Common Sense Media Review
By Alistair Lawrence
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Tense Australian swimming drama has swearing, trauma, drugs.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Streamline
What's the Story?
STREAMLINE follows Benjamin (Levi Miller), a talented teenage swimmer under mounting pressure to perform, who must then deal with the release from prison of his abusive father, Rob (Jason Isaacs).
Is It Any Good?
A sports movie without much actual sport in it. Streamline is instead a tense, oppressive family drama about the damage that ripples out of a broken home. Isaac's appearance on the movie's poster is also misleading, as the versatile Brit's role is little more than a cameo, with him appearing in only a handful of scenes. Anyone looking for a tale of obsession in the mold of Whiplash or The Novice, or of parental pressure run amok like in The Phenom, will be disappointed. What we have instead is a rites-of-passage story that seems to pride itself on imitating the messiness of real life.
Miller simmers just below the boil as Benjamin "Boy" Lane, all gym-hardened physique thrust onto an adolescent frame that's clearly not ready to take the weight of the world on his prematurely broad shoulders. He's surrounded by adults who seem to either want too much of him or who are borderline-negligent in their desire just to let him be. Isaac's Rob lingers in the background, no longer a threat but still a reminder of the bad old days. It's an interesting approach, but debut writer-director Tyson Wade Johnston doesn't do enough with his supporting characters. Boy's girlfriend Patti (Tasia Zalar) is the biggest missed opportunity. In a more original script their relationship could've offered a steer on the movie's biggest unanswered question: how much should we let others help us decide what we do with our talents?
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the themes of abuse raised in Streamline. What damage did Rob's behavior have on Benjamin? How and why did this still impact Benjamin years later? Discuss how behavior can have long-terms effects on people.
Talk about Benjamin's talent for swimming. How did this affect him and the people around him? What pressures were placed on him? Why can this be seen as a good thing and a bad thing?
Discuss the strong language in the movie. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?
How did the film depict teen drinking, smoking, and drug use? Were they glamorized? What were the consequences?
Movie Details
- In theaters : February 18, 2022
- On DVD or streaming : February 18, 2022
- Cast : Levi Miller , Jason Isaacs , Jake Ryan
- Director : Tyson Wade Johnston
- Studio : Blue Fox Entertainment
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : School ( High School )
- Run time : 86 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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