Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

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Screenwise Verdict

Look, this is a smart movie. It's well-made, well-acted, and uncomfortably accurate about Instagram culture and the mental health toll of curated online lives. Critics loved it for good reason.

But it's also genuinely disturbing. Not in a fun thriller way—in a 'this person needs serious psychiatric help and we're watching her spiral' way. The suicide attempt is handled ambiguously enough that parents flagged it as problematic. The violence comes in sudden, startling bursts. And there's no catharsis or clear lesson at the end.

This isn't a movie for teens, despite what the 15+ rating might suggest. It's for adults who want a dark, satirical mirror held up to social media culture. If you watch it with an older teen (17-18), you better be ready to have a serious conversation afterward about mental health, authenticity, and what healthy social media use actually looks like.

Is it worth watching? If you're an adult interested in sharp social commentary, yes. As family viewing? Absolutely not.

Age Fit

This is really for adults, maybe mature 17-18 year olds at the absolute youngest. Common Sense Media says 15+ but parent reviews make clear it's 'brutally dark' and requires discussion about the suicide content. If you're watching with an older teen, plan to debrief afterward.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

25

This is a dark satire about mental illness, obsession, and social media toxicity. The protagonist stalks an Instagram influencer, engages in manipulative behavior, and the film culminates in a romanticized suicide attempt. Parents on Common Sense Media specifically noted needing to address the 'romanticized approach to suicide' with their teens. The tone is deliberately uncomfortable and emotionally unhealthy throughout, modeling deception and unhealthy attachment rather than kindness or cooperation.

Imaginative

72

The film offers a sharp, original critique of Instagram culture and influencer obsession that feels prescient for 2017. It's a creative dark comedy that explores parasocial relationships and the performative nature of social media in ways that were ahead of its time. The storytelling is inventive in how it uses visual language to mirror Instagram aesthetics while deconstructing them. Not imaginative in the 'build something' sense, but intellectually creative in its social commentary.

Safe

20

Rated R for good reason. Contains startling violence (pepper-spraying, kidnapping, gun threats, bludgeoning with a tire iron), pervasive strong language, drug use, sexual content, and 'disturbing behavior' throughout. The suicide attempt scene is particularly concerning. Common Sense Media rates it 15+ but multiple parent reviews describe it as 'brutally dark' and 'disturbing.' This is absolutely not something a child could stumble into safely—it's full of trigger warnings and mature content.

Enriching

68

For older teens and adults, this is genuinely thought-provoking about social media's impact on mental health, authenticity, and human connection. It sparked real conversations (84% RT critics, 71% Metacritic) about influencer culture and parasocial relationships before those terms were mainstream. Multiple parents noted it prompted important discussions with teens. However, the dark tone and lack of clear resolution limits its constructive takeaways—it's more cautionary tale than growth story.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Prescient critique of influencer culture and social media fakery that feels even more relevant now than in 2017
Aubrey Plaza's performance is uncomfortably brilliant—she makes you empathize with someone doing truly unhinged things
Sparks genuine conversations about authenticity, mental health, and the toxicity of curated online personas
Dark comedy that doesn't pull punches—it's willing to go to genuinely disturbing places to make its point
Strong critical reception (84% RT) for its sharp, original take on modern parasocial relationships

⚠

What to Watch For

Suicide attempt portrayed in a way that parents specifically flagged as needing discussion—it's treated somewhat ambiguously
Pervasive strong language, drug use, and sexual content throughout
Violence that comes in sudden bursts—pepper spray, kidnapping, gun threats, bludgeoning
The protagonist's behavior is deliberately disturbing and manipulative, which is the point but makes for uncomfortable viewing
No clear moral resolution—this is satire, not a redemption story

Conversation Starters

"How do you think social media changes how people present themselves? Do you ever feel pressure to make your life look more perfect online?"
"Ingrid clearly has mental health issues—what do you think she actually needed instead of moving to LA?"
"The movie shows how easy it is to fake closeness with someone you follow online. Have you ever felt like you 'know' someone from their posts?"
"Why do you think the ending happens the way it does? Is it hopeful or just more of the same cycle?"
"What would a healthy relationship with social media look like compared to what we see in this movie?"

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