Fire Island – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Fire Island

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2022

38%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Pride and Prejudice meets Fire Island party culture—witty, raunchy, and absolutely not for kids.

6.7/10

94%

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Fire Island

movie

R, 2022

38%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Pride and Prejudice meets Fire Island party culture—witty, raunchy, and absolutely not for kids.

6.7

94%

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6.7/10

94%

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Screenwise Verdict

Fire Island is a smart, funny romcom for adults who want to see queer stories in mainstream spaces. The Pride and Prejudice framework is clever, and critics loved it.

But let's be clear: this is not remotely appropriate for kids or teens. The 'gay Disneyland' party atmosphere means lots of drinking, drug use (characters literally take random pills), explicit sexual content, and graphic language. Even mature 16-year-olds should probably wait.

For adult viewers, especially LGBTQ+ audiences, it's a fun, representation-rich summer romp. For parents looking for family content? Hard pass. This one stays in the adults-only column.

Age Fit

This is for adults, period. Despite Common Sense Media's 16+ rating, the explicit content, heavy substance use, and sexual themes make it appropriate for 18+. It's a grown-up romantic comedy that happens to have great LGBTQ+ representation.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

While the film celebrates friendship and found family among queer friends, it's packed with heavy drinking, drug use (characters consume random pills without knowing what they are), sexual content, and crude language. The emotional core is warm, but the behavior modeled is adult party culture, not age-appropriate for younger viewers.

Imaginative

A clever Pride and Prejudice adaptation set in modern Fire Island Pines shows genuine creativity. The premise of translating Jane Austen's class dynamics to contemporary queer social hierarchies is smart and fresh. However, it's more of a witty riff on existing material than groundbreaking originality.

Safe

This is decidedly unsafe for kids. Explicit sexual content, graphic language, significant drug and alcohol use (including characters taking mystery pills and experiencing physical reactions), and adult themes throughout. Common Sense Media rates it 16+, and even that feels optimistic given the 'gay Disneyland' party atmosphere and raunchy content.

Enriching

For the right (adult) audience, it offers meaningful representation of queer friendships, explores class divisions within LGBTQ+ communities, and adapts classic literature in a contemporary context. The found-family themes resonate. But it's entertainment-first, not particularly educational, and the drug/alcohol content undercuts any growth messaging.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Smart Pride and Prejudice adaptation that translates Austen's class commentary to modern queer social dynamics
Celebrates queer friendship and found family with genuine warmth
Strong critical reception (94% on Rotten Tomatoes) for its wit and representation
Fills a gap in mainstream romantic comedies centered on LGBTQ+ characters

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What to Watch For

Explicit sexual content and graphic language throughout—this is an R-rated romcom
Heavy drug and alcohol use, including a scene where characters consume mystery pills
Adult party culture and themes—Common Sense Media's 16+ rating is conservative; 18+ is more realistic
Some viewers found the main character unlikeable and dialogue forced

Conversation Starters

"How does the movie update Pride and Prejudice's themes about class and first impressions for a modern setting?"
"What does the film say about different social groups within LGBTQ+ communities?"
"The characters struggle with gentrification threatening their annual tradition—have you experienced places changing in ways that matter to you?"

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