Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Green
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Docu details deadly teen crash; drugs, partying, language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Crash (2026)
What's the Story?
In 2023, 18-year-old Mackenzie Shirilla was convicted of two murders after THE CRASH, a fatal car incident that killed her boyfriend, Dominic Russo, and his friend, Davion Flanagan. Shirilla claimed to have no memory of the incident, but investigators argued otherwise in a trial that captured national attention. The documentary pieces together footage from the accident and digital archives of the teenagers' texts and social media posts. It matches these with interviews with the people and parents involved.
Is It Any Good?
Yet another true crime curiosity, this film—intentionally or not—offers an indictment of a youth culture obsessed with performing a false lifestyle for social media. As one witness says in The Crash, you "can't even remember" what you "said yesterday" when you post 5–7 times a day on TikTok. Of course, that doesn't exempt a young person from being responsible for what they said, what they posted—or, in this case, what they actually did. That seems to be the main lesson from this sad case, which makes for a compelling but disheartening documentary with messages about parenting, consumer culture, and the digital lives of teenagers.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what they think happened in The Crash. Who do you believe, and why?
Do you think the documentary is objective, or did you feel it was taking sides? Explain.
The film has messages about parenting and about life as a teenager in today's America. What messages did you take away?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : May 15, 2026
- Cast : Mackenzie Shirilla , Dominic Russo , Davion Flanagan
- Director : Gareth Johnson
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s) , African American Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Documentary
- Topics : Family Stories ( Adoptees and Foster Kids , Dads , Moms , Siblings ) , Friendship , History , School ( High School )
- Run time : 92 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : May 22, 2026
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