Parents need to know that this movie is very violent, with a lot of shooting, graphic injuries, and the deaths of important characters. A woman commits suicide when her lover is killed. Characters drink and smoke and one character is drunk. There are mild sexual references, including a homosexual relationship. Some of the Mexican characters could be considered stereotypes, but then so could some of the American characters.

Families can talk about how people work out the complexities of relationships and why it is that so many of the characters care more about relationships than about money or the life and death situations all around them. The idea that "the past doesn't matter -- it's the future that counts" is a beguiling one -- is it true? Under what circumstances? Leroy talks about being "surrounded by lonliness and finality," and about how the people who die having loved are different from those who die alone. This is worth discussing, along with the way that Sam and Jerry begin to think about their relationship as being special enough so that they cannot walk away from it. Families may also want to talk about the way that Jerry's friend justifies participating in criminal acts by compartmentalizing, explaining that he is just doing his "portion."