Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Hip-hop comedy improv group goes on tour; language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
We Are Freestyle Love Supreme
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
WE ARE FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME is a documentary about Freestyle Love Supreme, a group of freestyle rappers who met mostly while students at Wesleyan University. As the story unfolds, they haven't toured as a group with their hip-hop comedy show since 2004. Since then their lives have intervened. One founding member, Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator of the Tony-winning hit Broadway shows Hamilton and In the Heights, has been pretty busy, and so have the other rappers, singers, and musicians. Some have married, others had children, one moved away. The group's diversity is inspiring with Black, White, Latinx, and South Asian members each bringing a different cultural perspective. From their earliest public performances in a New York City bookstore basement, their joy of performing is clear as shown in footage woven together by director Andrew Fried (Chef's Table). The talented crew, including Anthony Veneziale, Tommy Kail, Utkarsh Amudkan, Andrew Bancroft, Christopher Jackson, Chris Sullivan, and Manuel's friend since third grade friend Arthur Lewis, all enjoy equal stage time with the more well-known Miranda, who revels in their talents. Clearly, they all love each other, and working together brings them joy anyone would envy.
Is It Any Good?
We Are Freestyle Love Supreme is a pleasing documentary about a group of friends who love working together and bringing joy to audiences. That alone makes this inspiring for any young artist striving to do good work. Freestyle rap is a kind of rhyming improv, and this group combines improv comedy group techniques with the freestyle spirit, calling for words and ideas from audiences from which to create spontaneous raps.
Although profane language is occasionally used, this group seems far more focused on lighthearted and fun-loving performances than what might be categorized as hardcore rap, with its frequent emphasis on graphic sexuality, money, and profanity. These guys are having a great time. When an audience member describes an episode with her infirm dog, Miranda gets down on the floor and, shaking and shimmying, embodies a smiling, epileptic canine while another performer raps her saga. Sometimes the rhymes are a bit childish, other times clever, but these guys aren't looking to solve social problems here, just to bring everyone together with beats, music, words, and an uplifting sense of brotherhood.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how much fun it is to work on a project with friends. Why do you think creativity might flow more freely among people who get on well together?
Miranda wrote and starred in the successful Broadway show Hamilton, which used rap to present historical struggles at the birth of American democracy. How could rap help younger audiences appreciate school subjects they might not otherwise enjoy?
How does the improvisational rap presented by this group compare with recorded rap produced and sold by more conventional rap music stars today?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : June 5, 2020
- Cast : Lin-Manuel Miranda , Anthony Veneziale , Utkarsh Amudkan , Arthur Lewis , Tommy Kail
- Director : Andrew Fried
- Inclusion Information : Latino Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Hulu
- Genre : Documentary
- Character Strengths : Teamwork
- Run time : 90 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : June 9, 2020
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