Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Routine teen comedy has stereotyping, drinking.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Status Update
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 3 parent reviews
Based on 13 kid reviews
Kids say the movie offers a mix of cheesy, predictable humor and problematic messaging, often deemed inappropriate for young audiences due to its portrayal of relationships, sexism, and body shaming. While some viewers found enjoyment in its ironic comedy and felt it could resonate with teens, many criticized its lack of integrity, with significant concerns over the lessons it imparts about forgiveness and toxic behavior.
- cheesy humor
- problematic messaging
- inappropriate content
- mixed audience appeal
- teaches bad lessons
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
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 Guillén
- Director : Scott Speer
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Queer Movie Actor(s) , Latino Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Vertical Entertainment
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , School ( High School )
- Run time : 106 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : crude and suggestive humor, language, and some teen partying
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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
Suggest an Update
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