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Shut Up & Sing

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 13, age appropriate for kids over 14; suggested age 14.
  • Is it any good?

    5.0
  • Common Sense says

    Chicks chirp about free speech in passionate docu.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 14 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    The Dixie Chicks demonstrate that they're dedicated friends/sisters, wives, and mothers; they stand up for their right to free speech, even as music icons; some protesters are rude, and Maines responds with humor, anger, and foul language.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    Death threats against the Chicks, including a specific date when Maines is threatened with being shot; film shows increased security provisions and the women's conversations about their fears.
  • Sex:

    Footage is shown from a photo shoot for the Chicks' Entertainment Weekly cover, for which they appeared naked with controversial words painted on their bodies, indicating their sense of being censored by former fans and conservative radio hosts/callers.
  • Language:

    Several uses of "f--k" (about 12+), plus other language ("suck," "ass," "blow job," "s--t"); several shots of T-shirts reading "FUTK," which wearers explain variously.
  • Consumerism:

    The movie's thematic focus is on the band as a "brand," and on the commercial consequences of their changed status (e.g., Lipton tea wants to pull out of sponsoring their tour); images of and allusions to NPR, CNN, CBS, Guardian newspaper, Lipton tea, Heineken, Burberry, Superbowl, Shepherd's Bush Stadium, Entertainment Weekly, Us Weekly, Starbucks, VH-1, Sony.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Shut Up & Sing

Parents need to know that most teens probably won't be all that interested in this politically charged documentary, which is too bad, since it deals intelligently with mature themes like the debates over free speech and patriotism. That said, it also features repeated uses of "f--k" and other language (someone calls President Bush a "dumb f--k"). The Dixie Chicks face a death threat in Texas, as well as ugly language in protests (on the radio, in on-camera interviews, and spelled out on signs and T-shirts). The women appear in towels as they prepare for a photo shoot in which they pose naked (nothing graphic is shown) except for the words written on their bodies. Overall, the film offers a very sympathetic look at the Chicks, who are by turns funny, passionate, and determined to say what they mean, even when they're told to shut up. Some viewers might see this sympathy as political -- with a liberal slant.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the meaning of free speech, and whether that concept changes during wartime. Is it "unpatriotic" to criticize a president or a policy? How do the protests against the Dixie Chicks become personal? Is that fair, considering that they were the ones who made their personal opinions public? Since this movie is a documentary, should it be objective about the subject it's covering? Is it? Why or why not?

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Teen Reviewer Age 17
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0

    A Must-See!

    This is a great documentary. It has the perfect balance of being thoughtful and lots of fun as well. I saw it twice in theatres and really enjoyed it. Parents of younger children might want to be cautious, though - there is quite a bit of swearing and some dirty jokes.

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