Common Sense Media Review
By Kat Halstead
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fashion docu has references to discrimination, smoking.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Gospel According to André
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ANDRÉ, archive footage and interviews chart the rise of fashion icon André Leon Talley. From his beginnings in the American South to becoming a charismatic and highly influential fixture on the worldwide fashion scene, this is a great insight into Talley's life.
Is It Any Good?
André Leon Talley is an ideal figure for a documentary: smart, eloquent, widely accomplished, and undeniably charismatic. His wide impact is reflected in The Gospel According To André with talking heads ranging from Marc Jacobs and Anna Wintour to Will.i.Am, Fran Lebowitz, and Whoopi Goldberg. But, while the delve into the fashion world, and the creation of Talley's now infamous persona is fascinating, as well as the exploration of the American South during the Jim Crow era, there's a sense of a lot left unsaid, as though circling the subject rather than delving beneath his characteristic cape.
What is said -- and shown through archival footage -- offers a strong sense of a man described as "larger than life" creating his own space in iconic eras and surrounded by some of the biggest names in the business. This included working at Interview magazine with Andy Warhol, alongside Diana Vreeland at her fashion house, and dancing at the legendary Studio 54. Talley is a name that may be unfamiliar to those outside of the industry, but one whose impact deserves to be more widely known.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the fashion industry is portrayed in The Gospel According To André. Did you find anything surprising? How did it compare to other fashion documentaries you might have seen?
Discuss the theme of discrimination in the film. How did it portray growing up in the American South, and in what ways did discrimination continue during Talley's career?
Interviews talk about Talley offering a wider representation of Black masculinity, which is often heavily stereotyped. Can you think of other Black men in the media who have made similar steps in recent years?
Discuss the smoking in the film. What are some of the health implications of smoking?
Numerous brands are referenced during the documentary. Did the film feel like it was trying to promote or sell any products?
Movie Details
- In theaters : May 25, 2018
- On DVD or streaming : September 4, 2018
- Cast : André Leon Talley , Eboni Marshall Turman , Tamron Hall
- Director : Kate Novack
- Inclusion Information : Black Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Magnolia Pictures
- Genre : Documentary
- Topics : History
- Character Strengths : Courage , Perseverance
- Run time : 93 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : some thematic and suggestive content
- Last updated : December 12, 2025
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