Showbiz Kids

2020

1h 35m

Documentary

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for Showbiz Kids: Trailer 1

List

92%

25 Reviews

Tomatometer

74%

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Audience Score

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Critics Consensus

Both a celebration of child actors and a cautionary tale about the profession, Showbiz Kids offers a revelatory perspective on the pitfalls and rewards of Hollywood stardom.

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spencer p

A slight peek at the lives, whether raised in or adopted into, of beloved child stars and the delights and costs of fame at a young age.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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wayne m

Showbiz Kids is a thoughtful, detailed look into the lives of child acting stars. With good interviews with people like Todd Bridges, Evan Rachel Wood, Will Wheaton and many more we get a glimpse into a life that most of us can never experience. This doco nicely shows us the different life style, the pitfalls of fame and also sadly the abuse that some are subjected to into this way of life. Very worthwhile documentary.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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michael d

Could've done without the reality TV element.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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Audience Member

Great premise, but with the title "Showbiz Kids" certain Showbiz Kids come to mind. Those kids however are not subjects interviewed or discussed in the film. The people in this documentary felt like they would have been better served with a docu-series to thoughtfully examine their unique stories as opposed to clustering them together in an effort to highlight cliche themes that have/are continuously explored in a variety of different mediums rendering this documentary as a promising idea that could have been executed a bit better. The documentary is at its best when it does center in on the unique stories from Evan Rachel Wood, Will Wheaton, Mara Wilson, and Henry Thomas. It functions as a pretty good casual stream, but lacks the premium quality HBO is typically known for.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

Full Review

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Alex Winter

Director

Mara Wilson

Actor

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Best-Reviewed Movies & TV 2020

Showbiz Kids: Trailer 1

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Nick Schager

The Daily Beast

Seem[s] like it's pulling its punches.

Feb 2, 2021

Full Review

Linda Holmes

NPR

What [Alex Winter has] made here is a perceptive, sensitive film in which actors tell their own stories - some sad, many simply complicated.

Jul 21, 2020

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Owen Gleiberman

Variety

Child stardom now feels like one of the last aspirations of a decadent, no-future America. And Showbiz Kids is an invaluable primer of its risks and rewards.

Jul 17, 2020

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Bill Brioux

Brioux.tv

Not all the stories in “Showbiz Kids” are as black and white as Leave it to Beaver.

Oct 12, 2022

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Leigh Paatsch

Herald Sun (Australia)

Recommended viewing for both parents of kids with showbiz ambitions, and the kids themselves.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 11, 2020

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Todd Gilchrist

What To Watch

Showbiz Kids explores its handful of interview subjects with patience and sensitivity, offering a more intimate look at what has sadly become a familiar story.

Rated: 4.5/5

Aug 27, 2020

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Director: Alex Winter
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 10, 2021
Runtime: 1h 35m