Speech & Debate
By Brian Costello,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Coming-of-age tale confronts teen issues; sex and drinking.

A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Speech & Debate
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
In SPEECH & DEBATE, Howie (Austin McKenzie) is a gay teen who has just moved to Salem, Oregon from Portland and wants to start a Gay Student Union at his new high school, but is turned down by the school board. This same school board forces the school's drama club to sanitize their production of a play in which a woman has a child out of wedlock, much to the chagrin of Diwata (Sarah Steele), an aspiring actress and dedicated vlogger. Solomon (Liam James) wants to write hard-hitting pieces of investigative journalism for the school paper, but is made to write fluff pieces by the faculty advisor instead. Frustrated by the double-standards and conservatism of most of the adults around them, these three try to find an outlet for their frustrations by starting a speech & debate club. Through this attempt and the misadventures that follow, Austin, Diwata, and Solomon forge a tight bond, and must learn to stand up for what they believe in and fight for their convictions.
Is It Any Good?
Based on a 2008 off-Broadway play, this movie seems determined to cover every issue of concern for teenagers under the sun, and then some. Adult hypocrisy, teachers who are sexual predators, fuddy-duddy school boards, homophobia, internet hate and humiliation, bullying, teen pregnancy, underage drinking, freedom of speech, the difficulties in being a gay teenager new to a small town -- these are all addressed. It takes these issues on with a fearlessness not seen since perhaps the John Hughes teen movies of the 80s. And while not perfect, Speech & Debate does an admirable job of capturing the adventure and apprehension that so typifies older teens as they have their first-time experiences with the complexities of adulthood. And there are also some very funny moments: Parents who grew up in the '80s and '90s will love the cheesy production values of the Speech & Debate VCR tape the lead characters watch.
When creating teen characters, many writers make the mistakes of either making teens too young, too old, or too one-dimensional. Speech & Debate manages to avoid these traps, despite falling into the trap in which nearly every adult (with the exception of Janeane Garofolo's character, who, in a memorable scene, puts drama-queen Diwata in her place) is a hypocrite, dumb, square, or hopelessly conservative. And while the three teen lead characters are developed and believable, there are times when Sarah Steele -- who plays the drama club ham of the bunch -- forsakes depth and nuance in favor of doing an imitation of Bette Midler's character in Beaches. And the constant striving to attain teen realism and credibility, either through the endless litany of teen topics addressed or emoji-laden text exchanges, becomes tiresome. Nonetheless, compared to so many weaker attempts to convey the proverbial teenage wasteland, the good far outweighs the bad.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about coming-of-age movies. What are the ways in which Speech & Debate fits the genre, and how does it compare to similar movies?
How does the movie portray teenagers and the issues they face? Was it realistic? Why or why not?
This movie was based on a play. What would be the challenges in adapting a play into a movie?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: April 7, 2017
- Cast: Liam James , Sarah Steele , Austin McKenzie
- Director: Dan Harris
- Studio: Sycamore Pictures
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: High School
- Run time: 115 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: March 31, 2022
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 suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
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