Parents' Guide to

We're All Going to the World's Fair

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Deeply haunting, unsettling look at identity and connection.

Movie NR 2022 86 minutes
We're All Going to the World's Fair Movie: Poster

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

See all
age 14+

Based on 2 parent reviews

doctora
doctora Parent of 6-year-old
December 14, 2022
age 15+

Strong portrayals of disassociation

This film has parts that are riveting, but ultimately I do not think it ends satisfactorily (and perhaps that is the point). It feels allegorical and also complex in its presentation of how it wants to share itself with its audience. There is a lot of promise as the film delves deeper into the psyche of disassociation, but I felt that the end didn't hold up the promise of what the film was trying to deliver.
Charlie H.
Charlie H. Adult
September 28, 2022
age 12+

It manages to scare at point with its slow pacing and errie soundtrack.

This movie is in some way better horror movies than what we get a lot of ways, but with this horror movie it lacks with its scariness but leans into its errier soundtrack and a few scary images to make it the scary movie that got to me. Everything about this film, We're All Going to the World's Fair, is well crafted out and the main character is enticing but yet boring to watch at some points. The point of this seems a bit senseless in more than one way, but it does manage to hook you up in the end. This movie is far from lacking it's interesting plot, and although it lacks a lot in dialouges and scariness, it's plot and errie soundtrack make up for it. Nothing about this film made it seem like it should be 15+. There's a few scenes that are scary and maybe one or two violent scenes, but besides that teens could handle this. Although, teens may find it boring because of its slow pacing. It is slow throughout the whole film, but for me: the slow pace is what made this movie tense/errie, and once again its errie soundtrack makes it the scary movie that got to me more than once. The only thing I should point out is the few fequent strong language heard in this movie, but it shouldn't stop older tweens to see this because of it. It's briefly said throughout the film, and parents shouldn't bee too concerned about it. Everything about this film is well-crafted/slow, and at times its boring, but in the end, I believe it's a worth watching film! The postivie messages/role models I do have to admit is not exactly seen in the best light. The main character isn't exactly the brighted bulb in the planet, and the supporting character you could say is trying to help her. But in the end, none of the great messages/role models matter in this movie that much because in the end it's one slow errie ride down this movie!

This title has:

Too much swearing
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In WE'RE ALL GOING TO THE WORLD'S FAIR, teen Casey (Anna Cobb) announces in a video that she's going to take the "World's Fair challenge," an online horror game. In her attic bedroom decorated with glow-in-the-dark stars, she speaks the phrase "I want to go to the World's Fair" three times, pricks her finger, and watches a flashing video. She then watches other videos of people who've taken the challenge and appear to be suffering strange side effects. She makes more videos, trying to decipher how she feels, and to uncover whether anything is happening to her. Then she receives a strange message from someone called JLB (Michael J. Rogers), who claims to see something special in her and encourages her to make more videos. But who is JLB, and what's really happening to Casey?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (3):

Nonbinary filmmaker Jane Schoenbrun's feature directing debut is a haunting, deeply affecting blend of experimental horror and coming-of-age, unironically exploring connection in an online world. While many other movies about the internet and social media have ranged from satires and dark comedies to thrillers, We're All Going to the World's Fair is more interior, more in tune with human emotional suffering. It definitely has an insider's knowledge of the online community, and the various videos Casey watches ring eerily true, plus they're artistically fascinating and often genuinely creepy. A video of a whispering woman urging a viewer to "go back to bed" after a nightmare may have been intended to soothe, but it's really quite unsettling. However, it's the humans in the movie -- only two of them appear on-screen, not counting the content creators in the viewed videos -- who set the real tone.

The man, JLB, occupies an enormous space -- the camera follows him as he paces a spacious home -- but still crumples from loneliness in front of his computer screen. Casey's safe space is brilliantly designed, both childlike and grown up, clean and cluttered, vast and constricting, and she never seems to fit, either physically or spiritually. Casey is always alone on-screen, and newcomer Cobb gives a bold, vulnerable, and deeply committed performance as a sad teen who likes horror and isn't comfortable speaking to others. (Witness the moment in which she dances and sings a homemade song called "Love in Winter," pausing during the bridge to let out a soul-shattering primal scream.) Yet perhaps the real success of We're All Going to the World's Fair lies in its title. It's not just JLB and Casey battling their demons ... it's all of us.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about We're All Going to the World's Fair's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?

  • Is the movie scary? What's the appeal of horror movies? Why do people sometimes like to be scared?

  • Why does Casey take the "World's Fair challenge"? Would you? Have you ever taken an online challenge? Have you ever watched videos about others doing challenges?

  • What is dysphoria? How does the World's Fair challenge suggest the concept of feeling disconnected from your own body?

  • What do you think the movie is saying about teens' relationship to the internet? In what ways is being online both isolating and connecting?

Movie Details

Inclusion information powered by

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 suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

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