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The Hoax

(2007, Rated R, Drama, Starring Richard Gere, Alfred Molina, Marcia Gay Harden)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 15, age appropriate for kids over 17; suggested age 15.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0

  • Common Sense says

    Amoral con artist's true tale will pull adults in.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 15–17

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    The main character is a charming anti-hero who's manipulative, deceitful, and narcissistic. He's surrounded by people who either bend to his will or want to believe him for their own financial gain. Even his best friend -- a good, caring man -- is deceived by him and participates in his scam. Almost everyone pays a price for his/her iffy behavior, but that price is relatively small. No characters are portrayed as honest, moral, or corruption-proof.

  • Violence:

    Violence is limited to an imagined sequence that includes one punch and one fall.

  • Sex:

    No overt sexual activity. Two scenes take place after sex has occurred; one includes a glimpse of breast. It's later discovered that in one instance the sex was paid for.

  • Language:

    Lots of swearing -- particularly "f--k."

  • Consumerism:

    One shot of TAB cola.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Social drinking and smoking. Lead characters are drunk in several sequences. Main character is revealed to self-medicate with prescription drugs.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About The Hoax

Parents need to know that most kids and teens probably won't be interested in this sophisticated drama about literary fraud. Lying, criminality, greed, and other iffy behavior are treated with humor, and the man behind it all is portrayed as likeable -- even heroic -- in some instances. Characters break the law and hurt the people they love with ease and very little conscience, and there's lots of swearing and some drinking and drug use.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about how Irving used the media to help make his fraud convincing. Do you think he could have pulled it off in today's more sophisticated media environment? With even more information about public figures now available on TV and the Internet, do you think they're more vulnerable to manipulation and deceit? How about regular people? Do you think it's appropriate to use humor to show serious themes? Families can also discuss how easily people can be fooled if they're willing to buy into a deception. Why did other characters believe Irving? Did they have something to gain?
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