Parents' Guide to

The Tribes of Palos Verdes

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Melancholy coming-of-age drama tackles tough topics.

Movie R 2017 104 minutes
The Tribes of Palos Verdes Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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What's the Story?

Based on author Joy Nicholson's 1997 coming-of-age novel, THE TRIBES OF PALOS VERDES centers on introverted teen Medina Mason (Maika Monroe), whose family moves from Michigan to a posh oceanfront Southern California community. Medina's father, Phil (Justin Kirk), is a cardiologist who's excited to be a heart doctor to the stars, but her moody mom, Sandy (Jennifer Garner), can't stand how "plastic" and "fake" everyone is in their new neighborhood. While Medina discovers the joys of surfing, she remains quiet at school, whereas her twin brother, Jim (Cody Fern), quickly joins the popular crowd. Things take a terrible turn when Phil leaves the family and Sandy has a breakdown, relying on Jim to be her emotional support. Medina, meanwhile, just wants to escape into the surf.

Is It Any Good?

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

This atmospheric coming-of-age adaptation explores difficult themes and features noteworthy performances but comes up a little short. Monroe plays Medina believably well, in a manner reminiscent of a younger Kristen Stewart. Fern also gives a nuanced performance as Medina's twin, Jim, who feels torn between supporting his emotionally fragile, mentally ill mother and just wanting to be a regular teen who hangs out with his friends. And Garner, for once, doesn't play a sweet Type-A mom. It's a surprising performance, full of rage and desperation. The word "bipolar" is never said, but it's clear that Sandy swings between manic highs and debilitating lows.

Ultimately, however, this is Medina's story of dealing with her family's dissolution, discovering a new passion (surfing), experiencing first love, and feeling distanced from her twin brother for the first time in her life. There's not much of a plot here; in some ways, the story is more like a series of character vignettes -- each person in the Mason family has a different arc that leaves them irreversibly changed after moving to the seemingly perfect neighborhood of Palos Verdes. This isn't a feel-good film, but moviegoers who appreciate well-acted family dramas will appreciate it.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about whether there are any role models in The Tribes of Palos Verdes. If so, what character strengths do they -- or should they -- exhibit?

  • How is substance use/abuse depicted in the movie? What are the consequences, as shown in the film?

  • Discuss which of the relationships portrayed in the movie are healthy, and which are unhealthy. Why?

  • How does the movie depict potential mental illness? Does it seem realistic? Sympathetic?

Movie Details

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