The Girl and the Gun

Movie review by John Sooja, Common Sense Media
The Girl and the Gun Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 17+

Woman seeks revenge; sexual violence, blood, language.

NR 2019 80 minutes
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A Lot or a Little?

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

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Girl and the Gun is a Filipino revenge thriller about a young woman deciding to fight back. The first half clearly builds toward a traumatizing scene of sexual violence, and a fair amount of blood and violence eventually follows. People get shot in the chest, gunned down in public spaces, chased, and beaten, and women get sexually harassed and abused. There is also a sex scene without nudity, lots of focus on the way women look, and a general portrayal of "the dangerous woman." Strong language includes "f--k," "f--king," "s--t," "bitch," and "damn." Adults drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes. A drug dealer goes on the run.

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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

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