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Rock Star

(2001, Rated PG-13, Drama, Starring Jennifer Aniston, Mark L. Walberg, Dominic West)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 14, age appropriate for kids over 16; suggested age 14.
  • Is it any good?

    3.0
  • Common Sense says

    Not great, but moments of guilty pleasure.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 14–16

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    None
  • Violence:

    Some tense moments, explicit nipple-piercing scene
  • Sex:

    Sexual references and situations, including groupies
  • Language:

    Very strong language
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Drug use, drinking, and smoking
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Rock Star

Parents need to know that this movie is rated R for very strong language, nudity, explicit sexual situations (including group sex and bisexual encounters), and abuse of every kind of licit and illicit substance (even hotel room furniture). Many characters give the finger. There's an explicit close-up of a very unhygienic nipple-piercing. A gay character is insulted and fired from his job. The overall message is that the sex-drugs-and-rock-and-roll lifestyle is empty and destructive, but not unappealing, for a short time anyway. Interestingly, there is some suggestion that it is a cynical marketing strategy, though that appears to be rationalization. One nice shift from the usual format for this kind of movie is that Chris has parents who are entirely loving and supportive of his passion for metal, and genuinely enjoy the music themselves.

Read our full review by Nell Minow

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Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about how some people limit themselves to dreaming that they can be exactly like someone else, instead of thinking about dreams that allow them to be most themselves. Why was it so easy for Chris to lose his way, while Emily saw that it was wrong? Why was it important for her to have her own life and career? What do we learn about Chris from the way he gets back on stage after his fall? What does he learn about himself? Do you agree with the comment that "we all owe somebody an apology along the way?"

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in Louisiana
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 4.0

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