• Is it age appropriate?

  About our ratings

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  Not age appropriate for kids under 6, age appropriate for kids over 8; suggested age 8.

• Is it any good?

  4.0

• Common Sense says

  Sisters learn value of love, work, and sacrifice.

Why We Rated This for Ages 8 and Up

The good stuff

• Messages:

  Three orphans who become adopted sisters work hard to help their guardian through times of financial crisis, but for two of the characters the work becomes self-serving and an avenue for arrogance. The bonds of love are strong for this haphazardly formed family of women, who believe that "the world isn't kind to girls who can't support themselves." One sister pokes fun of other students and teachers, challenges a famous ballet master, and is more worried for her ballet training than her teacher when the woman becomes ill.

What to watch out for

• Violence & scariness:

  Not an issue.
• Sexy stuff:

  Dance teacher talks with nostalgia of meeting men at the stage door; brief scene of scantily clad dancers; adult characters pine for each other from afar for most of movie.
• Language:

  This is a British production so some of the slang terms may be unfamiliar to children, like "skint," and "fag" as a name for a cigarette.
• Consumerism:

  Not an issue.
• Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

  Director didn't skimp on era-appropriate adult smoking, though one new smoker chokes and throws a butt away after one puff.

What Parents Need to Know

About Ballet Shoes

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