Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Flat teen social media satire has crude language, violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
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Where to Watch
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The Prank
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In THE PRANK, Ben Palmer (Connor Kalopsis) is an overachieving high school senior who's looking to apply for a scholarship to the same college his late father attended. All he needs is his midterm grade from his AP physics class, which is taught by the extremely strict Mrs. Wheeler (Rita Moreno). But in class, she announces that someone cheated on the test, and therefore—unless the cheater is revealed—everyone will fail. Ben's best friend, Tanner (Ramona Young), comes up with a plan to trash Mrs. Wheeler's reputation on social media by making it look as if she's responsible for the death of a missing student. The plan works, sparking a local media sensation and threatening Mrs. Wheeler's job. Feeling guilty, Ben goes to Mrs. Wheeler's house to talk, where he makes a discovery that changes the whole story.
Is It Any Good?
This movie didn't work back when it was called Teaching Mrs. Tingle, and it doesn't work now. It relies on flat characters and fails to say much of anything about social media ills or nasty behavior. It's notoriously difficult to visually depict a social media storm, since everyone sees it from a different perspective; a few movies pull it off in clever ways, but The Prank does not. It's as lazy and shallow as they come, merely copying the motions of a media storm without understanding what emotions might be driving it.
And if the movie fails as a satire, it also fails as a comedy, relying on half-drawn (if still somewhat likable) characters. Ben is a pretty typical nebbish, and Tanner is rather spunky and sometimes even funny (she eats ketchup-smothered fries on top of a brownie, claiming, "it's umami!"). It makes it almost possible to overlook just how mean-spirited her scheme really is. Mrs. Wheeler is a sadder case, since we're watching the legendary Moreno try to bring the character to life. But there's no humanity to her, just a series of behaviors (such as the signature black gloves). But Moreno shouldn't feel too bad; no less a performer than Helen Mirren couldn't do it in Teaching Mrs. Tingle, either. Perhaps nobody can. The Prank is a misfire that will likely end up as forgotten as its spiritual predecessor.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about The Prank's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
How does the movie portray social media? What's the ultimate takeaway? Is it useful? Dangerous? Something else?
What is the nature of a prank? What might make them funny when they're usually at another person's expense?
Do you think there's too much pressure on kids to succeed in high school? Is this a realistic portrayal of that situation?
Movie Details
- In theaters: March 15, 2024
- On DVD or streaming: April 8, 2024
- Cast: Rita Moreno , Connor Kalopsis , Ramona Young
- Director: Maureen Bharoocha
- Inclusion Information: Female directors, Female actors, Latino actors, Asian actors
- Studio: Iconic Events Releasing
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: High School
- Run time: 95 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: some language
- Last updated: September 3, 2024
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