Status Update
Parents say
Based on 4 reviews
Kids say
Based on 11 reviews
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Status Update
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
A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Status Update is a comedy about a high schooler named Kyle (Ross Lynch) who learns how to be himself thanks to a magic phone app. Bullies pick on the main characters, with pushing, shoving, fighting, and some iffy dialogue. Kyle kisses two young women (one "bad" and one "good"), and a married woman throws herself at him. High school girls are somewhat objectified (i.e., shown wearing revealing clothing), and there's some sex-related talk and gesturing. There isn't much diversity in the core cast, and several characters are pretty stereotypical. Language includes "bulls--t," "p---y," "bitch," and more. Teen drinking is both implied and directly shown, and an adult drinks heavily, ending up comically drunk. Twitter and Instagram are mentioned fairly frequently, as is Pinterest. Although it's not particularly good, it does have a clear message about the value of being true to yourself.
Community Reviews
Report this review
I think this was a great, feel-good movie. Plot was easy to follow and entertaining. It never felt like it dropped the ball to me. I think many teens will connect to the story and main characters and send them off with a great message at the end of the day.
Report this review
What's the Story?
In STATUS UPDATE, Kyle Moore (Ross Lynch) is forced to move from Huntington Beach to Connecticut -- from a world of surfing to ice hockey -- after his parents separate. He befriends nerdy Lonnie (Harvey Guillen) at school, as well as singer Dani (Olivia Holt), but he misses his dad and manages to run afoul of some bullies. A bearded man at a mysterious mall kiosk sells Kyle a new phone, complete with a special app: Whenever Kyle updates his status, it instantly comes true. He uses it to join the music program so he can be with Dani, but in order to one-up the bullies, he also joins the hockey team and becomes the star player. That attracts the attention of the pretty but manipulative Charlotte (Courtney Eaton). Disaster strikes when the night of the music performance is the same as the big game. And to make matters even worse, Kyle's phone breaks, and the magic app becomes worthless. How will he manage?
Is It Any Good?
This teen comedy with a "be yourself" message is slickly artificial, grinding painfully through extremely well-worn plot mechanics and essentially failing to follow its own message. With its amped-up performances and overwritten characters (it's kind of like they're all attention-starved puppy dogs), Status Update instantly smacks of an after-school special or other low-budget fare. Moreover, the movie insists on having its characters look and sound like stereotypes: The main character has long, blonde "surfer-dude" hair; the nerdy best friend is overweight; and the gay character is a fashionista. Oh, and non-white characters exist only on the sidelines.
In fact, no one here resembles an actual human being that viewers might know or spend time with. The storyline has been done a million times before, and not much flair or cleverness has gone into updating it for the mobile age. Status Update runs through all the familiar twists with as little effort as possible, including all the old "be careful what you wish for" clichés. For example, when Kyle tries out for the hockey team, his magic post says that he "skated like a pro." So he proceeds to perform a figure-skating program in front of the team. (This is arguably the movie's best joke.) Perhaps the most difficult parts to get through, however, are the musical numbers. Too bad this movie can't be wished away.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the stereotyping in Status Update. Which characters seemed stereotypical to you? Why is that a problem? How does it extend to messages about worth? (For instance, why is one of the young women Kyle gets involved with considered "good," while the other is "bad"?)
How much teen drinking is shown? Is it glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?
Do you think Kyle's magic app is meant to represent something bigger? Perhaps media/devices in general? What lessons do his experiences with the app teach us about social media and screen time?
In one scene, a teen girl shames another teen girl about food and eating (she asks about her "food baby"). Have you ever seen this kind of shaming behavior in real life? How did you react?
How does the movie depict bullies? How are they dealt with? Is it satisfying? Is it responsible? What lessons are learned?
Movie Details
- In theaters: March 30, 2018
- On DVD or streaming: March 30, 2018
- Cast: Ross Lynch, Olivia Holt, Harvey Guillen
- Director: Scott Speer
- Studio: Vertical Entertainment
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, High School
- Run time: 106 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: crude and suggestive humor, language, and some teen partying
- Last updated: May 8, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
-
Weird Science
Guilty-pleasure '80s horny-geek sci-fi sex comedy.
-
Freaky Friday
Mother-daughter switch is fun comedic chaos.
-
Pleasantville
Thought-provoking look at past and present teen life.
For kids who love movies about teens
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