Palo Alto

Play trailer

Palo Alto

R

Released May 9, 2014

1h 37m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

70%

Tomatometer

129 Reviews

49%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

A lack of parental guidance encourages teens in an affluent California town to rebel with substance abuse and casual sex.

Watch on Peacock

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

A promising debut for director Gia Coppola, Palo Alto compensates for its drifting plot with solid performances and beautiful cinematography.

Read Critics Reviews

Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

While all the young actors are committed to their characters (though none of them particularly stand out), this film will likely drown in its own nothingness as far more thought-provoking teenage fare continues to prevail.

Rated: C

Sep 2, 2017

Full Review

Laurence Phelan

Independent (UK)

The drama is scaled to just the right size: kids get into trouble or inadvisable situations, but there are no major melodramatics. We see them in their natural habitat.

Rated: 4/5

Oct 24, 2014

Full Review

Mark Kermode

Observer (UK)

Another week, another glacial outing from the ever-expanding Coppola clan depicting the oh so beautiful emptiness of American teenage wildlife.

Rated: 2/5

Oct 19, 2014

Full Review

Justin Micallef

Vague Visages

There's a pulsating heartbeat of an autobiographical nature within Palo Alto.

Feb 6, 2024

Full Review

Q.V. Hough

Vague Visages

I connected a lot more with Gia Coppola’s feature debut than I did with Boyhood. Palo Alto features a group of up-and-comers and captures the essence of youth without forcing it on the viewer.

Jun 23, 2023

Full Review

Robert Sims

Lights Camera Austin

Based on a collection of interconnected short stories that James Franco published in 2010, director Gia Coppola's high-school drama presents two portraits in teen angst that owe more to the worldview of Bret Easton Ellis than John Hughes.

Jan 22, 2022

Full Review

Read all reviews

Isa B

Great direction! Gia Coppola is a gifted young director, for sure. Obviously, she comes from good stock. I was impressed by many elements of the film. The acting was great, the story was very realistic, but what impressed me the most was the direction. You got the sense that Gia Coppola knew exactly what she wanted to do throughout the picture. She had a precise vision and she executed it perfectly. It was nothing flashy, she wasn't trying too hard, she just made every frame count and it all helped to tell a very interesting story. There are shades of The Virgin Suicides with Palo Alto in the sense that it's a serious teen film. I immediately got that wonderful feeling that we cinefiles get when watching real cinema. This is quite the debut for Gia Coppola. Palo Alto is a very good film. I do recommend. 90/100

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

10/06/24

Full Review

Lawss J

As a teenager myself I loved this movie. Its such an interesting portrayal of mental health with all the characters, and how they each individually struggle with their own issues and I think its a perfect representation of high school.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/03/24

Full Review

Dakota C

I personally LOVED this movie! As a teenager myself it was nice to see a movie that was actually similar to real life instead of overdoing everything and making it extreamly unrealistic. Everyone that I know hates this movie but it just has a special place in my heart and I re-watch it atleast 1 every week <3

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/24/24

Full Review

Korbin V

WATCH SOMETHING ELSE INSTEAD. No likable characters. No likable actions by any characters. Boring. No redeeming social value. You will wish you had done something else. Anything else. You have been warned.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

11/17/23

Full Review

John A

The mostly naturalistic performances combined with the compelling coming-of-age and slice of life ingredients make for a relatively absorbing and economic feature. It appears Gia Coppola already has the strides of an auteur director.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

10/13/23

Full Review

Lieze Q

It rlly good y'all need a reality check this changed something in me when I was 14

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/22/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Gia Coppola

Director

James Franco

Mr. B

Emma Roberts

April

Nat Wolff

Fred

Zoe Levin

Emily

Claudia Levy

Shauna

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

Short Term 12

98%

92%

Short Term 12

Watchlist

Megalopolis

46%

35%

Megalopolis

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Megalopolis

The Lesser Blessed

40%

58%

The Lesser Blessed

Watchlist

Tetro

71%

69%

Tetro

Watchlist

Drift

28%

57%

Drift

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Now Streaming: Oculus, Palo Alto, and More

Critics Consensus: Neighbors is Certified Fresh

15 Must-See Films from Venice 2013

View more photos

Synopsis

A lack of parental guidance encourages teens in an affluent California town to rebel with substance abuse and casual sex.

Director: Gia Coppola
Producer: Sebastian Pardo, Adriana Rotaru, Miles Levy, Vince Jolivette
Screenwriter: Gia Coppola
Distributor: Tribeca Film
Production Co: American Zoetrope, RabbitBandini Productions
Rating: R (Drug and Alcohol Use|All Involving Teens|Pervasive Language|Strong Sexual Content)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 9, 2014, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 9, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $750.1K
Runtime: 1h 37m

Most Popular at Home Now