Crush
Crush is a 2022 American coming-of-age romantic comedy film distributed by Hulu, centered on high school senior Paige Evans. Accused of being an anonymous graffiti artist, Paige joins the track team to avoid suspension, aiming to get closer to her long-time crush, Gabby. However, she unexpectedly develops feelings for Gabby's twin sister, AJ, leading to a queer romance narrative. The film is notable for its positive and normalized portrayal of LGBTQ+ relationships, focusing on "queer joy" without the typical "coming out" struggles. Intended for a young adult audience, it explores themes of self-discovery, first love, and acceptance within a contemporary high school setting.
Concerns
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
HighThe film explicitly centers on LGBTQ+ themes and relationships. The protagonist, Paige, is an openly lesbian character who initially has a crush on Gabby but ultimately falls in love with Gabby's twin sister, AJ. The narrative normalizes queer relationships, portraying them as accepted within the school and family environment, and emphasizes 'queer joy' over 'coming out' narratives. The director and writers identify as queer, basing the script on personal experiences.
Paige (Rowan Blanchard) is an openly lesbian high school artist with a long-time crush on Gabby Campos (Isabella Ferreira), a popular track athlete. The central romantic plot develops between Paige and AJ Campos (Auli'i Cravalho), Gabby's reserved twin sister, culminating in them sharing multiple kisses and becoming a couple. Paige's mother, Angie (Megan Mullally), is depicted as overtly supportive and 'sex-positive' regarding Paige's lesbian identity and romantic life.
Romance and Sexual Content
HighThe film features significant romantic and sexual content, including multiple instances of kissing between same-sex characters, implied sexual activity, suggestive dialogue, and discussions around sexuality. The TV-MA rating is partly attributed to 'inferences to sex, tons of innuendo,' and a 'dental dam scene.' The film has a generally 'sex-positive' tone.
Paige and AJ share kisses, notably during a game of 'seven minutes in heaven' at a party, which AJ initially believes is her first kiss, and again at the film's conclusion. Paige's mother, Angie, gives Paige glow-in-the-dark dental dams and offers explicit 'sex-positive' advice, indicating openness about safe sexual practices among teenagers. The film's overall dialogue includes suggestive language and innuendo common in teen rom-coms rated TV-MA.
Profanity
HighThe film contains consistent use of strong language and profanity throughout, contributing to its TV-MA rating. This includes expletives commonly used in modern teen media.
The phrase 'oh my fucking god what the fuck' and 'oh hey bitch' are heard at one point. Additionally, characters use phrases like 'shut the hell'. The general tone of dialogue includes 'strong language' which is a typical descriptor for TV-MA rated content, reflecting frequent use of expletives.
Witchcraft & Occult
MediumThere is a brief, comedic mention of a 'love spell' by a side character, but no actual depiction of witchcraft, rituals, or supernatural elements as a central theme. This is presented as a minor, humorous aside rather than a serious engagement with occult practices.
The school principal, Ms. Collins, humorously reveals to Coach Murray that she took his hair to perform a 'love spell,' explicitly asking 'how else is a love spell supposed to work'. This lighthearted reference to a 'love spell' is the only direct mention of occult practices, used for comedic effect by a secondary character.
Substance Use
MediumThe film depicts underage drinking and mentions drug use among high school students. Characters are shown attending parties where alcohol is consumed, and there are references to substances that contribute to the film's TV-MA rating.
A party scene features high school students 'get[ting] wasted at the kind of mansion rager,' indicating underage drinking. The TV-MA rating specifically cites 'drug use' and 'over-drinking' as contributing factors, suggesting the presence of these elements beyond just implied alcohol consumption at parties.
Disrespect & Rebellion
MediumThe film portrays instances of teenage rebellion and disrespect towards authority figures, mainly through the character of Paige and the 'KingPun' subplot. This includes breaking school rules and engaging in sarcastic dialogue.
Paige is falsely accused of being 'KingPun,' a graffiti artist who vandalizes the school. Her initial refusal to identify the actual culprit and her eventual agreement to join the track team to avoid suspension demonstrate a rebellious attitude toward school rules. Characters also exhibit 'snark' and 'sincerity' in their dialogue, typical of teenage defiance and sarcastic remarks towards adults, such as Paige's interactions with Coach Murray.
Violence
LowThe film contains minimal instances of non-graphic violence, primarily related to the prankster 'KingPun' who vandalizes the school with graffiti. There are no depictions of physical fights, gore, or serious injuries. The low level of violence is in line with its romantic comedy genre.
The main 'conflict' related to violence involves Paige being falsely accused of being 'KingPun,' an anonymous artist who vandalizes the school with pun-based graffiti, which leads to her needing to join the track team to avoid suspension. In an effort to protect AJ, Paige attempts to confess to being KingPun, but finds AJ has already confessed and been suspended for the vandalism. There are no actual fight scenes or physical altercations depicted among the characters.
Scary & Intense Content
LowThe film is a romantic comedy and does not contain scary or intensely frightening content. There are no elements of horror, graphic violence, jump scares, or themes intended to induce fear or distress.
The movie's genre as a 'queer teen romantic comedy' focuses on humor and relationship drama, not suspense or horror. Reviews consistently describe the film as 'cutesy' and 'endearing,' with no mention of frightening or disturbing scenes.
Anti-Christian Themes
LowThere are no explicit anti-Christian themes, mockery of Christian beliefs, or sacrilegious acts depicted in the film. The movie does not engage with religious themes or institutions in any significant way.
The narrative of 'Crush' is secular, focusing on personal relationships and high school experiences without referencing Christianity or other religious practices. Reviews and plot summaries do not indicate any scenes or dialogue that are critical or dismissive of Christian faith.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
Given the TV-MA rating, explicit discussions of sexuality, implied sexual content, consistent profanity, and depiction of underage drinking and drug use, a recommendation for ages 16+ is appropriate. Mature teens may be able to handle the themes with parental guidance, particularly regarding the portrayal of LGBTQ+ relationships and substance use. The film normalizes LGBTQ+ themes and sexual exploration among teenagers, which may be a significant concern for some Christian parents.
Additional Notes
The film's strength lies in its normalized and joyful portrayal of a lesbian teen romance, which can be a positive for LGBTQ+ youth seeking representation. However, Christian parents should be aware that this normalization, coupled with mature themes like casual sex references, underage drinking, and consistent profanity, positions the film for an older teen audience (16+). The film lacks traditional 'coming out' struggles, presenting an environment where queer identity is largely accepted by peers and family.
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