Parents' Guide to

The Outcasts

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Smart-girls-vs.-mean-girls comedy has swearing, drinking.

Movie PG-13 2017 95 minutes
The Outcasts Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 10+

Based on 3 parent reviews

Movie L.
Movie L. Adult
July 11, 2020
age 9+

Excellent Movie

This movie really tells the story of how people are judged in high school and how you can never expect things to fully go your way. Of course bad choices are made throughout the movie but it is still excellent and shows the power of friendship. A little bit of swearing and kissing, one session where 2 teens make out in a closet nothing is shown, no clothing besides a jacket is removed. Good family movie if you have kids 9+
Dad5555
Dad5555 Adult
June 22, 2020
age 10+

Good for ages 10 and up

I think its good to watch for ages ten and up
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

THE OUTCASTS follows two best friends -- music geek Jodi (Victoria Justice) and science nerd Mindy (Eden Sher) -- who are finally ready, in their senior year, to branch out and attend a party hosted by the popular crowd. But during the party, queen bee Whitney (Claudia Lee) plays an awful prank on Jodi, and Mindy vows to get revenge. Her MO? To band together the various cliques of "outcasts" in the social order. With the help of school debate champ Virginia's (Ashley Rickards) meticulous files on seemingly everyone in the school, the girls reach out to leaders of the techies, sci-fi lovers, fantasy cosplayers, Girl Scouts, LGBT kids, band/theater types, etc. to form a coalition to usurp the "cool kids" from their top spot in the high-school social order. But then Jodi begins to worry that Mindy is taking vengeance too far and finds herself attracted to Dave (Avan Jogia), one of the guys formerly in Whitney's circle.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3 ):
Kids say (7 ):

The cast of charming veteran teen TV stars elevate this amusing, if derivative, entry in the "revenge of the nerds" subgenre of high school comedies about upending the social order. Sher is an expert at playing a geeky high schooler thanks to her years on The Middle, and Justice shows her range by trying on the role of a band geek with aspirations of becoming a singer-songwriter. Although mostly a comedy about the revenge-themed mission that MIT-obsessed Mindy launches against Whitney and her squad, The Outcasts is also a friendship drama about BFFs who must learn how to navigate their impending post-graduation separation. That particular aspect really resonates as authentic.

Of course, the Revenge of the Nerds-inspired part isn't without its entertaining humor. The way that the various geek groups band together is quite funny, particularly because Virginia has such thorough files on each "leader." The way the girls know how to poke through the armor and egos of all their potential allies is amusing, if cliched (there are plenty of "nerdy" teens who have no trouble finding dates). A highlight of the silliness is when precocious scientist Mindy unleashes a truth serum-like gas in public, and everyone starts blurting out confessional truths. While The Outcasts may not become a teen classic, it's diverting enough to rent/stream/watch with fans of the talented cast.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the depiction of pranking and bullying in The Outcasts. Is it realistic? Is there a difference between being pranked and being bullied? What are some ways to deal with bullying in real life?

  • Teens: Do you think the movie is realistic in its depiction of high-school cliques? How is social class established/reinforced among your own peers? Did you notice any stereotypes in the movie?

  • How does the movie portray drinking? Are there consequences? Why is that important?

  • Parents: This comedy has been compared to Revenge of the Nerds. How do you think it stacks up against that '80s classic? Is this one more appropriate for teen viewers?

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