The Present
By Kat Halstead,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Time-travel comedy portrays divorce in negative light.
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The Present
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What's the Story?
In THE PRESENT, Taylor (Easton Rocket Sweda) discovers his grandfather's clock can manipulate time and joins up with his older siblings, Emma (Shay Rudolph) and Max (Mason Shea Joyce), to repeat the day their parents (Isla Fisher and Greg Kinnear) announce their separation, hoping to control events and change the outcome.
Is It Any Good?
Plenty of fun scenarios unfold as three siblings team up to change the events leading up to their parents' breakup before repeatedly resetting the clock and starting from scratch. The Present has parallels to The Parent Trap, Groundhog Day, and numerous other family sci-fi, time-travel adventures, and it uses the concept well to gradually reveal more about the lives of both parents and each of the kids in turn. However, the central relationship between Fisher and Kinnear never quite feels believable, even as they portray a couple who've drifted apart. Touching moments are a little too easily won, and the central concept of keeping the traditional family unit together against all odds feels a little dated and without much emotional nuance. It's a children's fantasy, an adult's fairy tale, but some viewers may watch wondering how long any solution is going to last here, and whether talking to kids about acceptance would be the more helpful route. That said, it's warm and fun, and kids get up to all kinds of hijinks that will likely amuse younger viewers and make adults take note.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the subject of separation and divorce are treated in The Present. How did the movie portray family and what did it say about divorce? Are your parents divorced or do you know other families where parents live separately, are single-parent units, or where kids have other guardians? Why is it important to see lots of different types of families on-screen?
The siblings in the movie go to great lengths to keep their parents together, including lying, stealing, damaging property, and putting people in danger. Did you think they were right to do anything they could or did you think they went too far on some occasions? What other ways might they have approached the situation?
The three kids showed perseverance and teamwork in trying to keep their parents together. Why are these important character strengths? Can you think of a time you've achieved something using these skills?
How were sex and relationships portrayed? Was it affectionate? Respectful? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: June 18, 2024
- Cast: Isla Fisher , Ryan Guzman , Greg Kinnear
- Director: Christian Ditter
- Inclusion Information: Female actors, Latino actors
- Studio: Gravitas Ventures
- Genre: Science Fiction
- Topics: Brothers and Sisters , Science and Nature
- Character Strengths: Perseverance , Teamwork
- Run time: 86 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: June 23, 2024
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