Pink Skies Ahead

2020

1 hr. 34 min.

Comedy

Drama

List

82%

11 Reviews

Tomatometer

42%

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Audience Score

Los Angeles, 1998. After dropping out of college and moving back home to live with her parents, Winona is diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Skeptical of her doctor's opinion since she hasn't had a panic attack, she carries on with her wild lifestyle. However, when things begin to truly unravel around her, Winona reluctantly decides to see a therapist and face her truths.

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Augustus B

Kelly Oxford is rare. With her writing and directing she shows that she is willing to go to the places most artists wouldn't dare. Her vulnerability and courage in telling this story is important. Oxford and Pink Skies Ahead firmly deserve their places in the world of cinema and literature.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/29/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This movie should have been so much better. Jessica Barden is incredible. The vibe is great. The story is boring and goes nowhere.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Watched this film on Amazon. While its intention seems more or less earnest in being the first film to try to show us what it's like to live with an anxiety problem and panic attacks, the film itself is uneven. The producers packed the cast with name talent, but their performances are hit and miss. Barden delivers a pedal-to-the metal, quasi self-absorbed, and chronically self-congratulatory manic pixie dream girl, whi finds out she has an anxiety disorder. Sometimes she's fun to watch here, at other times, whiny and exhausting. The other actors filled the characters' shoes, but did not seem much inspired, the best of these being Henry Winkler, who plays Barden's pedatrician. Perhaps a more experienced director could have brought more out. The timeframe worked, in that we didn't have cell phones to deal with, but the faux 90's-ish era was more of a mash-up of 70's, 80's, 90's, and millenial realities. Maybe less of a problem for viewers who don't mind specifics and are just here for the ride. In all, except for Barden's character of Winona, the characters seemed more sketched than real; most of them exhibited a sense of relentlessness in whatever they were up to themselves ... which limited viewer engagement and investment in the story. Mostly we're being asked to relate to Winona suffering through her anxieties - but that's made difficult by her self-absorbtion. All told, those with anxiety disorders (and their parents) may relate to this film for that reason, but those who don't will mostly see it either as a lecturing message movie, or as a voyeuristic thrill ride of candy-colored, self-congratulatory, immature misbehaving. Make some popcorn and get high to watch it, or maybe rent something else.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/16/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Amazing movie about mental health, coming of age and the cinematography is unreal. Such a funny realistic depiction of life, panic attacks and moving out. A must see 🙌🏼❤️

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

Full Review

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Kelly Oxford

Director

Jessica Barden

Winona

Marcia Gay Harden

Pamela

Michael McKean

Richard

Rosa Salazar

Addie

Lewis Pullman

Ben

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Robert Daniels

The Playlist

Pink Skies Ahead glides with unquestionable sincerity.

Rated: B

May 8, 2021

Full Review

Kristen Yoonsoo Kim

New York Times

It is not without tender or enjoyable moments - that's the beauty of a formula - but there's a tonal imbalance of comedy and drama. The two constantly deflate each other.

May 6, 2021

Full Review

Jourdain Searles

Hollywood Reporter

A refreshing spin on Mumblecore tropes.

Oct 28, 2020

Full Review

Barbara Shulgasser

Common Sense Media

While Pink Skies Ahead is an important look at the often-undiagnosed difficulties posed by anxiety disorders, the main character isn't terribly likable, nearly erasing the film's assets.

Rated: 2/5

Jul 14, 2021

Full Review

Rendy Jones

Rendy Reviews

Kelly Oxford's Pink Skies Ahead is an enjoyable, funny, relatable, and well-written slice-of-life that depicts a raw and accurate depiction of anxiety.

Rated: 3.5/5

Nov 17, 2020

Full Review

Stephen Silver

Living Life Fearless

A fun '90s-set film with a fun '90s-set soundtrack, while finding an original way to tell a story about anxiety.

Rated: 4/5

Nov 16, 2020

Full Review

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Synopsis

Los Angeles, 1998. After dropping out of college and moving back home to live with her parents, Winona is diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Skeptical of her doctor's opinion since she hasn't had a panic attack, she carries on with her wild lifestyle. However, when things begin to truly unravel around her, Winona reluctantly decides to see a therapist and face her truths.

Director: Kelly Oxford
Executive Producer: Carlos Cuscó, Andrew Davies Gans, Zac Locke, Emerson Machtus, Gideon Yu
Screenwriter: Kelly Oxford
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): May 8, 2021

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