Sophie Jones

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Sophie Jones
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Sophie Jones is a sex-positive coming-of-age drama about a 16-year-old girl who starts exploring her sexuality after her mother's death. Director Jessie Barr co-wrote the screenplay with her younger first cousin, Jessica Barr, who's also the star. The movie shows how Sophie turns to hooking up with first a sweet, attentive classmate and then an older boy as she looks for no-strings-attached relationships. Expect to see underage drinking, drug use, and sex scenes (there's no nudity, but in one case there's also no use of protection), as well as sex acts between intoxicated teens. Language is strong -- "f--k," "s--t," "d--k," "a--hole," etc. -- and there are potentially unsettling moments, like when Sophie tries to eat her mother's ashes. But it also promotes open and honest communication in families, romantic relationships, and friendships, and consent is encouraged.
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What's the Story?
Early on, SOPHIE JONES (Jessica Barr) has a scene of a teen girl digging into a box holding her mother's ashes and then tasting them. She also meets with a classmate, coyly sucking on a lollipop, to arrange a hookup with him. The boy, Kevin (Skyler Verity), is kind and attentive, but when Sophie offers to go further than it turns out she's really ready to, she ends up ghosting him and starting up with an older friend of a friend, who's handsome but interested solely in sex. Then she moves on to her best male friend, whom she knows has always had a crush on her. Despite warnings from her best friend, Claire (Claire Manning), to be careful, Sophie starts to develop a reputation at her high school and alienates her friends. Meanwhile, at home, her younger sister, Lucy (Charlotte Jackson), questions Sophie's behavior, and her father (Dave Roberts) starts dating again.
Is It Any Good?
This touching, well-acted drama centers around a young woman's sexual coming-of-age after her mother's death. Clearly a labor of love, Sophie Jones is a family affair involving first cousins Jessie Barr (writer, director) and Jessica Barr (co-writer, star), who have nearly identical names because they were both named after their shared grandmother. While in their teens, each also lost a parent to cancer, just like the film's main character, so the movie is somewhat autobiographical for them. Sophie isn't always a likable character, and her actions and decisions range from cringeworthy to irrational, but she's always utterly believable for a high schooler who's carrying the immense pain of a mother's death. Of course she's searching for ways to dull that pain, while avoiding any substantive conversation about her feelings. Kevin, therefore, is too caring, too nice, and too empathetic for Sophie, who just wants to get out of her head for a while, not talk.
The two Barrs convey first sexual experiences with a brutal honesty and realistic style. There's a naturalness to Sophie's encounters, whether it's giggling in bed with Kevin as they first make out or, later, in a sad, regrettable moment after her actual first time, during which she literally says "This is it? This is sex?" with an underwhelming tone that makes it clear it's not the fireworks and passion she imagined. While nothing is visually explicit, Sophie and Claire have frank conversations that reveal Sophie's initially inexperienced but well-thought-out views on what she is and isn't interested in doing. But this is far from American Pie; there's no fetishization of first times in the film. It's really about dealing with loss, feeling alone, and wanting to feel good at a time when things are bleakest. The Barrs succeed in their labor of love, and the movie marks Jessie as a filmmaker to watch.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how teen romance and sex are depicted in Sophie Jones. How does sex affect the characters? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.
How personal/autobiographical does this movie seem? What do you think about the fact that the director and the main actress are first cousins who each have a parent who died of cancer?
Discuss the way the movie handles underage drinking and drug use. Are there consequences for the teen partying? Why does that matter?
Movie Details
- In theaters: March 2, 2021
- On DVD or streaming: March 2, 2021
- Cast: Jessica Barr, Skyler Verity, Claire Manning
- Director: Jessie Barr
- Studio: Oscilloscope Pictures
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Brothers and Sisters, Friendship, High School
- Character Strengths: Compassion, Empathy, Perseverance
- Run time: 85 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: March 31, 2022
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