Common Sense Media Review
By Tara McNamara
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Mature themes, swearing in kindness-and-connection musical.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Stuck
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In the musical STUCK, six New Yorkers from different walks of life -- played by Ashanti, Giancarlo Esposito, Amy Madigan, Omar Chaparro, Arden Cho, and Gerard Canonico -- are trapped in a subway car for an hour. Over time, they realize that their assumptions about one another are incorrect. The group connects through age, race, gender, and social class, making a lasting impact on one another's lives.
Is It Any Good?
This modern musical so earnestly sings about Americans' social issues that it's essentially Sesame Street for teens and adults. Every topic -- from mental illness to unwanted pregnancy -- has its own song designed to expand our understanding that each person is more than a label. The intention is fantastic, but the obviousness can feel a bit like SNL's recurring "High School Theater Show" sketch, in which teens think they're pointing out society's injustices in an avant garde way.
Putting a bunch of extreme personalities into a room and forcing them to interact is a tried-and-true plot trick of the stage that's been employed to great effect in movies like 12 Angry Men and The Breakfast Club. It's often used for the purpose of breaking down prejudice to show people for who they truly are, just like in Stuck. What's new is adding music to it, and Riley Thomas' music is exceptional -- clean, concise, and clear in its messaging. It's all very Free to Be You and Me, but -- unlike that hallmark soundtrack -- it probably won't change anyone's outlook.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Stuck's suggestion that the support many people need may be as close as a person sitting next to them on a train. Do you think there's a benefit to be gained by talking to strangers? If so, how do you square that with the warnings we so often give kids ("Don't talk to strangers!")?
How does Stuck address the stigma of mental illness, especially in its connection to the unsheltered? How does the film argue for compassion?
What do you think of the movie's metaphorical message about how we're all "stuck" on the journey of life together? What's the value of treating others with kindness, regardless of circumstance? Should that change if you disagree with their life choices?
How does music deliver the messaging of the film differently than a non-musical would? Do you think it's more or less effective?
What is the movie's take on device use? How does that compare to your own perspective?
Movie Details
- In theaters : April 19, 2019
- On DVD or streaming : September 17, 2019
- Cast : Giancarlo Esposito , Ashanti , Amy Madigan
- Director : Michael Berry
- Inclusion Information : Black Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Eammon Films
- Genre : Musical
- Topics : Arts ( Music and Sing-Along )
- Character Strengths : Compassion
- Run time : 90 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : some mature thematic material including images of a sexual assault, and brief strong language
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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