Come from Away Movie Review

by James K. Kunkeltech for kids

Common Sense Media Review

Andrea Beach

By Andrea Beach

,
based on child development research. How do we rate?


age 10+







The touching musical has emotional intensity, gentle language.

  • Come From Away Movie: Scene #1

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age 11+







Based on 2 opinions of parents

upstateNYmama

September 11, 2021


age 9+







a wonderful musical for children who know about 9/11

Come From Away is a surprisingly warm, human, generally positive musical about 9/11. It would only make sense to a child who understands the basic outline of what happened on that date — I wouldn’t recommend watching it unless your child starts with those basics. The show doesn’t go into detail about the horrors, and many small references (the smoke is still there a few days later) would go over their heads. It’s clear that some characters are worried about their loved ones, and towards the end we learn that one character’s firefighter son was killed. The death of a baby bonobo is also mentioned (a pregnant bonobo happened to be on one of the grounded planes and was taken care of). There’s a gay couple who are the main characters, a couple joking about a “sexer” (instead of “secretary”). There’s a couple of passionate kisses between a man and a woman who are clearly falling in love. There’s drunken people acting stupid. I’m totally comfortable with all of that for of my 9-year-old. All in all, it’s the story of the strange, generous people in a small town in Newfoundland. they find themselves in the care of thousands of people who were grounded at their airport for days during and after 9/11 Overall, the musical is not tragic or scary, but mostly uplifting (with sad moments), a show about humanity at its best.Good songs, good stories My 13 year old loved it (he picked up on more nuances) and so did I The 9 year old enjoyed it.

rldad

rldad



Parent of 12 and 15 years old

March 3, 2024


age 12+







My teenagers loved it and learned about 9/11

A good historical story presented in a fun and humorous way. Very impressive acting

What is the story?

COME FROM AWAY, based on real people and events, tells the story of a small community in Newfoundland, Canada, that came together to help about 7,000 airline passengers. On September 11, 2001, all flights in the United States were suspended following the terrorist attacks, and over 35 passenger planes were ordered to land at the remote Gander International Airport. The sudden influx of people from around the world nearly doubled the population of the nearby town, but people there and in nearby communities rallied to provide everyone with shelter, food and supplies. Most of the passengers were scared and confused, unaware of the tragic events that took place that day. And when they were finally able to see the news, after the shock and horror, all they wanted was to get back to their loved ones. Overcoming language and cultural barriers, these two groups managed to come together to live everyone through their worst nightmares.

Is it good?

This filmed version of the Broadway musical performance is touching and ultimately upbeat, but may be an emotional trigger for viewers who remember the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Based on real people and events, Come from afar it doesn’t rehash that horrible day, but it does tell a little-known side of the story that shows how a community that comes together can make anything happen, and how people who are very different on the outside can come together and touch each other’s lives in meaningful ways. Compassion, community, faith, fear, heartache, humanity and more are explored with humor and heart in this brief look at a terrible moment in time.

It almost leans more towards opera – most of the stories are told in song with short exchanges of dialogue in between. But the music is completely modern and does a good job of telling the story without being unpleasant. Moving cameras and a rotating part of the stage add a dynamic feel to watching a theater performance. The acting and singing are solid, and each member of the cast moves deftly between several roles quickly. The adult characters and their stories may limit their appeal to children, but teens and older adults who are interested in history and curious about the events and their aftermath will learn a lot about 9/11 through the personal stories of many different kinds of people.

Talk to your kids about…

  • Families can discuss how Come from afar shows how far-reaching the impact of the 9/11 terrorist attack was. How did they affect the passengers? How about the people in a few small towns in remote Newfoundland? Can you find Newfoundland on the map?

  • Broadway plays and musicals have been popular for a long time. What do we like or dislike about them? What makes them a good way to tell a story?

  • Think of the ways in which the people of Gander and other nearby towns pitched in and worked together to provide for stranded travelers. Why do you think they did that? If you were there, do you think you would have helped? How?

  • What strength of character do these characters portray?

Did we miss something about diversity?

Research shows a connection between children’s healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in the media. That’s why we’ve added a new “Different Representations” section to our reviews, which will be published continuously. You can help us help children

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