In one scene, a horse becomes agitated and begins to buck, which makes a nearby horse holding a wheelchair-bound girl start to move, making it seem like the horse is going to throw her off.
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Lots of positive messages about reaching for your dreams, communicating with your parents, being honest with your friends, and asking for help when you need it. Through hard work and perseverance, McKenna overcomes several physical, emotional, and academic obstacles in the movie. The fact that Josie is in a wheelchair teaches McKenna (and hopefully the audience) not to prejudge or pity those who are different. McKenna's friendship issues shine a light on the notion of unconditional friendship and not being ashamed of needing assistance sometimes.
Positive Role Models
a lot
Josie teaches McKenna not to give up on her reading and to tackle her comprehension issues with the same determination she handles gymnastics. McKenna encourages Josie not to let her disability keep her from reaching for her dreams -- like riding a horse. McKenna has loving parents, a caring coach, and an involved teacher, all of whom are integral in her meeting her goals.
Educational Value
a little
Not specifically educational, but kids will learn great social lessons and get some information about learning and physical disabilities, as well as gymnastics.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this American Girl movie, McKenna Shoots for the Stars, is based on the doll company's Girl of the Year and offers girls (and boys) several positive messages about family, friendship, and the importance of getting help when you need it. Throughout her story, McKenna learns valuable lessons about what it takes to overcome unexpected hurdles, whether they're physical like a broken limb or emotional, like the embarrassment of needing a tutor to improve in language arts. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
This was a great movie! My 4, 6, and 8 year old loved it. The 8 and 6 year old were boys. Great example of how to get through the ups and downs in life as a young girl.
Another reviewer said the movie was racist because the main character does a reading comprehension exercise in which she reads that the climate in India is not healthy for children. The reviewer was upset that there was no examination of that belief or discussion on it. I would like to point out that the main character is reading from a classic in literature called The Secret Garden which is from 1911. The characters discussing why or why not it would be racist would completely take away from the purpose of the scene in the movie, because the scene is simply about the girl stumbling over words and not comprehending them. Had they stopped to discuss the “racism” in the book, they would have lost the focus of the scene being about her inability to read. Not everything is a racial matter.
What's the Story?
McKenna (Jade Pettyjohn) is a fourth-grade gymnast who loves nothing more than competing for her club's team with her best friend Toulane (Ysa Penarejo). But when her grades start to slip and she's caught looking around during a test, McKenna's teacher suggests that her parents (Nia Vardalos, Ian Ziering) enlist the help of a tutor, Josie (Kerris Dorsey). Just as things couldn't get any worse for McKenna, she falls and hurts herself during a competition, winding up in a cast for eight weeks. Unhappy with her tutoring and inability to prepare for a spot on the Olympic training team, McKenna acts sulky and defeated. Josie, who's in a wheelchair, shows McKenna that if she applies hers gymnastics-honed discipline and determination to her tutoring sessions, there's nothing she can't accomplish.
AN AMERICAN GIRL: MCKENNA SHOOTS FOR THE STARS is a surprisingly sweet and empowering tale, particularly for young girls (regardless of whether they have an American Girl doll or not). Although McKenna's story provides many inspiring lessons, the movie isn't overly preachy or maudlin. There's a believable dramatic tension in all of McKenna's relationships, especially her growing rapport with Josie and her emotional disagreements with her BFF Toulane. Pettyjohn is a talented and expressive young actress, as is Josie, who's played with the same impressive nuance that Dorsey employed as Brad Pitt's daughter in Moneyball.
The only quibble with the movie's narrative is that it introduces Toulane's hyper-competitive and critical mother (Paula Rivera) but doesn't expand on that subplot until a couple of lines at the end of the film. Otherwise, this is exactly the kind of heartwarming movie that makes for a perfect sleepover or play date pick for tween girls. The movie's themes empower kids to see beyond the superficial and to recognize that there's nothing wrong with needing a little bit of help -- whether from your family, friends, or a tutor -- to better yourself and "shoot for the stars."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the way the movie depicts McKenna's learning and Josie's physical disabilities. How can kids learn from the way McKenna and Josie handle their personal challenges?
How is Toulane's relationship with her mother different than McKenna's? What does McKenna's mom teach her about following your passion and asking for help when you need it?
Does McKenna Shoots for the Stars seem like a tie-in to the American Girl doll, or would it be good even without the American Girl in the title? Does the connection to the brand make you more likely to watch the movie?
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.