Find the best for your family

See what's streaming, limit strong violence or language, and find picks your kids will love with Common Sense Media Plus.

Join now

The Aeronauts

Name: The Aeronauts
Item: The Aeronauts
Rating: 3
Author: Tara McNamara

Movie review by

Tara McNamara, Common Sense Media

Common Sense says

age 10+

(i)

Perilous science adventure lifts but doesn't soar.

PG-13
2019
100 minutes

Save

Rate movie

Watch or buy

Parents say

age 11+

Based on 3 reviews

Kids say

No reviews yetAdd your rating

Get it now

Searching for streaming and purchasing options ...

Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.

Get it now on

Searching for streaming and purchasing options ...

Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.

X of Y

Common Sense review | 1:06

X of Y

X of Y

We think this movie stands out for:

A lot or a little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

Positive Messages

Pursue your purpose, no matter what others think. Science protects humanity and helps people thrive (characters are on a quest for scientific answers about weather). Themes include courage, curiosity, perseverance.

Positive Role Models & Representations

Amelia Wren is a powerhouse of strength and courage, defying gender expectations of Victorian era. James Glaisher is a weather scientist who pushes forward with his research despite being ridiculed. Glaisher's business partner demonstrates humility, making cause of meteorology his life pursuit but not needing to be the person who takes the glory. Glaisher's real-life moment in history has been altered to include representation of women and people of color.

Violence

Characters are frequently in significant peril. Several instances of people falling -- sometimes plummeting through the sky to their implied death, sometimes surviving despite great odds. A person slams into the ground and is dragged. Characters tussle over an object; it ends when one gets a nosebleed, which may make younger kids think it's more of a fight. A character is slapped. Scary moment when a dog drops from a high altitude (but is fine).

Sex

Brief image of a man kissing his wife's neck. A relative badgers her sister to find a husband.

Language

Consumerism

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Brandy is used to clean a wound.

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that The Aeronauts is a loosely historical hot air balloon adventure set in Victorian London. It tells the story of early meteorologist James Glaisher (Eddie Redmayne), who believes that weather can be predicted -- an outlandish idea at the time -- and perilously flies higher than anyone ever has to get data. He's joined by courageous pilot Amelia Wren (Felicity Jones), who completes the mission and saves their lives with her tenacity, toughness, intelligence, and strength. She's a wonderful role model who's based on the world's first female aeronaut, Sophie Blanchard (who ballooned for Napoleon). But it's worth noting that Wren's role in the story is revisionist history: Glaisher's real-life co-adventurer was a man named Henry Tracey Coxdell. While there's no drinking, smoking, swearing, or sex, characters are frequently in grave danger, and a man does plummet to his death (impact not shown). Others fall and survive (including a dog), a person slams into the ground and is dragged along, and one character gets a nosebleed after a tussle. Viewers will come away with an understanding of how the layers of the atmosphere are different, as well as messages about the value of science, perseverance, courage, curiosity, and humility.

User Reviews

Parents say
Kids say

Adult Written byQwertysaurus December 9, 2019

age 12+

Awesome movie

Loved this movie suitable for anyone though kids under 12 might not understand and the movie has a couple inaccuracies

Report this review

Adult Written byTee6677 December 10, 2019

age 10+

Rating movie

From what I saw it’s a movie adults should watch with kids that are young adults

Report this review

There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the story?

In THE AERONAUTS, scientist James Glaisher (Eddie Redmayne) wants to measure air patterns and temperatures in order to predict the weather, a task his peers consider a ridiculous idea. But when he teams up with daring pilot Amelia Wren (Felicity Jones), they come up with a plan to fly a hot air balloon higher than anyone ever has. Once they're in the air, their majestic journey quickly turns into a fight for survival as they face the elements.

Is it any good?

The characters are inspiring, the story elements fascinating, and the visual effects breathtaking, but The Aeronauts still falls flat. Writer-director Tom Harper unspools the real-life record-setting balloon journey in close to real time, which creates a problem: That's a lot of happy floating time before nature threatens the expedition. One result is many wistful looks up toward the sky paired with "important" conversation that's obvious padding. Another solution is to recount Wren and Glaisher's backstory and motivations through flashbacks, a standard cinematic device that doesn't work smoothly here. Sometimes it seems like they've jumped forward in time, or you're not sure whose story we're looking at. Chances are good some kids will be confused, and since the technique is used a lot, that's a problem.

This is especially disappointing given the movie's potential to positively influence youth. Through Glaisher and Wren's adventure, scientific experimentation feels exciting. Yes, there's lots of fiddling with gauges and talk of structural integrity, but the notion of using scientific research to improve and save lives against the backdrop of being caught in a storm of Twister proportions is captivating. Wren embodies what it means to be bold in the sense that she steps outside of Victorian-era gender roles to follow her passion, as well as in the sense that she's fearless. Playing her, Jones emotes regret and caution while rediscovering her own will and courage. When she climbs on top of the balloon to break the ice that's preventing a descent, it's a thrilling moment for women: With dramatic flair, Amelia uses her heel to break a symbolic glass ceiling. The gorgeous shots of the balloon gliding through the sky and weathering the storm are the stuff artists dream of creating, and -- factoring in the death-defying actions and stunts -- the result is a cinematic wonder. Still, just like some scientific trials, The Aeronauts may have all the elements of success, but the outcome doesn't yield the desired results.

Talk to your kids about ...

Families can talk about the importance of representation in cinema. Do you think it's OK to add underrepresented characters into a fact-based historical story for the purpose of inclusiveness?
What examples of courage are in the film? When Glaisher wants to fly higher for science, do you think it's brave or foolish? How do he and Wren demonstrate perseverance in achieving their mission?
How does Glaisher's curiosity influence his actions? When can curiosity improve the lives of humanity? What other professions benefit from curious people?
How does Amelia Wren defy gender expectations for her era? Is she a positive role model?
John Trew makes an argument that some people reach for the stars, while others see to it that they reach them. How is this a demonstration of humility, and why is that an important life skill? Do we need more movies about those who aren't in the spotlight but make sure that achievements happen?