Parents' Guide to

Plastic Earth

By Jeffrey M. Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Busy, thorough docu explores solutions to plastic problem.

Movie NR 2023 100 minutes
Plastic Earth Movie Poster: A young girl wearing sunglasses collects empty plastic bottles on a beach

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

  • Plastic Earth Movie: The president of Circ, Peter Majeranowski (left), shows filmmaker Janice Overbeck (right) a piece of fabric
  • Plastic Earth Movie: Workers at a recycling plant sort empty plastic bottles on a conveyor belt
  • Plastic Earth Movie: An Ocean Cleanup station is designed to divert plastic in the waterways so that it can be collected

Community Reviews

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age 5+

Based on 1 parent review

Collette J.
Collette J. Parent of 11, 13 and 16-year-old
May 9, 2023
age 5+

Learn about plastic pollution and how to solve it

This documentary film does an exceptional job explaining how and why the plastic crisis has come about; but more importantly, the film demonstrates several different ways to solve the problem. Petroleum-based plastics do not biodegrade, and thus last for 100s of years in the environment or landfills. If they do start to break down, they only break down into smaller and smaller pieces called microplastics that eventually get ingested or absorbed by animals, plants, and water that we as humans consequently consume. Although some of the data is complicated, the imagery shows younger audiences the enormity of the problem and how people are trying to solve it.
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In PLASTIC EARTH, mother of four Janice Overbeck becomes concerned with the problem of plastic on our planet and sets out to make a documentary about it. Viewers learn about fossil-based plastics that are made for a single use and then generally wind up in the oceans -- as well as literally everywhere else (i.e., our food, our clothing, the air, etc.). Additionally, these materials can't be broken down without emitting toxic gasses, which can cause people to become terribly ill. It's disturbing stuff. But Overbeck also discovers many companies and organizations that are dedicated to solving the problem, whether it's by using safe, recyclable PHA plastic, starting initiatives and programs for cleaning up, or finding new ways to break down and recycle complex materials that were previously thought impossible.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Overly busy, this documentary still undeniably provides plenty of fresh information on a pressing environmental problem, and the filmmakers have certainly done their legwork. Narrated by comic actor Rob Riggle, who also appears on camera and gets serious for a moment, Plastic Earth does try a little too hard. The many segments are fast and short, as if produced for a flashy children's educational video, and they may frequently leave you with questions. And then there's the endless parade of stock images and the constantly twittering and chirping musical score (and, heaven help us, songs), which all sounds like royalty-free stuff downloaded from the internet. Still, Overbeck and company have clearly put a lot of work into surfacing a wide variety of good, smart people who've come up with amazing solutions, big and small. The featured ideas range from a waste-to-energy plant in Copenhagen that doubles as a sports park to a method of removing plastic from waterways using bubbles. Plastic Earth doesn't let people off the hook, however: This is a problem that still needs action, and each and every one of us can -- and should -- help.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Plastic Earth's contribution to the conversation on the environment. What does it contribute? What was surprising? What was already familiar?

  • Is the movie scary? Hopeful? How so? Why is it so difficult for some people to talk about the environment and climate change?

  • Does the movie include a call to action? Does it offer suggestions for how an ordinary person can start? If so, what are they?

  • Did any of the ideas or solutions in the movie speak to you especially? If so, which one(s), and why?

  • Do you have any ideas of your own regarding our plastic problem?

Movie Details

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