their own way, want to change Nola by telling her who she ought to be and how she ought to live. Nola may not know exactly what she wants, but she knows it's not just one person, or one thing. And it's definitely not someone else controlling anything about herself or her life.
Is It Any Good?
The movie that launched Spike Lee's career takes a humorous and sometimes dark look at Nola Darling's struggle to keep control of her own life and body in 1986 Brooklyn. Filmed in black and white, and structured as a series of flashbacks from people being interviewed about their relationships with Nola, this "mockumentary" doesn't pass judgment on any of the characters, inviting viewers to draw their own conclusions.
Legend has it that She's Gotta Have It was filmed on a shoestring budget in 12 days, with absolutely no retakes of anything. That may explain why a lot of the actors sound more like they're reading out loud than speaking naturally. Still, it's a sometimes funny, always insightful, effective character study. It also asks questions as important today as they were in 1986, about female empowerment, African-American representation in the media, sex, and sexuality. The frequent sex scenes and nudity make it best for mature teens ready to tackle these and lots of other adult issues.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the sexual content in She's Gotta Have It. How much is OK to show in movies? Why?
Have attitudes about having more than one partner changed since 1986? If so, how? If not, why not?
Why do you think the movie is in black and white? What other black-and-white movies have you seen? Do you like it, or do you wish it were in color?
Movie Details
- In theaters : August 8, 1986
- On DVD or streaming : January 15, 2008
- Cast : Tracy Camilla Johns , Spike Lee , Tommy Redmond Hicks
- Director : Spike Lee
- Inclusion Information : Black Movie Director(s) , African American Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Island Pictures
- Genre : Romance
- Topics : Friendship
- Run time : 84 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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