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The Jane Austen Book Club

(2007, Rated PG-13, Drama, Starring Maria Bello, Amy Brenneman, Hugh Dancy)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Chick flick's mature themes aren't for tweens.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 14–15

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    A married man abandons his wife, who later runs into him and his mistress; the same man later belittles his wife's friend's attachment to her pet. A woman betrays her lover by writing dismissively about her. Also, stereotyping of male and female roles.

  • Violence:

    No violence, but some heated arguments between couples.

  • Sex:

    Two women cavort in bed -- the camera zooms to their midriffs -- and flirt while one's in the bathtub; a teenager propositions his married teacher, whom he kisses passionately in the car; later, they make a date to meet outside a hotel, and the teacher is shown changing into sexier clothing beforehand. The women make sexual comments about the men in their lives.

  • Language:

    Infrequent, but some moments are punctuated by strong language, including "f--king bitch."

  • Consumerism:

    Big plug for Jane Austen's books, as well as Ursula le Guin's; some close-ups of computer and bike brands and coffee shops (Starbucks).

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Some social drinking. Prunie's mom is a heavy marijuana user who smokes in front of her daughter, who's visibly upset by the behavior.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About The Jane Austen Book Club

Parents need to know that Austen-loving teen girls might be drawn to this movie by the promise of lots of Austen talk (not to mention the presence of Hugh Dancy). But many of the movie's themes -- infidelity, betrayal, a teen hooking up with his teacher -- are on the mature side. There's some minor language (including one use of "f--k") and social drinking, and a supporting character is a heavy marijuana user. Still, for the most part, the film is fairly heartwarming, and the discussions about the books are surprisingly robust (for a movie, anyway). There's little nudity or drinking or drug use to be concerned about.

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Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the connections drawn between Jane Austen's work and the movie characters: What are the differences and similarities between them? Has romance changed so much since Austen's time, or is it just Hollywood that makes love seem more complicated than it truly is? If so, why are filmmakers drawn to the subject? Do the complex relationships in the movie seem believable?
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