Viewers will learn about the geology of Mars, including discoveries about the planet's geological past, as well as NASA's program to explore the planet.
Positive Messages
a lot
Promotes teamwork and curiosity, emphasizes importance of gratitude and empathy. Pro-STEM topic.
Positive Role Models
a lot
The team behind building Opportunity and Spirit had to use lots of teamwork to create the rovers and troubleshoot them once they reached Mars. Desire to explore Mars shows curiosity. Team also uses empathy when they develop a relationship with the robots that have become a huge part of their lives. Through the robots' lifespan, several team members are able to better understand issues affecting their personal lives.
Diverse Representations
some
Many images of NASA team behind the Mars rovers are White men. But documentary also highlights several women and people of color who helped make the rovers a possibility.
Parents need to know that Good Night Oppy is an inspiring, educational documentary that showcases the amazing accomplishment of the NASA team members who sent Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity to the Red Planet. The film's interviewees include a diverse mix of people engaging in STEM pursuits, as well as demonstrating curiosity and teamwork to complete their mission. Empathy is another major component of the film. Expect a little bit of language ("damn") and drinking by adults, as well as a clip of a Heineken commercial featuring Opportunity. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
this movie kicked off a mutual obsession for me and my four year old with NASA and space. for months, he talked about Oppy to complete strangers. what a wonderful movie commemorating an exciting period of exploration!
Our almost 8 year old still talks about this movie and has watched multiple times.
This movie was a HUGE hit with my 6.5, then 7.5 year old son. The two adults watching with him (one 80, the other 46) were also deeply engrossed in the story. My son is a fledgling movie watcher (like, Aladdin was terrifying and we never got through Moana) but loves documentaries like they have at Natural History Museums. After watching this, he was able to watch Wall-E and loved it. We highly recommend this film!
What's the Story?
GOOD NIGHT OPPY is a heartwarming documentary about Spirit and Opportunity, the two rovers who were sent to the Red Planet by NASA in 2004. Initially expected to explore for 90 days, Opportunity managed to survive for 15 years, helping NASA learn more than it ever thought possible about the planet's past, including its former state as a planet with water.
This is a fun, insightful documentary about how the Mars rovers helped NASA learn major revelations about the Red Planet, including its watery past. Good Night Oppy will likely inspire space fans and STEM lovers of all ages, but it's especially important for younger viewers to watch. The film features several prominent mission team members, including women and people of color. Seeing them included may go far in helping young girls and children of color feel welcome in a space that has, in the past, seemed unwelcoming to non-male, non-White individuals.
The film also provides a way to examine empathy through the relationship the engineers establish with both Spirit and Opportunity. As the engineers' lives progress and change -- including growing their families and facing aging, sickness, and mortality -- they view those experiences through their relationship with their aging robots, who also experience their own versions of aging and sickness. At times, the film can feel a wee bit too saccharine, but overall, Good Night Oppy is a great documentary to watch with the whole family.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Good Night Oppy promotes STEM. What is STEM? How do the teams behind the rovers use STEM to make their dream a reality?
Why was curiosity important for the mission to be a success? How do the team members use curiosity to solve problems?
Why was teamwork important for the mission? How do team members use teamwork when problems arise?
Why do you think the team began to empathize with Spirit and Opportunity?
How is NASA using the images and information the rovers gathered about Mars? How can they use this information to inform us about Earth?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
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.
By Monique Jones
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
