MIXTAPE Parents Guide + Movie Review

Mixtape is a heartfelt film premiering on Netflix December 3, 2021. Filled with 90’s nostalgia, it’s an emotional journey towards self-discovery. Is Mixtape kid-friendly? What ages is it best suited for? I’m breaking down all of the thematic elements, including its TV-PG rating, in my Mixtape Parents Guide and Movie Review. Here’s what parents need to know to help YOU decide if it’s appropriate for kids. As always, no spoilers!

Mixtape Parents Guide + Movie Review

Netflix’s Mixtape is set in 1999 (aka: the year I graduated high school). I greatly appreciated the abundant jokes on the Y2K conspiracies thrown into the film. For me, this movie was a trip down memory lane…mixtapes included. It made me laugh that I had to explain to my kids what was actually a mixtape. Back then, everyone had them! My brother had a whole series of mixtapes — “Good Stuff,” “Good Stuff 1,” “Good Stuff 2,” etc. Clearly I got the creative gene in the family. 

Mixtape follows the story of 12 year old Beverly (Gemma Brooke Allen), who is being raised by her grandmother, Gail (Julie Bowen). Beverly’s parents died when she was just two years old and she is desperate to learn more about them. It is clear that Gail holds an abundance of guilt and blames herself for her daughters death. It pains her to talk about her, and because of this, she avoids speaking of her with Beverly. 

Beverly stumbles across a mixtape that was made by her parents. She sets off on a mission to recover the songs on the tape. This turn of event leads her down a path of self-discovery, forming friendships with unlikely acquaintances along the way. 

IS MIXTAPE KID-FRIENDLY? HERE’S YOUR PARENTS GUIDE:

A coming of age story about a young girl on a journey to learn about her parents, and in return, discover where she came from. Is Mixtape safe for kids? What ages is it best suited for? Here’s what parents need to know before allowing their children to watch Mixtape.

Mixtape has a TV-PG rating for language. It has a runtime of 1 hour 37 minutes. Let’s break down the thematic elements and take a closer look.

Violence

There are punches thrown and a few scenes of kids fighting. There is also a scene where a child is not wearing a seatbelt. It’s spoken of casually as if it isn’t a big deal — which coincides with the time period of the film.

Language

While there isn’t any profanity in Mixtape, there are certainly more unnecessary words used than I would have liked. Losers, dorks, fart sniffer, d@mned, H*ll, butt wipe, zit face, stupid, jerk, dumb, screwed up, and shut up were all said. There was also a comment made about worshiping Satan.

Mature Content

A main theme of Mixtape is the loss of a parent…in Beverly’s case, the loss of both of her parents. Grief certainly plays a key role and might be triggering for some children. Bullying is also shown in full force. Ironically enough, the character who does the most bullying uses a wheelchair. There is also a comment made where someone says, “I thought people in wheelchairs couldn’t be jerks.” This made me laugh out loud, because if you didn’t know, I use a wheelchair. I thought this was done well to normalize a disability and break the stereotypes others might have. Wheelchair or not…we are all the same. 

Age Recommendation

Even with a TV-PG rating, Mixtape was not made for younger children. However, I do see teens and even tweens wanting to watch this one. I would recommend Mixtape for ages 12 and up. 

Overall Thoughts

Mixtape is a coming of age story focusing on self-discovery. With likable characters and a fun, engaging storyline, Mixtape will be a hit with the teen crowd. We need more movies that celebrate friendships and our differences, and Mixtape does both eloquently. Stream Mixtape exclusively on Netflix. 

MIXTAPE Synopsis

On the eve of Y2k, orphaned, awkward 12-year-old Beverly Moody (Gemma Brooke Allen) discovers a broken mixtape crafted by her teen parents. Raised by her grandmother Gail (Julie Bowen), a former teen mom herself who finds it painful to speak about her late daughter, Beverly sees this mixtape as a chance to finally learn more about her parents. So she sets out on a journey to find all the songs on the tape. Along the way, she makes friends with her quirky neighbor, Ellen (Audrey Hsieh); intimidatingly tough, Nicky (Olga Petsa); and Anti (Nick Thune), an anti-everything record store owner who’s the key to finding these tracks, and a renewed bond between Gail and Beverly.

 

I HOPE YOU FOUND THIS MIXTAPE PARENTS GUIDE AND MOVIE REVIEW HELPFUL FOR YOUR FAMILY. WILL YOU BE WATCHING?!

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