Parents' Guide to

The Goldfinch

By Tara McNamara, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Art-centered drama about loss has teen drinking, drug use.

Movie R 2019 149 minutes
The Goldfinch Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

See all
age 13+

Based on 9 parent reviews

Jackie P.
Jackie P. Adult
March 15, 2020
age 13+

Book-lovers will love it!

If you did not read the book, you will most likely be confused and bored throughout. Watching with my family I had to explain what was happening from my knowledge of the book. It has all the essential parts from the book but is very disjointed in how they put it all together.
barbjones
barbjones Adult
September 12, 2019
age 14+

Ok

I didn’t read the book so the movie didn’t make a lot of sense. My 13 year old came and saw it. She enjoyed it a lot but I did think it can be overwhelming for immature kids. It was good however.
See all 9 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In the chaos of a terrorist attack at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art that kills his mother, Theo Decker (played at different ages by Oakes Fegley and Ansel Elgort) steals a valuable painting of a goldfinch. As he grows up, Theo moves from guardian to guardian, keeping the artwork close while gathering more secrets. THE GOLDFINCH is based on Donna Tartt's 2014 bestselling, Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (9 ):
Kids say (29 ):

Just like the antique Chippendale antique restorations that Theo sells, this movie's source material is exquisite, but the changes applied to transform the piece degrade the entire product. Not that adapting the story could ever be considered an easy task: Tartt's novel is nearly 800 pages long, and a great deal of it is Theo's internal struggle and dialogue. But unfortunately, the big-screen Goldfinch doesn't sing, it warbles -- and, at two and a half hours, you might wish you could silence it. Still, it offers quite a bit of chewy content to contemplate, discuss, and debate.

The story is a complete original, but the movie does feel like a couple we've seen before. When Theo is a child, it's like Stand by Me -- young teens bond over loss, abuse, and the unfairness of life. When he's a young man, it's more Bright Lights, Big City: A handsome 20-something New Yorker battles his demons with drugs as he tries to settle his affairs of the heart and get on the right path. The Goldfinch does boast memorable performances: Nicole Kidman's poised, proper, yet caring and protective temporary foster mother; Sarah Paulson as the chain-smoking girlfriend of Theo's actor-turned-gambler dad; and Finn Wolfhard as Theo's bad-influence best friend. It all adds up to what might be best described as an empathy hot pot -- not so much a tearjerker, but once the credits roll, you realize your heart is fully cooked.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about The Goldfinch's theme of fate/destiny vs. free will/coincidence. Was Theo guided to "exactly where he was meant to be with the people he was meant to be with," or do you think he met them all by chance?

  • How does this film depict drugs, alcohol, and smoking? Are they glamorized? Are there realistic consequences? Why does that matter?

  • Do you think Theo is resilient or a survivor -- or is that the same thing? What about Pippa and Boris? How is the painting used as a metaphor as it relates to Theo?

  • The Goldfinch is a real painting that's currently on display at The Hague. Why do you think real-world works of art -- visual, musical, and literary -- are referenced throughout the movie? Did it make you feel a greater connection to the film -- or impose a greater distance if those works weren't meaningful to you?

  • What does Theo mean when he says "We are so accustomed to disguise ourselves to others, that in the end, we become disguised to ourselves"? How do the characters disguise themselves to each other? Can you see parallels to that in your life or in social media?

Movie Details

Inclusion information powered by

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate