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Fracture

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 16, age appropriate for kids over 99; suggested age 16.
  • Is it any good?

    2.0
  • Common Sense says

    Cat-and-mouse thriller is pretty but predictable.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 16–18

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Man tries to kill his wife and fool the legal system; young lawyer struggles with corruption but eventually makes the right choice.
  • Violence:

    Man shoots a woman in the face: Viewers see the shot, then the movie cuts to her falling and her bloody body on the floor (this image is repeated in flashbacks). The killer drags a bloody body across the floor, leaving a smear; man shoots himself off screen, but his bloody head is visible several times (in the present and in flashbacks); in a drawn-out scene, doctors "pull the plug" on a comatose patient; man is tackled by police, his face pressed into the floor.
  • Sex:

    Credits sequence shows a sex act in extreme, shadowed close-up (making it hard to decipher); a woman has an affair; talk of intercourse in a courtroom setting; man says his wife/kids left him because he had an affair; post-sex scene in bedroom (man and woman get dressed); repeated joke about a private investigator named "Dick" has innuendo; some crude language ("He's trying on the dress, he's sniffing the panties," "put your fingers up [the] skirt" of a dead woman, etc.).
  • Language:

    Frequent uses of "f--k," as well as other language, like "a--hole," "hell," "s--t," "ass," "goddamn," "screwed," and "bastards."
  • Consumerism:

    Mac laptops, cars (BMW, Porsche), L.A.'s Hotel Miramar.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Some drinking at parties.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Fracture

Parents need to know that this legal thriller includes a lot of dialogue about legal and moral matters, which means it's not really for kids (and it probably won't interest most of them anyway). It begins with a brutal murder (the bloody-faced body is visible repeatedly); a character shoots himself (it's off-screen, but his bloody head and crumpled body are visible); and another is tackled by police (he struggles before being pressed to the floor). The film opens with very close, very dark shots of their a couple having sex; their affair inspires violent jealousy. Characters drink at parties and swear (language includes several uses of "f--k" and many other curses).

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Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about how the movie depicts its wealthy villain. Does it rely on Anthony Hopkins' performances in other movies to flesh out his character? How does actors' previous work influence how audiences react to them? Families can also discuss the appeal of legal/courtroom thrillers. How realistically do they represent the U.S. justice system? Why do so many of them have tidy endings? Is that true of real life courtroom cases?

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    I rate this title iffy for age 17 and give it 2.0

    adultish movie,for mature people

    Bo-ring didn't understand what were they talkin about half the time =(

  2. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Arkansas
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 4.0

  3. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Pennsylvania
    I rate this title off for age 17 and give it 5.0

    Good adult movie

    A movie starring Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling, you can expect it to be good. And it was. The acting was fantastic, and so was the storyline. Common sense media did over-exaggerate the sexual content. There were 8 f-words (I counted) and some violence. All in all, a really great movie. Not for kids under 16, though.

  4. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Massachusetts
    I rate this title iffy for age 17 and give it 3.0

    A good movie for a Friday night with my wife.

    Adultery, and one man's violent response to it. See how he carries out his plan for revenge against his cheating spouse, and how he masterfully executes each detail, while fully protecting himself from incrimination, from murder to court room scenario rehearsal. And you think people can get away with murder? Although there is no nudity or graphic sexuality, the innuendo is clear. It's a mature theme for mature minds, and it gives an alternate perspective to commitment, forgiveness and reconciliation within the struggling marriage: no commitment, no forgiveness, and ultimately, final retribution.

  5. Teen Reviewer Age 17
    Lives in Indiana
    I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it 3.0

    Good mind thriller- Common sense media over exaggerates content

    This was a good movie that plays with the mind- dont come expecting a fast paced thriller though- content wise ive seen worse in the violent and sexual contents in pg-13 movies, and for language its only about 6 f-words. Good movie for ages 14 and up

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