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Broken English

(2007, Rated PG-13, Comedy, Starring Parker Posey, Gena Rowlands, Drea de Matteo)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 14, age appropriate for kids over 16; suggested age 15.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Edgy girl-meets-boy indie for older teens and up.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 15–16

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Nora's a mess -- she pops prescription pills when she's about to have an anxiety attack or a meltdown; she's dismissive of (and rude to) her co-workers; her best friend ridicules her own marriage; and some of the men she dates are users. Also, infidelity and drug use are hinted at.

  • Violence:

    Just Nora mentally beating up on herself.

  • Sex:

    Nora and her dates sleep together, sometimes on the first date (lots of kissing, but no actual nudity). Heavy petting and kissing, and some post-coital cuddling. One scene in which a couple bathes together (only their bare shoulders are visible above the water line). Married characters flirt with each other (the assumption is that they hook up).

  • Language:

    Occasional profanity like "s--t" and "d--n."

  • Consumerism:

    Not much, really, though the movie could be an advertisement for Paris, with its longing gazes at the streetscape.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Yes, yes and yes. Characters smoke weed in once scene, drink a lot (tequila, vodka with a twist), and smoke cigarettes.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Broken English

Parents need to know that this indie has more heft than the typical romantic comedy. Though it has funny moments -- the awkward dates are right on -- it also has dark undertones that may prove a little too murky for young teens. The difficulties of dating life aren't glossed over; they're excruciatingly detailed (maybe a little too excruciatingly). Sex (non-explicit) and swearing are casual, as are pill-popping and drinking -- which characters appear to indulge in not just as a social lubricant but also to dull their senses so they don't feel the pain.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about how romantic love is portrayed in the media -- and how that shapes people's expectations. Does it set up both men and women for a big fall? Are men and women really that different in terms of what they want out of relationships? Families can also discuss whether there's any truth to the cliché that you have to know yourself to love someone else. If so, then why?
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