Common Sense Media Review
By JK Sooja
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Woman seeks revenge; sexual violence, blood, language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Girl and the Gun
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In THE GIRL AND THE GUN, Babae (Janine Gutierrez) is barely making ends meet working at a department store. Her superiors overlook her, her peers creep on her, and her best friend has an abusive boyfriend. How long can Babae live like this before taking matters into her own hands?
Is It Any Good?
As a showcase for Janine Gutierrez, this thriller largely thrills because of her performance. But, sadly, the structure of The Girl and the Gun really brings the movie down. In the beginning, the film wonderfully sets up a dark and uncomfortable world, one where Babae scraping by hinges on things like whether or not she can repair her leggings. But for some reason, the movie brings itself to a complete halt halfway in, and not only is this switch jarring and confusing, it also derails the momentum of Babae's story.
Further, while the film's portrayal of sexual violence may be received varyingly, the film certainly risks coming across as a bit antiquated in how it represents women and/or the oppression of women. The musical choice of jazz (bouncy, funky, happy interludes) that accompanies many scene transitions also generates a sense of second-wave feminist fearmongering ("Watch out! Treat women right or they will fight back!") that feels awkward.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about sexual violence. Does The Girl and the Gun portray sexual violence, rape, and abuse realistically? Did anything bother you about the way these were represented?
Discuss the violence in the film. Was the violence justified? What might this film look like without any killing, shooting, blood, or sexual violence?
Why do you think the film took such a turn in its second half? Were you on board or not? Why?
Movie Details
- In theaters : August 10, 2019
- On DVD or streaming : June 3, 2021
- Cast : Janine Gutierrez , Felix Roco , JC Santos , Elijah Canlas
- Director : Rae Red
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Thriller
- Run time : 80 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 9, 2022
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