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The Aviator (PG-13, 2004)

common sense media says

Good but not great, and not for younger kids.

parents & educators say
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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this movie has some very violent airplane crashes, some causing serious injury. Characters drink, smoke, and use strong language. There are explicit sexual references and situations and some non-sexual nudity. Some audience members may be upset by the scenes involving Hughes' struggles with mental illness.

Positive messages: Not applicable.
Violence: Plane crashes, serious injuries, fighting, stunts.
Sex: Sexual references and situations, non-sexual nudity.
Language: Brief strong language.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Drinking, smoking.
Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines. Learn more.

More on The Aviator

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about what made Hughes so passionate about his many projects. Why didn't he want people to know he could not hear? Why wouldn't Ava Gardner let him buy anything other than dinner? Families may also want to learn more about obsessive-compulsive disorder. And they may want to consider whether Hughes might have had to get treatment if he had not been surrounded by people who would do whatever he said in order to continue working for him.

What's the story?

What's the story?
THE AVIATOR chronicles the life of Howard Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio), the man who produced era-defining movies, dated the world's biggest movie stars (Katharine Hepburn, Ava Gardner, Jean Harlow), founded an airline (TWA), owned seven Las Vegas casinos, designed and test-piloted airplanes, risked fortunes and made bigger ones, and died as a recluse, the prisoner of illness and of the greedy people around him who did whatever he said instead of insisting he get help. Hughes assembles the world's largest private air force to make a movie, designs and flies experimental airplanes, gets trapped in the men's room because he can't bear to touch the germ-covered doorknob, and take on the most formidable of opponents from Katharine Hepburn's family to the movie rating board and Maine's corrupt senator.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
A true story that is both touching and thrilling and tons of talent on both sides of the camera are enough to make this a good movie, but not enough to make it a great one. Hughes' larger-than-life story could easily fill six movies, so even this energetic and muscular three-hour-epic feel like it's just skimming the surface. There is no way to try to cover even this one section of Hughes' life without making it feel like a "greatest hits" clip job instead of a story with a real narrative arc. And it never rises from incident to insight.

The second problem is Leonardo DiCaprio, a brilliantly gifted actor but here his squint, tics, and accent make Hughes seems more like a kid struggling with ADD than the tortured larger-than-life. But no one does pageantry better than Scorcese and this is a brilliant film, even with its flaws. Cate Blanchett brings Katherine Hepburn to life. Kate Beckinsdale is adequate as Ava Gardner. The crash scene is bone-chillingly harrowing and the scenes of old-time Hollywood reflect the director's deep love of that era. Like the life it depicts, it is uneven and fascinating.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Miramax
Director: Martin Scorsese
Cast: Cate Blanchett, Kate Beckinsale, Leonardo DiCaprio
Genre: Drama
Run time: 166 minutes
Theatrical release: December 17, 2004
DVD release: May 24, 2005
MPAA Rating: PG-13
MPAA explanation: thematic elements, sexual content, nudity, language and a crash sequence
This review was written by Nell Minow
 
 

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What parents & educators say

Most useful reviews by all members

MovieFreak101
teen, 17 years old
 
The amazing Howard Hughes.....
Now, I have always been interested in Howard Hughes life. He was a amazing man and had so much to live for...but lost it all....the OCD really got to be, since I have mild OCD in real life. Leonardo Dicaprio was brilliant potraying him, but Cate Blancett was surperb. She reminded of the great Kathrine Hepburn when she was alive and I can quite imargine that was life Hepburn when she was young. :) The flim touched me, especialy at the end. All I have to say is...it's the way of the future...the way of the future....the way of the future.... Best Wishes, MovieFreak101 This movie is ok for: 13+
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bubbo
adult
 
Not Good
The Aviator was an hour too long, extremely depressing, and deserved none of the Oscar nominations it got, except for maybe best actor. This movie did have good acting and special effects, and held some interest in the first half. But then it became depressing, dismal, violent, overlong, and no fun to watch at all. In some ways I'd rather watch Date Movie again (a truly awful movie) than this film. Bad for kids, and probably boring even for adults. Not even worth a rent. Should have been rated: Somewhere between PG-13 and R Good for ages 15+
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CSM Screen ...
adult
 
AWFUL
I'm glad I didn't pay big bucks to see this one at the theatre. We rented it, turned it off, and returned it. I would not recommend this to anyone.
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LeoLuv99
kid, 12 years old
13
 
Liked it! You do see the bottom of Leonardo DiCaprio! In 2 senses, it is a bit bloody. In some ways, there is a good role model, in some ways a bad role model. Poor Howard Hugues!
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Graham&Heather
adult
 
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Mr581
teen, 18 years old
7
 
i would let a 9 year old watch
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Ladylollipop1
teen, 15 years old
12
 
Great for mature kids.
Other than the slightly gruesome plane crash and implied sexual relations this film is really fairly ok. It probably is better if older more mature children watch this because it is about a mans descent into madness and paranoia. It is a brilliant film with an oscar worthy preformance from Dicaprio.
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BestPicture1996
teen, 16 years old
14
 
Superb, mature movie
"The Aviator" was a fantastic movie with scary-good performances by all the cast, the standouts being Blanchett, of course, in her Oscar-winning role as the Oscar winner, but most importantly Leonardo DiCaprio's take on Howard Hughes. The rawness and obsession makes the movie for teens and up, but it's worth the wait viewing this masterpiece by Scorcese.
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MovieGuy23
teen, 14 years old
15
 
The Aviator flies high
The Aviator is one of the best modern films I have ever seen. Martin Scorsese always reminds me of what good moviemaking is in this age of slashers and crude comedies. The film slowly shows Howard Hughes and his mental problems without being manipulative or overbearing. Dicaprio gives most likely his best performance yet here and Blanchett is also superb as Katherine Hepburn. Note to parents: This movie contains plenty of mostly non-sexual nudity and some frightening scenes of a man losing his mind. Also there is plenty of sexual innuendo . Yet for 15 and up, this is a great way to introduce teens to quality filmmaking.
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bournefan
kid, 13 years old
11
 
Learndo Dicpario Does it...again
Awesome movie. As someone else said he had ocd(obsessive compulsive disorder). Also he was extremely paranoid. And eventually went kind of crazy. I'm not saying i wouldn't a senator was blackmailing! Also he hated germs so would bring his own soap everywhere and would on;y drink from non opened bottles. And his paranoid made him not come of his office. The nudity is only his back but is a couple scenes( towards the end he had no clothes) . Also his office didn't have a bathroom(he lined up bottles of urine). But he was like most genius a little crazy. The OCD(i think) made him keep repeating stuff he eventually had to put a towel over his mouth. At the end it was sad at least for me
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heyguys
kid, 10 years old
 
the aviator is too gruesome for kids
too much graphic plane crashes that are gruesome
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wannabemoviecritic
teen, 15 years old
10
 
TOTALLY NOT BORING
At fist I didn't think it was going to be good. I don't have a single interest in planes. I WAS PROVED WRONG! Dicaprio did an outstanding job...again! It is truely one of my favorites! very sad movie for me.
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