WNBA and NBA teams, sports brands, sponsors, and gear, media outlets, social media platforms, cars, clothes, political organizations, political parties, and more.
Violence & Scariness
a little
Footage shows some of the Black people killed by police in recent years, as well as related protests and riots. There is discussion of "state-sanctioned violence" against Black people, White supremacy, death threats and self-censorship, and the disproportional negative impact of the pandemic on women of color.
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Women deserve equal rights and equal pay. Black lives matter as much as any other lives. Individual acts can have collective impact.
Positive Role Models
a lot
Professional women basketball players stand up for what they believe in, despite a risk to their own livelihoods. They talk about a sisterhood and the importance of using their platform to advocate for social justice issues of importance to their communities, particularly "Black and Brown women."
Diverse Representations
a lot
The WNBA started in the 1990s and is comprised predominantly of Black women. Many of the players are gay, leading women interviewed to say they see parallels between struggles around sexuality, gender, race, and class. They decide to use their platform for good and dedicate their season to social justice, engaging in activism on behalf of "Black lives." Professional female athletes earn significantly less than their male counterparts. They negotiate a new contractual agreement with an 83% pay raise and paid maternity leave.
Parents need to know that the WNBA documentary Power of the Dream contains swearing and references as well as footage of police violence against Black people. The film also shows a high number of brands, from leagues and teams to gear, sponsors, and media outlets. Professional female athletes earn significantly less than their male counterparts, yet they decide to use their platform for good and dedicate their season to social justice issues even at risk to their own livelihoods. They get fined, and at least one receives death threats as a result of speaking out. They demonstrate courage and teamwork in this. Footage shows some of the Black people killed by police in recent years, as well as related protests and riots. There is discussion of "state-sanctioned violence" against Black people, White supremacy, death threats and self-censorship, and the disproportional negative impact of the pandemic on women of color. Language includes "f--k," "s--t," "bulls--t," and "sissies." To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
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What's the Story?
Launched in the 1990s, the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) has always been "shorted" in comparison to men's basketball. That's what players suggest in this film, referring to budgets, salaries, media coverage, and attention. But that hasn't stopped WNBA players from giving it their all. In this documentary, many of the best-known players talk about what the sport has meant to them, and especially how and why they've used their platform to speak out against injustice and on behalf of political candidates. The film incorporates media clips and archive footage with interviews to tell this story and to show how WNBA players impacted the composition of the US Senate and perhaps the direction of the country.
The achievements and passion of the WNBA players profiled in this documentary are indisputable, even if the film lags at times by relying too heavily on interviews with them. Power of the Dream gives viewers a behind-the-scenes overview of the influential activism of professional female basketball players, including their pivotal role in getting Raphael Warnock elected to the Senate in 2021, an election with national repercussions.
Director Dawn Porter lets these impressive women construct their own oral history, which is admirable but also overly repetitive as a viewing experience. This unfortunately makes the film feel long (which it is, at over two hours). Considering we're now two presidential elections away from where this film starts, and so much takes place during the COVID shutdown, it might also feel out of date to some (which it's not).
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the inspiration behind the WNBA players' activism, described in Power of the Dream.
How have the interviewees demonstrated courage and teamwork? How did this pay off in effecting social change? What other teams, leagues, or sports have been known to engage in similar activism and advocacy?
How did the historical moment between the 2016 election and the COVID pandemic create a ripe moment for the WNBA activism? Can you think of specific examples from the film?
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.
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.
By Jennifer Green
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
