Movie review
Doctor Sleep
Woke Score
Lower is better
- Release Date
- October 30, 2019
- Age Rating
- R
- Runtime
- 152 min
Where to Watch
United States · Last checked 5/14/2026
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Breakdown
Factors & Ratings
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Doctor Sleep.
Representation / casting choices
Main cast stays mostly traditional for the genre; Abra is played by black actress Kyliegh Curran instead of the novel's blonde, blue-eyed white description, but the change received zero marketing emphasis, public debate, or framing as diversity signaling.
Political / ideological dialogue
No activist language, political arguments, or ideological speeches; dialogue stays grounded in personal trauma and supernatural conflict.
Identity-driven story themes
Abra is a brave, capable young girl central to the plot, yet her strength comes from the established "shine" power in King's world with no ties to gender identity or modern activism.
Institutional / cultural critique
No attacks on patriarchy, capitalism, traditional family, Christianity, or Western norms; the villain is a timeless predatory cult presented as pure evil.