By Michael Ordona , based on child development research. How do we rate?
Glover's short film mixes music, mild violence.
Parents need to know that Guava Island is an hour-long movie starring Donald Glover as a local musician who wants to throw a festival on an island run by a brutal boss (Nonso Anozie) who may go to extremes to stop it. Expect some fairly bloodless menacing by bad guys: A character is shot to death (non-graphic…
A character is shot to death, but it's not shown graphically. Physical evidence
Sex, Romance & NudityThe main character and his girlfriend are in love, and she gets pregnant, but no
Language Not presentDonald Glover/Childish Gambino's lyrics can occasionally contain profanity, but
Products & Purchases Not present Drinking, Drugs & Smoking Not presentNot really a message film, but community and personal integrity are valued. The
Positive Role ModelsThe main character is good-hearted and brave.
A character is shot to death, but it's not shown graphically. Physical evidence that a character was roughed up off-camera. Kidnapping.
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The main character and his girlfriend are in love, and she gets pregnant, but nothing particularly sensual is shown.
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Donald Glover/Childish Gambino's lyrics can occasionally contain profanity, but if any of words slipped into "Guava Island," they've done so imperceptibly.
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Not really a message film, but community and personal integrity are valued. The film has a peace-and-love vibe.
Parents need to know that Guava Island is an hour-long movie starring Donald Glover as a local musician who wants to throw a festival on an island run by a brutal boss (Nonso Anozie) who may go to extremes to stop it. Expect some fairly bloodless menacing by bad guys: A character is shot to death (non-graphic), and there's physical evidence that suggests a character was roughed up off-camera. Adult themes include unplanned pregnancy and violent threats, but there's no explicit content. Rihanna and Letitia Wright (Black Panther) co-star. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
Guava Island
Official trailer
Based on 3 parent reviews
April 23, 2019I great way for young people to learn about political action. Good music that will draw young people in. Themes are complex and will need discussion/deconstruction. Themes may be difficult for a younger person to understand. I showed this to my high school filmmaking class and they enjoyed it and enjoyed deconstructing the messages in it.
April 14, 2019Beloved, scrappy local musician Deni (Donald Glover) lives on GUAVA ISLAND with his loving girlfriend, Kofi (Rihanna). According to legend, the island used to be a paradise before the forces of thuggish capitalism (the "Red" family, whose honcho is played by Nonso Anozie) corrupted it, all but enslaving its people. Kofi wants to get off the island with Deni; Deni wants to throw a music festival to lift up his people. And Red? He doesn't want the people focused on anything but work, so he may take extreme action to stop Deni.
Guava Island may not have the crackling brilliance that Glover has spoiled us to expect, but it's still a warmly assembled showcase for his talents. It's a harmless bit of self-mythologizing that harkens to The Harder They Come, City of God, Purple Rain, and others. Glover casts himself as a good-hearted musical savior -- something you might expect Glover to do ironically, but which seems in earnest here -- and brings plenty of personality and chops to sell it. There are no surprises in the plotting and movement of this music-infused, short (it's 55 minutes long) film. But that's of questionable importance, since it seems to be about the experience, rather than the story or characters.
Frequent Glover collaborators director Hiro Murai (who also helmed Glover's famous "This Is America" video and many episodes of his Atlanta series) and cinematographer Christian Sprenger (an Emmy winner for Atlanta) capture a summery island vibe. The film's boxy 4:3 aspect ratio and grainy celluloid look evoke the '70s with fondness. With several new songs and reinterpreted pieces of Glover/Childish Gambino hits "This Is America," "Summertime Magicm" and "Feels Like Summer," Guava Island also feels like a less-trippy "Magical Mystery Tour" at times. Glover's performance swings from naturalistic to something more suited to the large gestures of a movie musical. But that's OK, since the film's mythological introduction and habit of bursting into song tell us not to anchor ourselves too much in naturalistic reality. In a small role as Kofi's co-worker in one of Red's sweatshops, Letitia Wright reminds us of her irresistible charisma. This slight but charming film may be designed for a passing cultural moment -- sort of a Snapchat of a mini-movie, but with distinct flavor and powerhouse talent.
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