FAME
Pursuing dreams with strong music, mixed content, and uneven storytelling.
Should You Watch It?
FAME has the energy of a flashier, grittier version of the HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL genre. Its song and dance numbers are strong, and its moral center includes hard work, determination, discipline, supportive teachers, and a Christian hymn.
But the movie spreads itself across eight students and cannot give each story enough room. Character development suffers, some storylines remain unsettled, and the film includes underage alcohol use, some foul language, light sexual references, dishonesty, poor parental role models, and a character who contemplates suicide. These elements remain at a PG level, but they still call for discernment.
For a family movie night, wait for home, where you can guide the conversation and decide whether it suits your teenagers.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESA group of talented students enters the New York Academy of Performing Arts and follows them from audition day through graduation. As they train to become actors, dancers, singers, and other performers, they face competition, romance, broken relationships, parental opposition, scam artists, and the pressure of pursuing excellence.
Among them are a classical pianist torn between her parents’ wishes and her passion for singing, a young man wrestling with painful experiences, an insecure aspiring actress, and a ballet dancer uncertain about his future if he does not succeed.
Is It Any Good?
Three stars means FAME has real entertainment value but falls short as a fully satisfying film. Its musical numbers are breathtaking in places, and its dance performances can be inspiring. The teachers’ positive reinforcement and the students’ determination give the movie an encouraging foundation.
The production is weakened by an inconsistent storyline and poor character development. By attempting to follow eight students, the film leaves too much unexplored, making it difficult to relate deeply to each person. Several storylines also end with unresolved questions.
The Worldview
FAME presents a strong romantic worldview centered on people pursuing their dreams and passions. It values hard work, discipline, excellence, and determination. One main character chooses her friends over fame, and supportive teachers provide positive reinforcement to students.
The film also includes a Christian element when a choir sings “What a Mighty God We Serve.” However, some actions and resolutions are presented without reference to God. Drinking, relationships, lying, and a character’s contemplation of suicide are treated as parts of the students’ struggles, while some issues remain unresolved.
The film’s emphasis on disciplined work can align with Scripture’s call to faithful effort, but FAME frames achievement mainly around personal goals and fame. “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:23).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Strong Romantic worldview with characters working hard to pursue their dreams and passions, some moral content with one main character choosing her friends over fame and students practice discipline and excellence, along with a Christian element where choir sings “What a Mighty God We Serve,” and some pagan elements where actions (i.e. drinking, relationships, etc.) and resolutions to problems (i.e., one character contemplates suicide) are devoid of God; 11 obscenities and three profanities; no violence; sexual content includes a few instances of boy/girl kissing, boy watches girl while she dances, boy tries to take advantage of girl in his trailer but she rejects him and runs away, girls dance provocatively in a couple of instances, and girl tells boy they can hang out at her dad’s apartment while he is out but it’s unclear as to whether it’s a sexual implication; no explicit nudity, but some bare midriffs with girls dancing in their outfits; alcohol use depicted with teenagers drinking at party, boy pulls two beers out his fridge, and girl gets drunk for filming a scene in a class project but she says she’ll never do it again; no smoking or drugs; and, many negative parental role models with little resolution between teenagers and their parents but teachers at the school are very positive role models, boy lies to his mother about attending school but she eventually finds out and it is unclear as to whether the issue is ever resolved, girl lies to parents about pursuing a singing career and although relationship with mother is reconciled, her father still doesn’t approve, and boy contemplates suicide after being told he won’t make it as a dancer but he doesn’t follow through on it.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
The students work hard to pursue excellence. How can you pursue your gifts faithfully without making achievement your identity?
Colossians 3:23–24 · 1 Corinthians 10:31One student chooses friends over fame. What might it look like to value people more than recognition?
Philippians 2:3–4 · Mark 12:31Several characters struggle with parental opposition or dishonesty. How should truth and honor shape difficult conversations at home?
Ephesians 4:25 · Exodus 20:16A character considers suicide after being told he will not succeed. How can we respond when someone feels hopeless or rejected?
Psalm 34:18 · Galatians 6:2The Final Word
FAME offers strong music, determined students, supportive teachers, and a Christian hymn, but its scattered storytelling and PG-level concerns make guidance important. For your family, WAIT FOR HOME—where you can decide whether the themes suit your teenagers and discuss them together.
