Parents' Guide to

Train Ride

By Brian Costello, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Powerful, still-relevant drama about sexual assault.

Movie R 2000 93 minutes
Train Ride Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

  • Train Ride Movie: Scene One
  • Train Ride Movie: Scene Two
  • Train Ride Movie: Scene Three

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What's the Story?

In TRAIN RIDE, Katrina (MC Lyte) is a college freshman attending an African American university, eager to begin the next chapter of her life. Will (Wood Harris), Ellis (Russell Hornsby), and Ron are college seniors looking forward to one last year of college, parties, and meeting girls. Will, a charming womanizer, meets Katrina on campus, and invites her to a party at his apartment. Katrina arrives with her roommate and another friend from the dorms, and the six binge-drink, smoke marijuana, and play "Truth or Dare." When her friends leave, Katrina stays. While in Will's room, Will spikes Katrina's glass of wine, causing her to pass out. He then convinces Ron and Ellis to "run a train" on Katrina while he films it with his camera. The next day, Katrina has no clear recollection of what happened, but knows that she was date raped. As rumors swirl around campus that there's a video recording of the date rape, Katrina is scorned and shamed by gossip. As the rumors spread, Ron and Ellis, starting to grasp what they've done, break into Will's apartment to destroy the VHS tape. Meanwhile, Katrina has lost all interest in her studies, and doesn't want to leave her dorm room out of fear of further torment from her classmates. With nowhere to turn, Katrina makes a decision that will impact everyone involved.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Years after its initial release, Train Ride remains, sadly, all too relevant. Perhaps even more so, as the #MeToo movement continues to call attention to sexual assault and harassment, toxic masculinity, and society's inaction for far too long. The dialogue comes across as realistic, and the acting is excellent, even as it's noticeable that Wood Harris (best known as Avon Barksdale on The Wire) and MC Lyte are doing most of the heavy lifting. The movie's depictions of horrible male behavior and peer pressure show the devastating effects of poor judgment.

It's a low-budget movie whose lack of funds seem to enhance the story rather than diminish. The direction is assured throughout, and gives the actors plenty of space to tell the story. The story delivers the message, and Train Ride never slips into the heavy-handed preachiness of an after-school special. For parents who came up in 90s and their kids who might be entering college, this movie is an opportunity to take stock in what has or hasn't changed in the years since its release, and how far we still have to go.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the continued relevance of Train Ride and its story. What, if anything, has changed in the years since the movie was released?

  • What are the ways in which the student body and community address the incident? Did the behavior of Katrina's peers and friends seem realistic? Why or why not?

  • How was binge-drinking and marijuana smoking shown in the movie? How did it affect the behavior and judgment of the men who committed the assault?

Movie Details

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