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A Raisin in the Sun
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Is it age appropriate?
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Not age appropriate for kids under 11, age appropriate for kids over 13; suggested age 13. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Classic based on the Pulitzer prize-winning play.
updated 07.04.08
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 13 and Up
What to watch out for
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Violence :
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Sex :
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
About A Raisin in the Sun
Parents need to know that kids will be exposed to the prevailing overt prejudices of the early 1960s, against both minorities and women. Walter, the main character drinks in despair. Also, kids might have a hard time warming up to the stark black and white cinematography, the dialogue-heavy scenes left mostly intact from the play, and the single set, the families' apartment. However, this is one of the earliest movies to feature an all-African American cast and it addresses themes that remain relevant today, including the struggles of minorities (and in some part women, too) to attain the "great American dream."
Read our full review by Randy White
Families Can Talk About
- Families can talk about why the movie was shot in black and white. Color films were fairly common by the early 1960s, so why do you think this director chose black and white film? What does it add to the movie? Are you less distracted by the characters dress or their surroundings? Do you think it emphasizes the "blackness" of the African-American characters and the "whiteness" of their Caucasian neighbors? Does it create more tension?
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