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On Golden Pond

(1981, Rated PG, Drama, Starring Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, Jane Fonda)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 8, age appropriate for kids over 9; suggested age 9.
  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Valuable lessons in loving one's family members.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 9 and Up

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    nstead of talking calmly through their problems, family members constantly swear at each other.
  • Violence:

    An older character has a heart attack.
  • Sex:

    A talk about whether the middle-aged daughter and new boyfriend are going to sleep together. Skinny dipping, but nothing is shown.
  • Language:

    The Thayers give the finger to a rude speedboat operator. Moderate bathroom and sexually themed swearing.
  • Consumerism:

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

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About On Golden Pond

Parents need to know that this movie's insights into family and aging may be too mature for young viewers, but they will enjoy the warm relationship between the rebellious boy and the grumpy grandpa. Parents should also know that the grandpa character suffers a heart attack.

Read our full review by Randy White

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Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about why movies so rarely feature actors who are visibly aged, especially women. Why do you think that is? How do you feel when you see old people up on the screen?

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Our Members Say

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate language

    Moving and Well-Acted, but HEAVY on the Language...

    ON GOLDEN POND really is a cute, charming story, and it is perfect for adult and teen entertainment. However, just because it has a moving, family-friendly story doesn't mean it has moving, family-friendly content. Aside from a brief, awkward conversation about whether a father-in-law wants his daughter and her beau to sleep together (the father plays dumb and makes the fiance uncomfortable), there isn't any sexual content. A cut on the head makes up the violence category. Doesn't sound that bad so far, does it? Well, besides those two mild areas, there is a constant stream of profanity in the film. Even if I had bothered to keep track (which would have been very difficult), I would have come up with 40+ instances each of "d**n", "a*s", "h*ll", and "s**t". Sure, there are no F-words, but profanity probably makes up 1/3 of the dialogue in this film. Don't say you weren't warned.

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

    Slighly Depressing for young ones, Really depressing for older ones. Was rated PG in the 80's, HA

    Norman Thayer Jr. and his wife Ethyll have had a rocky relationship with their daughter Chelsea but agree to keep Chelsea's boyfriend's son, Billy for a month while Chelsea and her boyfriend go to Europe. This movie was made in the 1980's and was rated PG but has the content for a mild PG-13 movie. Talks about sex, skinny dipping and even the 13-year old use bulls--t repeatedly. Good message for dysfunctional families.

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