Parents' Guide to The Space Race

Movie NR 2024 90 minutes
The Space Race movie poster: Black astronaut and spaceship illustration in foreground, lit moon and dark sky in background, and film's title The Space

Common Sense Media Review

Sabrina McFarland By Sabrina McFarland , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 11+

Documentary about Black astronauts has language, peril.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 11+?

Any Positive Content?

  • The Space Race Trailer
  • The Space Race movie: Black astronaut Guion Bluford smiles at the camera while inside a wind tunnel at a NASA research center, wearing a light blue sp
  • Black astronaut Charles Bolden looks at the camera while seated inside a spacecraft, wearing a white and red space helmet and light blue spacesuit
  • The Space Race movie: Black astronaut Ronald McNair operates a control board during a spacecraft training session, wearing a medium blue spacesuit

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age 11+

Based on 1 parent review

 

 

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What's the Story?

In THE SPACE RACE, Black astronauts share their stories about breaking barriers in the aerospace industry during the 20th century. Several of the trailblazers discuss through archival footage and firsthand interviews their career experiences ranging from systemic racism to recognition as heroes.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 1 ):
Kids say : Not yet rated

Documentarians Diego Hurtado de Mendoza and Lisa Cortés offer an informative film journey about Black aerospace history. In The Space Race, anecdotes are shared by a team of trailblazers, which includes astronaut Charles Bolden. "Growing up, my mom and dad, they always talked about possibility," he says. "I loved the space program and was enamored with it, but nobody doing that stuff looked like me." But Bolton pursues his passion, becomes a NASA astronaut, and later lands as the space program's first African American administrator. "As a Black astronaut," explains Bernard Harris, "we are symbols of what we can accomplish as a people despite what others may think of us."

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the communication by the cast in The Space Race. How do they also demonstrate courage, perseverance, and teamwork? Why are these important character strengths?

  • What are your thoughts about the documentary's point of view? How does this film compare with others about the space industry?

  • Would you consider a career as an astronaut? Why or why not?

Movie Details

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

The Space Race movie poster: Black astronaut and spaceship illustration in foreground, lit moon and dark sky in background, and film's title The Space

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