Common Sense Media Review
By S. Jhoanna Robledo
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Quirky dramedy with sexual situations and some language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Pretty One
What's the Story?
Laurel and Audrey are identical twins (played by Zoe Kazan). Audrey has moved to the city and built a life, while Laurel never left home, and takes care of their widower father. After a terrible car accident, Audrey dies and Laurel decides to assume her identity and take over her sister's life, including her job, her friendships, and even her tenant, a down-to-earth charmer (Jake Johnson). Eventually, Laurel must come to terms with who she really is.
Is It Any Good?
THE PRETTY ONE takes an interesting premise -- what happens when a woman loses her twin -- and explores it with some compassion, as well as a charming lead in Kazan. But what could have been an in-depth meditation on identity and loss turns into a lightweight one, relying too heavily on the romantic threads of the plot that sometimes feel tonally incompatible with a story about a real tragedy. At times, you don't know if it's okay to be laughing when there's so much to mourn; Laurel's decision seems desperate at best and disturbing and worrisome at worst -- neither of which feels right to mine for comedy. It feels like two separate movies sometimes: a romcom and a family drama. And like Laurel, perhaps the filmmakers needed to decide which identity the movie really wanted to inhabit.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Laurel's decision to take over her sister's life. What did she learn while pretending to be someone else? Would you ever try to pull off something like this?
Who is the audience for this movie? How can you tell?
Why are movies obsessed with twins? Can you think of other stories that involve twins?
Movie Details
- In theaters : February 7, 2014
- On DVD or streaming : June 3, 2014
- Cast : Zoe Kazan , Jake Johnson , Ron Livingston
- Director : Jenee LaMarque
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Latino Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Schorr Pictures
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings )
- Run time : 90 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : language and some sexual content
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate