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Plugged in reviews of movies now in theatres.

There are lots of new movies in theatres and maybe your child has mentioned one or two of them to you. But what are these movies really about and how can you find out without having to go see them yourself? 

With Plugged In movie reviews, you'll find a detailed breakdown of up-to-date films, including spiritual content, sexual content, violent content, the amount of crude or profane language, content involving drugs and alcohol, other negative elements as well as positive aspects of the film. 

Here are a few reviews of new releases you may want to read up on: 

Stronger (R)

The Lego Ninjago Movie (PG)

Kingsman: The Golden Circle (R)

Friend Request  (R)

Mother! (R)

American Assassin (R)

True to the Game (R)

Home Again (PG-13)

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Plugged In is a Focus on the Family publication designed to shine a light on the world of popular entertainment while giving families the essential tools they need to understand, navigate, and impact the culture in which they live.

Through our reviews, articles and discussions, we hope to spark intellectual thought, spiritual growth and a desire to follow the command of Colossians 2:8: “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.”

Each month, Plugged In is visited more than 1 million times by people looking for detailed information about what’s really in popular movies, videos, television episodes, songs and games. Entertainment industry ratings only tell you so much. We go deeper, diving into specific content and the meaning behind it. Our award-winning website also offers news and blogs.

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Focus on the Family Movie Reviews

Michael has spent years as a freelance writer and editor submitting works to several accomplished magazines as well as publishing his own works about freelancing as a business.

Learn about our Editorial Policy .

There are many people who are interested in Focus on the Family movie reviews, because they can provide some guidance as to what is appropriate for their children to watch and what isn't. The organization isn't just about Mary Poppins, Peter Pan, and other family-friendly fare; they review just about every flick that comes through Hollywood.

What Is Focus on the Family?

In case you are not familiar with the non-profit organization, Focus on the Family is an evangelical group based out of the United States. It was founded in 1977, and they say that they are dedicated to nurturing and defending families worldwide. More specifically, Focus on the Family -- which is aligned with the American Christian right -- aims to protect family values.

• 6 Reasons Family Communication Really Matters & Real-World Tips

Focus on the Family has several arms, to speak, which work toward this common goal. The Adventures in Odyssey radio show is perhaps one of their best known projects, but they also have all sorts of other Radio Theatre and political endeavors. One such endeavor is the reviewing movies.

As with any organization aligned with the Christian right, Focus on the Family has come under fire and into controversy from several groups. In 2006, for example, FOTF founder James Dobson was accused of manipulating research data that said gays and lesbians are not good parents. They naturally denied this allegation. Focus on the Family also fully supported Mel Gibson when the latter was accused of anti-Semitic content in relation to The Passion of the Christ .

Plugged In is a website of Focus on the Family and they offer reviews of just about any kind of mass market entertainment, including movies in theaters, video/DVD releases, music, television, and more. By and large, their reviews take on the same structure.

Parental Guidance Suggested

As a movie review site, Plugged In has an extensive library of films for you to consider. Each of the reviews is composed of seven key sections.

• Introduction : Although not labeled as such, the first paragraph or two outlines the plot summary to the film in question. You get an idea of what the movie is all about, perhaps with mention of where the film ties in to the world at large.
• Positive Elements : This is where FOTF describes what positive morals or ideas are expressed in the movie. These may include things like love for your fellow man.
• Sexual Content : They'll warn against things like scantily-clad women and sexual innuendo. Even verbal mentions of condoms and other sexual content will be described in this section.
• Violent Content : You are given a perspective on how brutal or gruesome the violence is. For horror and action films, this is probably more of a concern for parents. Chair-throwing in dramas may be mentioned here.
• Crude or Profane Language : In addition to coarse language, this section also reveals if "Jesus" or "God" are used inappropriately.
• Other Negative Elements : This serves as a catch-all for other undesirable content, like the consumption of alcohol and drugs.
• Summary : A final verdict on whether the film promotes good family values or not, citing both the good and the bad.

Example Movie Reviews

To get a sense of how the organization approaches movies, read these sample reviews.

• Cloverfield : The Focus on the Family movie review applauds Rob's dedication to Beth and his willingness to risk life and limb to save her. However, they are not pleased with the level of violence, the mild sexual content (pre-marital), and excessive use of "my God".
• Alien vs. Predator : The biggest complaint in this particular Focus on the Family movie review is that the PG-13 rating given to this classic alien movie is deemed inappropriate, given the extreme level of violence. AVP gets quite gruesome, even if the camera cuts away just in the nick of time.

Take Advantage of the Pre-Screening

If Focus on the Family seems to have the same views on movies and other media as you do, this may prove to be quite the time saver. If you trust their guidance, you'll no longer have to screen everything your kids want to watch (and in turn, you don't have to see or hear things you would prefer not to).

1,205 episodes

Take a minute to hear a family-friendly review of the hottest movie, YouTube video, streaming series, video game, or new technology to help you decide if it’s a good choice for your kids and family. Hosted by Focus on the Family’s media and culture analysts, these reviews for parents offer a fresh Christian perspective on entertainment from a Biblical worldview.

Plugged In Entertainment Reviews Focus on the Family

• Kids & Family
• 4.3 • 142 Ratings
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• © 2024 Focus on the Family

Customer Reviews

142 Ratings

Plugged In is Trying to Protect You!!!!

I know that many viewers out there don’t care about Plugged In and think they are trying to boss you around. NEWSFLASH: They are not!! They are only trying to protect you and your family. If you see a movie that is 0 stars, I think you know that that is a movie you do NOT want to take your kids to. If you have seen one, (which I HIGHLY recommend you don’t) you probably know that is not a great movie. Plugged In has reasons to rate these badly rated movies (violence, language, nudity etc.). Yes, people curse in real life, but I believe they don’t mention it because they want you to read the review. Another possible reason is that they want to protect kids who may not know what a bad word is. But the point is, this podcast wants your family to get the best out of a film in a cinema, and generally protect your early teens, younger kids, maybe even yourself. Some movies(I will chose not to mention them) are so bad that Plugged In doesn’t even rate them!!! So I encourage you to listen to these podcasts and look at the website and PLEASE take the time to see how they rate a movie before you go see it at the cinema.

Great reviews loved

Great podcast!!!

You got to check plugged in before you watch a movie. I mean, really, who wants to watch a bad movie? You can check any new movie through a Christian lens. Plugged in will let you know if there’s any cussing or murrdering, and will give you a 1-5 star rating Example: "spider-man into the spiderverse” has 4 out of 5 stars for family friendliness. So I’ll give plugged in 5 out of 5 stars.

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Daly Focus Blog

‘The Shack’: Must-See Movie, or Stay Away?

Tim Tebow liked it.

“Fixer Upper” stars Chip and Joanna Gaines recommend it.

But blogger Tim Challies refuses to even see it.

I’m talking about “The Shack,” the film adaptation of the 2007 novel of the same name, which is reviving the controversy around William P. Young’s bestselling book about a grieving father who encounters the Holy Trinity … in human form.

The movie debuted in theaters across the nation last Friday, making a very respectable $16.1 million during its first weekend.

So what does Focus on the Family’s media discernment team think about “The Shack”? I hope you’ll head over to PluggedIn.com and read our team’s complete, in-depth review of the movie .

I’m curious to hear from you: Did you watch “The Shack” this weekend? If so, what did you think? And if you’re staying away from the film, I’m curious to know why. Let me know your thoughts in the comments section, below.

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Topics: Current Events Tags: entertainment , faith , news March 7, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

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Content Caution

In Theaters

• September 13, 2013
• Robert De Niro as Fred Blake/Giovanni Manzoni; Michelle Pfeiffer as Maggie Blake; Dianna Agron as Belle Blake; John D'Leo as Warren Blake; Tommy Lee Jones as Robert Stansfield

Home Release Date

• December 17, 2013

Distributor

• Relativity Media

Movie Review

Everyone’s got a story. We’re all central characters in our own narratives filled with drama, action, passion and comedy. Some folks even write their stories down, believing that they might be of interest to others.

That’s great. Nothing wrong with that at all—unless you’re in the Witness Protection Program. Then it’s probably not such a hot idea.

Giovanni Manzoni and his family have been in the program for years now. Ever since Giovanni ratted on his other family (that’d be the Mafia), this ex-wiseguy’s been running and hiding from his former associates with the help of FBI agent Robert Stansfield, who does his best to keep Giovanni and his family alive.

It’s not easy. The family business is in the Manzoni blood, and they’re never in a place very long before some (ahem) unfortunate tendencies resurface. When suspicions and neighborhood body counts start to rise, Robert and his operatives swoop in and move the Manzonis somewhere safer.

So now Giovanni’s had more aliases than Sean Combs. His latest? Fred Blake, to go along with a new place to live: Normandy, France. Here, in this bucolic locale, Robert hopes that the Manzo— er, the Blakes, can find some peace and stability. That they can make it even a few months without whacking the delivery man or extorting money from the high school basketball team. Maybe Fred, his lovely wife Maggie, daughter Belle and son Warren will learn that life need not end after you stop stuffing horse heads into people’s beds.

But that’s a deal the Manzonis just can’t take.

They haven’t been in town three days before Maggie blows up a supermarket (after hearing some patrons gossip about boorish Americans), Belle beats a classmate with a tennis racquet (for flirting with her) and Warren’s formulated a plan to become a crime kingpin at the local high school.

And Fred? He finds a typewriter and decides to write his memoires.

Yeah, he doesn’t seem like such a wise guy now, does he?

Positive Elements

In his autobiography, Fred details his good points—how he’s a man of his word, how he never looks for scapegoats, how he never inflicts violence needlessly. But since many of those qualities still leave others grievously injured, let’s skip on to a quality he doesn’t write about: his love for his family. Fred does what he can to keep those he cares about safe and, at times, he feels guilty because of the difficult position he’s put them in. His family seems to love him back. Indeed, at the end of the movie, he says that their shared experiences in Normandy brought the whole family closer.

Fred and Robert, in contrast, are not so loving. In fact, they kinda hate each other. Yet Robert’s worked all these years to keep Fred safe, and they’ve gotten to know each other so well that they’ve developed a certain begrudgingly affectionate bond. Fred admits to Robert that he probably hates him more than anyone else, but he also considers him a friend.

Spiritual Elements

Maggie goes to a Catholic church and prays before a stained-glass window of Jesus. She admits to Him that her family can be a little exasperating, and she begs for His mercy. She pleads with Jesus to guide her children, that they might become better people. “I can’t do it all on my own,” she says. “Amen.”

A priest notices that Maggie often comes to pray, but that she never comes to Mass. He invites her into the confessional booth and—after the priest promises that whatever secrets pass in confession stay secret—she accepts, and the confession seems to help her.

Later, however, she’s not welcome when she returns to the church again. The priest demands that she leave, saying that she and her family must be in league with evil and Satan. “Leave this holy place for the love of God!” he shouts.

Sexual Content

Belle, 17, falls in love with a college-age math scholar and loses her virginity to him. In a classroom, they have sex against the wall (with explicit noises and movements). Later, he tells Belle it was just a “moment” for him. But for her part, she says, “I gave you my heart and soul. Love was the only thing that could take me away from my crazy life, and you crushed it.” Belle is also given a ride by classmates to a park, where one of them tells her he’d like to get to know her better—playing with her bra strap as he says it. She’s having none of it and beats him severely with a tennis racquet.

We see glimpses of pornographic pictures and hear a discussion about a “Miss April.” When Maggie hears about Belle’s private tutoring sessions with a guy, she smiles and asks, “You have condoms at least?” When Belle says the two of them are not having sex (and they’re not at the time), Maggie recalls her first sexual experience with Fred in a church.

Fred and Maggie make out in the living room as a prelude to sex (which is hinted at but not shown).

Violent Content

Fred says at one point, “All my sadistic urges are satisfied when I hurt a person for a good reason.” And so he comes up with a lot of “good” reasons.

The family drives to Normandy with a dead body in the car (a secret only known by Fred and his dog). In the dead of night, Fred buries the plastic-wrapped, blood-covered corpse. When a plumber yanks him around a little, Fred takes a baseball bat to the man’s legs. And when the bat breaks, he announces he’s not finished and grabs a hammer. (Fred then takes the man to the hospital and looks over the doctors’ shoulders as they view X-rays of his broken bones.)

Another guy Fred tangles with gets tied to the back of a car and dragged around for a while. (We see the bloody aftermath.) In flashback, we see Fred beat up one guy and dip another in acid. He fantasizes about pushing a guest’s head onto a barbecue grill, stuffing large, flaming coals down someone else’s mouth and slamming yet another person’s fingers in a drawer. He blows up part of a fertilizer factory.

When the Mafia discovers the whereabouts of Fred’s family, one of the thugs tells Maggie that, because of a Mafia code, he has to “dirty” her first—meaning he’s required to rape her before killing her. He’s just beginning to unbuckle his pants (we see his boxers) when Fred, then Maggie, choke and stab him.

Other Mafia thugs raise a ruckus too. One shoots a family of four in cold blood (thinking they’re the Manzonis). Another family lies dead shortly after the same man questions them. A gang guns down police officers and a fireman. And in the climactic gun battle, several folks are shot and killed. One baddie blows up Fred’s house with a rocket. We see bodies covered in bullet holes and blood.

Warren is initially bullied at school, kicked repeatedly by four guys in a bathroom and left bleeding, bruised and barely able to move. Then he turns the tables and gets some new high school henchmen to beat the stuffing out of his one-time assailants. Warren himself participates with a baseball bat.

As mentionied, Maggie blows up a grocery store. A dog attacks a man. A lackey cuts the finger off a corpse—a finger that turns up again later. A despondent, perhaps suicidal teen seems ready to throw herself off a tall building. Someone’s kicked in the groin. We hear about how someone was killed with a 2X4.

Crude or Profane Language

Warren wonders aloud to Belle why their father would try to write a memoir “when he could express the entire range of human emotion with just one word.” That word, of course, is the f-word, and it’s used about 40 times. The s-word tags along with a tally of about 10. God’s name is misused at least five times (once paired with “d‑‑n”), and Jesus’ name is abused three or four times as well. The growing list is rounded out with “a‑‑,” “b‑‑ch,” “b‑‑tard,” “h‑‑‑” and “p‑‑‑.”

Drug and Alcohol Content

Characters smoke cigarettes and drink wine, champagne, beer and hard liqour. Maggie smokes a marijuana joint. As part of his burgeoning underworld empire, Warren sells pills (apparently for sexual stamina) and worms his way into a tobacco-selling racket.

Other Negative Elements

As mentioned, Warren creates his own little bag-guy empire at school. He’s dragged before the school board and confronted with a list of the terrible deeds he’s committed, ranging from extortion to bullying (students and teachers alike). After he leaves the meeting he decides to run away from home, go to Paris and get involved in the “family business.” His sister talks about similar plans (though running away ultimately isn’t her real intent).

“You’re the best dad anybody could ask for,” Belle says, wrapping her arms around Fred’s neck.

“Really?”

“F‑‑‑ yeah,” she says.

And that pretty much sums up The Family in one perversely tender, obscenity-addled package. Still, there are a few more things I probably need to mention:

Just as Fred tried to be a good dad, The Family may have tried, at one point, to be a good movie. Maybe this was supposed to be a story about a family coming closer together in the midst of struggle. Maybe we were supposed to see the children grow a little more mature. Maybe we were supposed to notice Fred change deep down, to see him realize that his real family is so much more valuable than the Mafia he used to call his family. Maybe one of these characters, somehow, somewhere, was supposed to have changed and grown, even just a little.

And every once in a while, we do glimpse hints that some of these themes might’ve been in the movie … once. But if they were ever there, somewhere along the line they were dropped like a pair of concrete galoshes, leaving the movie to flounder and sink, both in terms of its story and its morality. In the end, there’s no purpose to much of anything here, really. No reason for the bodies or blood or brutality or 40 f-words.

It’s true that everyone has a story—but this isn’t much of a story at all. And what there is of it doesn’t deserve to be told.

Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.

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But co-stars Will Smith and Margot Robbie remain consistently charismatic, even once the script for this heist caper collapses in a punishing pile of its own twists and double-crosses.

For Smith, “Focus” functions as a return to form, which admittedly sounds odd in describing a box-office titan who hasn’t really gone anywhere in the past quarter-century. But recent years haven’t treated him so kindly, between the ponderous “ Seven Pounds ,” the forgettable “Men in Black 3” and the disastrous “ After Earth .” Here, as a veteran con man, Smith seems looser—charming as ever but also broken, commanding yet vulnerable. It’s as if he’s finally shifted into the right gear as he settles into middle age—good lord, is the eternally boyish and buoyant Smith approaching 50?—and he’s comfortable there.

For Robbie, “Focus” cements her status as a major star. After a hilarious and head-turning supporting performance in 2013’s “ The Wolf of Wall Street ”—where she nearly stole the whole behemoth of a film out from underneath a larger-than-life Leonardo DiCaprio —the Australian actress proves she’s just as fierce as a leading lady. It’s not just that she’s stunningly beautiful and impossibly photogenic (which she is). She also has great instincts and a flair for comic timing, with a playfulness that’s as powerful as her sex appeal.

The film from the writing-directing duo of Glenn Ficarra and John Requa gives these actors plenty of brisk and snappy material to work with, both individually and as a team in various forms. But, like Ficarra and Requa’s 2011 comedy “Crazy Stupid Love,” “Focus” begins promisingly and bops along enjoyably for a while, only to run out of steam in the third act.

At the start, though, Smith’s Nicky and Robbie’s Jess enjoy crackling chemistry as strangers trying to outsmart each other over wine and candlelight at an upscale Manhattan restaurant. (The way cinematographer Xavier Perez Grobet often shoots them—sitting opposite each other at a table in an opulent setting, bathed in sultry light—is reminiscent of the Steven Soderbergh classic “ Out of Sight ” in ways that surely can’t be a coincidence.) She’s a small-time hustler trying to weasel her way into more lucrative gigs. He’s been at this game his whole life and has major operations down to a science.

Once each of them realizes the truth about the other—if such a thing as truth is possible in a movie about con artists—she begs him to teach her everything he knows. This leads to a scene that’s one of the film’s highlights as they flirtatiously dance around each other in a snowy Lincoln Center, with Nicky preaching the importance of taking away a mark’s focus while pocketing every last one of Jess’ belongings.

Then it’s off to New Orleans, where Nicky reluctantly lets Jess join the massive team he’s assembled to snatch watches and wallets from the unsuspecting revelers who’ve gathered for a Major Professional Football Championship. (Whatever you do, don’t call it the Super Bowl.) Turns out, she’s a natural—a massive distraction in a tight dress with a light touch—as revealed in a beautifully edited sequence amid the crowds of Bourbon Street. And Jess distracts Nicky, too, as the thrill of the wrongness of it all gives way to (not-entirely convincing) romance.

The Superdome itself provides the setting for the film’s tour de force sequence in which Nicky’s gambling habits put him in serious peril with a high roller (an amusing BD Wong) in a luxury suite. This section of the movie could function as its own freestanding short film, it has such a strong arc and it provides such a heady mix of tension and laughs. I wouldn’t dream of giving away its many surprises, but I will say this: You will never listen to the Rolling Stones’ overused “Sympathy for the Devil” in a film the same way ever again.

If “Focus” could have ended there, it would have been a dazzling little gem. But it keeps going, traveling to Buenos Aires three years later. There, Nicky is running another scheme for wealthy race-team owner Garriga ( Rodrigo Santoro ) involving duping his competitors with some high-tech thingy that makes cars go faster. What the device does isn’t important, but the way Nicky uses it to manipulate everyone around him is what sets up the film’s climax, albeit in rather flimsy fashion.

( Gerald McRaney does get to enjoy some truly lacerating language as Garriga’s gruff and mistrustful right-hand man, though. Similarly, Adrian Martinez supplies his share of laugh-out-loud lines as Nicky’s lewd longtime sidekick.)

More importantly, Buenos Aires is where Nicky reunites with Jess, who’s now enjoying a life of wealth and comfort as Garriga’s girlfriend. Of all the gin joints in all the world, right? But while Jess insists she’s left her life of crime behind, nothing in “Focus” is ever that easy.

As vibrant as these characters are, there’s not much to them beneath their glossy surfaces, which makes it difficult to become emotionally invested in whether they end up together—or whether that sort of ordinary human connection is even possible in this extraordinary world. Nicky at least has a backstory about a cold-hearted father, which is intended to explain his inherent cynicism. Jess isn’t even afforded that much characterization.

We know in a movie like this that we in the audience are being played just as much as the poor fools on screen. In theory, that’s part of the fun—trying to stay a step ahead of the action, and often failing. But “Focus” is all surface, all artifice, to the point where we can’t help but expect the duplicity. And the twists come so fast and furious toward the end, they feel more like overkill than a shock. The trick that makes Robbie’s character such an expert thief—her light touch—is the very thing the movie loses toward the end.

Christy Lemire

Christy Lemire is a longtime film critic who has written for RogerEbert.com since 2013. Before that, she was the film critic for The Associated Press for nearly 15 years and co-hosted the public television series "Ebert Presents At the Movies" opposite Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, with Roger Ebert serving as managing editor. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

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Focus (2015)

Rated R for language, some sexual content and brief violence

104 minutes

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Language, drinking in affecting comedy about acceptance.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Mixed messages about women and girls (a set of mid

Kate is selfish and painfully blunt, but softens o

Viewers hear how violent a group of Juggalos is (t

Brief conversation about using two condoms for bir

Frequent strong language includes "f--k," "s--t,"

An adult handles stress by drinking; she gulps dow

Parents need to know that Family is about a selfish, blunt workaholic (Taylor Schilling) whose unexpected week with her middle school-age niece (Bryn Vale) changes her in important ways. The main characters learn to have empathy for each other and for themselves, and both make positive changes in their lives…

Positive Messages

Mixed messages about women and girls (a set of middle school bullies is insulted for being "dogs" and "bitches," and one girl is said to have a "lazy eye"), but also very sweet messages about empathy, unity, importance of feeling like you belong, being true to yourself, understanding that most people feel like "freaks" inside no matter what they look like outside.

Positive Role Models

Kate is selfish and painfully blunt, but softens over course of movie, acknowledges her faults and need to be kinder. Adults are deeply involved with the young characters. Even though bullied middle school girl joins a socially reviled group with off-putting outward attributes, viewers see that the group accepts her as she is, cares for her. Some stereotyping, including middle school "mean girls" group. An adult woman calls them "dogs," says they don't have right to pick on others because they're so unattractive. At 11, Maddie is empathetic toward others: When told that it should make her happy to shop for a dress when there are poor kids who can't, she logically answers, "Why would that make me happy? It just makes me sad those kids are poor." A mom who thinks "karate is for boys" learns better. Characters are diverse in race, ethnicity, gender, body type.

Violence & Scariness

Viewers hear how violent a group of Juggalos is (talk of them stabbing each other and damaging public property, and viewers see them fistfighting), but they ultimately emerge as sweet eccentrics who drop everything to search for a lost kid. A bullied girl fights back against her foes by kicking one so hard she falls down; the kicker is then suspended from school. A woman is injured by a closing garage door.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Brief conversation about using two condoms for birth control (a character correctly says that it's safer to use just one) and some talk about dating. Two characters seem headed toward a romance at the end of the movie, but they never kiss.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Frequent strong language includes "f--k," "s--t," "bitch," "p---y," "ass," and "bulls--t." A middle school-age child is called a "loser," and others are called "dogs" and "freaks."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

An adult handles stress by drinking; she gulps down wine, shots, cocktails. One scene shows many cocktails being downed. A character shows up drunk at a school; she takes a Lyft there and is driven by a sober friend so she doesn't drive drunk. At a gathering of Juggalos, people smoke joints and share large bongs; a character talks about being addled because she's on a lot of drugs.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Family is about a selfish, blunt workaholic ( Taylor Schilling ) whose unexpected week with her middle school-age niece (Bryn Vale) changes her in important ways. The main characters learn to have empathy for each other and for themselves, and both make positive changes in their lives. A girl who feels like she doesn't fit in is bullied by a group of female classmates who are then spoken of in stereotypical terms (as "dogs," "bitches," and "mean girls"); the girl ultimately defeats them by kicking one to the ground (she's suspended for it). At the same time, the girl also finds a group of friends who accept her for who she is. Despite some iffy choices, those friends are eventually revealed to be kind-hearted, thoughtful, and caring (even if viewers see them shrieking, punching each other, and sharing giant bongs). In other scenes, adults guzzle wine and cocktails; they don't usually appear drunk, but in one scene a character does show up drunk at a school. Frequent strong language includes "f--k," "s--t," "bitch," "p---y," "ass," "bulls--t"; several characters are also called (or call themselves) "freaks." There's no sex or romance, but there's a brief joke involving condoms and suggestions of the potential for romance between two characters. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (2)
• Kids say (1)

Based on 2 parent reviews

This is a 5 year old movie

What's the story.

Kate ( Taylor Schilling ) has her eyes on the prize at work and doesn't have a lot of time for FAMILY. But when her brother ( Eric Edelstein ) and sister-in-law ( Allison Tolman ) have to leave town for an emergency, Kate's the only one available to take care of her 11-year-old niece, Maddie (Bryn Vale). Kate figures she can hold things together as usual, despite a challenging period at work. But Maddie's a kid who needs help -- and, luckily, she finds it, thanks to Kate and a friendly group of local Juggalos (followers of the band Insane Clown Posse).

Is It Any Good?

It churns through plenty of cinematic clichés along the way, but ultimately this comedy gets to a place of genuine sweetness -- in a gathering of the Juggalos, of all places. Viewers will instantly recognize Schilling's Kate from the first scenes: She's tightly wound, all business, with no time for friends or family. "I have a habit of saying things that everyone is thinking, but then someone's always like 'Why did you say that?' so I'm usually in the place where I hate myself but also think I'm better than everybody else," she sums up to Maddie. We know, by the way, that Maddie will be the driving force of Kate's story arc, because of course Kate has to change by the time the credits roll, or why else would she be dressed in pristine white silk shirts and frowning? So change she does, and in all the ways you imagine she will -- but the magic of Family is that it's done with such artistry that it transcends the trite setup.

Maddie is a weird kid, but the movie's not laughing at her -- even though her true friends wind up being Juggalos who hang out in front of a mini mart playing a recorder. We feel the pain of her differentness from the kids at school, as well as her joy at finding a group that accepts her as she is -- and an aunt who can help her feel comfortable and supported in choosing to stand out rather than trying fruitlessly to fit in. Maddie's new friends, as Kate tells Maddie's worried mom, "play with their spit, and all their songs are about stabbing people, but once you get beyond that, they're really kind of sweet." And, without giving away the ending, it's true. No, it's not realistic, but Family gets at a real feeling: the wonder of finding your people. And clichéd as it is, it's awfully affecting.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about how Family compares to other family-centered movies. Does the content seem more or less realistic than others'? How is this family different from other movie families?

Is it ever OK to use stereotypes as a way of portraying characters? Do you see any stereotypes in this movie? Do the characters ultimately affirm or upend their stereotypes?

How do the characters in Family demonstrate empathy ? Why are these important character strengths ?

How does the movie portray drinking ? Are there realistic consequences? Why does that matter?

Movie Details

• In theaters : April 19, 2019
• On DVD or streaming : July 16, 2019
• Cast : Taylor Schilling , Brian Tyree Henry , Kate McKinnon , Bryn Vale
• Director : Laura Steinel
• Inclusion Information : Female directors, Female actors, Black actors, Lesbian actors
• Studio : The Film Arcade
• Genre : Comedy
• Character Strengths : Empathy
• Run time : 85 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• MPAA explanation : language, some sexual content and drug use
• Last updated : January 11, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

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.

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7 of the Best Family Movies You'll Find on Netflix for Movie Night

P lanning a cozy movie night with the family? Look no further than Netflix for an array of heartwarming and entertaining films suitable for all ages. From adventurous journeys to tales of friendship and self-discovery, these family-friendly movies are sure to make your movie night extra special. So grab some popcorn, gather the family, and get ready for an unforgettable cinematic experience!

Slumberland (2022)

Join a daring young orphan on a magical journey through a land of dreams to find a precious pearl. With the help of a larger-than-life outlaw, she embarks on an adventure that will grant her greatest wish. Starring Jason Momoa, Marlow Barkley, and Chris O’Dowd, “Slumberland” is a delightful fantasy film that will capture the imagination of audiences of all ages.

Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle (2018)

Follow the epic journey of an orphaned boy raised by animals in the jungle as he confronts dangerous enemies and discovers his own human origins. Starring Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, and Benedict Cumberbatch, “Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle” is a thrilling adventure that offers a fresh take on the classic tale of “The Jungle Book.”

True Spirit (2023)

Experience the inspiring true story of a tenacious Australian teen who sets out to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world. Along the way, she faces her fears and chases her dreams with unwavering determination. Starring Teagan Croft, Cliff Curtis, and Anna Paquin, “True Spirit” is a heartwarming drama that celebrates courage and resilience.

The Sleepover (2020)

When a group of kids discovers that their parents have been kidnapped by international thieves, they embark on a wild overnight adventure filled with spy gear and secret missions. Starring Sadie Stanley, Maxwell Simkins, and Ken Marino, “The Sleepover” is a hilarious comedy that will keep the whole family entertained.

The Adam Project (2022)

Join a time-traveling fighter pilot as he teams up with his 12-year-old self on a mission to save the future after crash-landing in 2022. Starring Ryan Reynolds, Mark Ruffalo, and Jennifer Garner, “The Adam Project” is a thrilling sci-fi adventure that combines action, humor, and heartwarming moments.

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022)

Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro brings the classic story of Pinocchio to life in this stunning stop-motion musical tale. Follow the wooden puppet as he embarks on a magical journey of self-discovery and learns what it means to be human. Starring Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, and Gregory Mann, “Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio” is a visually stunning film that will enchant audiences of all ages.

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (2023)

Set in the 1970s, this coming-of-age drama follows 11-year-old Margaret as she navigates new friendships, family life, and questions of faith while waiting for puberty to arrive. Starring Abby Ryder Fortson, Rachel McAdams, and Kathy Bates, “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” is a poignant and relatable story that captures the challenges of growing up.

With these fantastic family movies available on Netflix, you’re guaranteed to have an unforgettable movie night with your loved ones. From magical adventures to heartwarming tales of friendship and self-discovery, these films offer something for everyone to enjoy. So grab some snacks, cozy up on the couch, and get ready for an evening of cinematic fun and excitement!

The post 7 of the Best Family Movies You'll Find on Netflix for Movie Night appeared first on New York Tech Media .

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