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Peaceful Warrior

(2007, Rated PG-13, Drama, Starring Nick Nolte, Amy Smart, Scott Mechlowicz)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 11, age appropriate for kids over 12; suggested age 12.
  • Is it any good?

    3.0
  • Common Sense says

    Like Karate Kid -- without the karate.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 12 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Through mentoring, Dan evolves from a cocky, disrespectful guy with an appetite for casual sex, junk food, and drink into a better person. Socrates demonstrates compassion for difficult people and even refuses to fight his way out of a robbery. (But some of Socrates' stunts -- like sitting in the rafters of a gym -- shouldn't be emulated.)
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    Dan suffers a leg fracture from a car accident in a clinical close up. He also gets a mild taste of Socrates' martial-arts skills, but the older man later refrains from using violence in an alley brawl and mugging.
  • Sex:

    Glimpses of the hero in bed with assorted girls (suggestive of his manly jock status on campus).
  • Language:

    Not an issue.
  • Consumerism:

    A big plug for Texaco gas, and there's a natural tie-in with the books (and seminars) of author Dan Millman.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Social drinking. To Dan's surprise, Socrates doesn't abstain (which one might expect of a mentor type).
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Peaceful Warrior

Parents need to know that although the content in this inspirational sports drama is fairly mild -- the hero parties a lot and sleeps with a string of women in the beginning but eventually transforms his life -- it won't be interesting to most kids and tweens. It's better suited to teens who are prone to thinking about self discovery and analysis. The somewhat-New Agey tale is based on a true story and deals with big issues like inner emptiness and the meaning of life -- not exactly light entertainment.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the goal of inspirational "mentor" tales. What do movies and TV shows that follow this kind of storyline have in common? Who are they trying to reach? Why do you think so many involve sports? Families can also discuss Socrates' sometimes-mixed messages about drinking, fighting, health and discipline, and being "in the moment." A lot of these points are alluded to in other martial-arts flicks, but they're often lost in a fog of kung-fu fighting. Do you think this film's non-violent approach is more effective?

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Florida
    I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it 3.0

    Think Million Dollar Baby meets The Karate Kid...

    Watched this because of a recommendation, and let me just say that this film is quite moving...but another problem is that it doesn't move fast enough. While Nick Nolte and Amy Smart were both phenomenal, some of the scenes dragged quite a bit. Overall, a redeeming movie, but I think the creators tried too hard. NOTE: nothing too adulterated in this movie, save a disturbing opening scene in which a character dreams that his leg literally shatters into a million pieces.

  2. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Arizona
    I rate this title on for age 11 and give it 4.0

    Good movie to watch with prideful kids

    This movie teaches that there is much more to life than pride. My son and I watched it together and he was suprisingly attentive. Good suspense, great story.

  3. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in West Virginia
    I rate this title off for age 17 and give it 0.0

    pass

    hey if your looking for agood movie wow this is deffinently NOT THE ONE if your looking for a movie that is not the stupidest corniest movie ever then dont watch this one if your looking for a movie thats nit the scariest then dont watch this one id rather take my kids to see all the saws without ever being qable to close there eyes this is the most obsurd dark movie iv'e ever seen it makes me sick and one more thing consider many nightnares fromyour kids every night for the next couple of who knows how long bottom line the dude that made this is insane and it also has like the stupidest plot like with a spirit talking to a handicaapped guy about how strong his spirit is really dumb now what was i going to say oh yeahbbbboooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

  4. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Kentucky
    I rate this title off for age 17 and give it 0.0

    Keep your kids away...No better yet, stay home with them!

    This movie was nothing like the reviews I had read - until the last 20 minutes of it. The first 60+ minutes were horrible: dark, disturbing, and violent. I received the tickets free...probably because no one would pay to see it...It was the worst movie I have ever seen in my life, and I felt like a terrible parent for taking my children to see it!

  5. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Florida
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 4.0

    Great Movie with a great message

    This movie really teaches people to find their inner self and only live in the current moment. This movie did contain a few innapropriate scenes and a motorcycle accident which cause one of the characters to shatter his leg. The beginning of the movie also contains a disturbing scene in which the character dreams of literally shattering his leg while doing gymastics. Apart from the brief profanity, this movie sends out a great message.

  6. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Michigan
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 4.0

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