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Parents' Guide to

The Exchange

By Jordan Elizabeth, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Exchange student charms small town in sophomoric comedy.

Movie NR 2021 93 minutes
The Exchange Poster Image

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What's the Story?

In THE EXCHANGE, Tim (Ed Oxenbould), a socially awkward teenager who's bored of his small Canadian town, decides to host a foreign exchange student. When the exchange student, Stéphane (Avan Jogia), arrives from France, he's very different from most of the town's inhabitants (including Tim): tall, dark and handsome. He quickly charms the community with his charisma, athleticism, and style. Well, everyone except Tim, who was hoping Stéphane would be his new best friend and a fellow introvert. As Stéphane encourages others to live their lives to the fullest, he inadvertently disrupts the town's natural order. The community quickly turns on him, and someone frames him for destroying the parade float. When Stéphane's innocence is revealed, the town is forced to reckon with how easily they believed Stéphane was guilty and whether that belief was rooted in a bias against foreigners.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

The Exchange tells the familiar story of a sleepy town that's revitalized by a foreign visitor. Here, Stéphane is the mythical person of color who uses his "flavor" to enrich a boring, frigid Canadian town. Adults and teens alike sexualize him, even though he's underage. Stéphane teaches the townspeople to be inclusive and nonjudgmental and to practice cultural humility. Then, having endured their harsh treatment, he heads back home to France. His purpose and value seem to be in enriching the lives of the White characters. The title, The Exchange, alludes to a reciprocal exchange, but it's ultimately one-sided. Still, The Exchange is a simple, well-crafted story with effective, Disney-level character acting. And it's just as sophomoric and silly as you'd expect from a teen comedy.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how The Exchange handles the topics of inclusivity and belonging. How would you characterize the representations in the movie?

  • How does Stéphane positively impact the other characters?

  • What role do racism and bias play in The Exchange?

Movie Details

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