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Parents' Guide to

Shirkers

By Andrea Beach, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Gently paced docu-mystery has some cursing, mature themes.

Movie NR 2018 96 minutes
Shirkers Poster Image

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Is It Any Good?

Our review:
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This quiet, gently paced documentary tells a compelling, mysterious story that explores themes of friendship, trust, and reclaiming your life after bitter disappointment and betrayal. A lot of the footage in Shirkers is repetitive, and in the middle the slow pace gets pretty tiresome. But it keeps enough suspense and tension going to hold viewer interest until the mystery is solved. It's also a fascinating look into life in Singapore, especially for viewers who don't know much about the small island nation.

Teens will relate to the friends' drive and eagerness to do something unique and important, and they'll admire Sandi, Jasmine, and Sophia's ability to create something from almost nothing. Not all questions are answered, and not all issues are neatly wrapped up in the end, which ultimately gives it a true-to-life, if bittersweet, feeling. Best for mature teens who can handle the slow pace, mature themes, and occasional strong language.

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