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Parents' Guide to

Work It

By Jennifer Green, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Sweet teen tale has great dancing; language, innuendo.

Movie PG-13 2020 92 minutes
Work It Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 11+

Based on 10 parent reviews

linda_s
linda_s Parent of 12-year-old
October 23, 2020
age 13+

Cheesy and inappropriate

This movie might appeal to 8-12 year olds; however, there are some WILDLY INAPPROPRIATE scenes that just should not be in there. The worst was when a guy on a rival dance team gets an erection and the team is disqualified. The camera cuts to a close up of the guy's pants and lingers for an awkward amount of time. Really Netflix? Just who are your writers? Couldn't they come up with another way to have the team disqualified? It was such an inappropriate scene for my 12-year-old daughter. I'm so fed up with this type of thing. Aside from the inappropriateness, the plot was predictable, and even my tween found the storyline cheesy. I feel like the writers probably wrote the script in a day, cynically rehashing tropes from other movies. That said, it was mildly entertaining. Mostly we enjoyed pointing out how bad it was.
kaydri
kaydri Parent of 16-year-old
March 25, 2022
age 16+

Alludes to questionable things for being rated pg

Overall the movie is fun and laidback to watch. It is quite cringy, but what dance movie isn't. There was a fair amount of swearing, mostly the word sh*t. The movie hinted at sex and had sexual innuendo's throughout. Like it was said in another comment, there was one scene where the camera was focused on an erection for far too long (no pun intended). In another, it references the elderly watching fifty shades of grey and how one older gentleman can no longer watch it due to a certain incident. There were also many spiritual elements that I feel were out of place and not needed. The main character prays to Beyonce, a side character talked about the rapture frequently, and there is a scene where they "sage the space". I found that to be very odd in this type of movie as it makes me question who this movie is directed at. There is also a strong political aspect to the film in regards to the left-wing. On a more positive note, there is a strong sense of friendship and pushing towards one's goals. The main character continues to persevere through all the hardships she faces in reaching her goal(s). As you watch the movie she finds her passion for dancing and you watch her get progressively happier. Overall, it is an okay film, but I believe it is the best fit for older teenagers and above.
See all 10 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Like many high school seniors, Quinn Ackerman's (Sabrina Carpenter) life revolves around getting into the college of her dreams in WORK IT. When an admissions officer (Michelle Buteau) tells her that her application -- with its 4.0 GPA, volunteer jobs, clubs, and cello lessons -- looks just like everyone else's, she lets the officer believe she dances on her school's award-winning team. Problem is, she can't dance -- and flubs the audition to join the team. Determined, she starts her own team instead, recruiting her best friend and talented dancer Jasmine (Liza Koshy) and a ragtag group of misfits with potential. She also convinces former state champion Jake Taylor (Jordan Fisher) to choreograph for them, taking a liking to him in the process. Will the team make it to the championships? Will they be able to compete with the fabulous school troupe led by diva Juilliard (Keiynan Lonsdale)? Either way, Quinn and her new friends will learn a lot about themselves and each other in the process.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (10 ):
Kids say (32 ):

This is a refreshingly likable high school movie that follows a formula but hits just the right notes nonetheless. This is largely thanks to the charisma -- not to mention dancing chops -- of its multitalented lead cast, many of whom will be known to the film's target audience for creative endeavors beyond acting. Sabrina Carpenter is sweet as Quinn, the do-gooder with a purpose. Liza Koshy balances her out with some spicier humor as BFF Jasmine. Keiynan Lonsdale is divine as Juilliard, the Artist Formerly Known as Isiah, delivering the film's best one-liners, like "Sashay away!" and "Sage the space!"

Netflix should find a natural audience for Work It. The music-oriented teen tale can thank its predecessors for forging a well-worn path, with special nods to the innocent self-expression of the High School Musical gang and the discover-life-through-dance theme of the Dirty Dancing series. All the genre's clichés are here: high school pressures, underdogs and misfits, self-discovery, first love, embarrassing parents. That could all make this film predictable, which it is. But it's also enjoyable along the way.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what dance means to Work It's Quinn and what she learns from the experience of starting a dance troupe. Do you have a pastime or artistic endeavor you're passionate about? What role does it play in your life?

  • Did Quinn need to choose between doing well in school and doing well in dance? Do you think she could have done both? Why or why not?

  • Many of the actors in the cast are also singers, dancers, or YouTube celebrities, and two sing songs on the film's soundtrack. Did you recognize any of them from elsewhere?

  • How does this film compare with other high school movies you've seen?

Movie Details

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