An Inconvenient Truth – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

An Inconvenient Truth

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2006

52%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Al Gore's Oscar-winning climate wake-up call—now a 19-year-old PowerPoint presentation that's more history lesson than must-watch.

7.4/10

93%

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An Inconvenient Truth

movie

PG, 2006

52%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Al Gore's Oscar-winning climate wake-up call—now a 19-year-old PowerPoint presentation that's more history lesson than must-watch.

7.4

93%

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7.4/10

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Screenwise Verdict

Look, this won an Oscar and changed the climate conversation. It's historically important. Al Gore is earnest and well-meaning. The science is solid (if dated).

But let's be real: watching this in 2025 is like watching someone's dad give a really long PowerPoint presentation from 2006. Because that's literally what it is. The graphics are dated, the pacing is slow, and modern kids raised on YouTube and TikTok will find this almost unwatchable.

If your teen is genuinely interested in climate science or environmental policy, there are newer, more engaging documentaries (David Attenborough's stuff, for instance). This is better as a historical artifact—"here's what woke people up 20 years ago"—than as current viewing.

The climate anxiety piece is real too. Some kids will watch melting glaciers and hurricane aftermath and spiral. Others will be motivated to action. Know your kid.

Bottom line: Important? Yes. Enriching? Sure. Actually watchable for a modern kid? Ehhhh.

Age Fit

Common Sense Media says 13+, which feels right given the anxiety-inducing subject matter and the fact that younger kids will be bored senseless by the lecture format. Realistically, this works best for high school students studying environmental science or civics—if they can stay awake.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Emotionally measured documentary with a serious but not alarmist tone. Al Gore presents complex material with earnestness and occasional humor. No inappropriate content, though the climate crisis subject matter can feel heavy. Models civic responsibility and scientific literacy.

Imaginative

This is a straightforward lecture-style documentary with PowerPoint presentations and data visualization. While it presents scientific concepts creatively for 2006, it doesn't invite much creative exploration or imaginative thinking—it's primarily informational delivery. The format is didactic rather than exploratory.

Safe

No violence, gore, sexual content, or profanity. The climate crisis subject matter includes disturbing imagery (melting ice, extreme weather aftermath, projected catastrophes) that could be anxiety-inducing for sensitive kids. Common Sense Media rates it 13+, appropriate given the weighty, potentially frightening environmental themes. No surprise content.

Enriching

Highly educational about climate science, carbon emissions, and environmental policy. Won an Oscar and raised significant climate awareness. Teaches critical thinking about data and scientific evidence. However, some predictions and data are now 19 years old, and the entertainment value is minimal—it's essentially a filmed lecture. Strong ethical framework about planetary stewardship.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Groundbreaking climate education that literally changed public discourse about global warming
Models how to communicate complex scientific concepts to general audiences
Shows civic engagement and persistence (Gore spent years on this lecture circuit)
Strong critical reception and cultural impact—this was a big deal in 2006
Could spark genuine interest in environmental science and policy for the right kid

⚠

What to Watch For

Climate anxiety is real—images of melting ice caps, displaced polar bears, and catastrophic projections can be genuinely distressing for sensitive kids
It's a 96-minute PowerPoint presentation. Let's be honest: most modern kids will find this painfully boring
Some data and predictions are outdated (we're living in the future it warned about)
Heavy on graphs, charts, and Gore talking—minimal visual variety or entertainment value

Conversation Starters

"What surprised you most about how climate change works?"
"This came out in 2006—what do you think has changed since then? What predictions came true?"
"If you were making a documentary about climate change today, what would you do differently?"
"Gore lost the 2000 presidential election and then spent years giving this presentation. What does that tell you about him?"
"What's one thing you could actually do about climate change that feels meaningful to you?"

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