Netflix "Cuties" Backlash

[Mystic Wanderer]

After seeing all the hype against the movie (mostly based off of the dance contest clip and inaccurate descriptions) Kdog and I decided to watch it for ourselves and make our own judgements about the film.

While the dance contest scene was especially cringe worthy if all you watched was the clip without watching the movie in context and seeing what came before and ensued you have done yourself an injustice. 

The characters in the movie were all too familiar: young pre-teen girls trying all too hard to act like the grown women they see acting scandalously on videos every day. It wasn't males pressuring them into such behavior but the girls pressuring each other- just as they do in real life. 

Add into the mix the main character: a Senegalese girl miserable knowing her culture will force her to be a young teen bride, married to a man she must be subservient to who will most likely have multiple wives. She witnesses her own mother's misery and rebels against her father marrying and bringing a new bride of his own into the home. Just as girls often do she takes her rebellion much too far.

There are lessons to be learned in this movie, powerful lessons. If I had a pre-teen daughter I would sit down with her and watch this movie and discuss it with her at length. Since our daughters are all grown I would hope that our eldest sits down and watches and discusses it with our granddaughter.

The movie does not glorify pedophilia or even the nasty dancing. In fact I felt like it did just the opposite.

I respect your analysis of the show, and I understand what you are saying, but why do we need a movie of young girls who had to be exploited live in front of a stage full of people making the movie (and then the world), doing some "adult" things? Shouldn't parents already know to talk to their daughters about such things?

I have a problem with the parents who allowed their child to be in this movie. You know they had to be groomed and exploited during certain scenes.  I think they allowed their child to be used to gain fame and money, and that's the problem I have with this.