 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Being There
- Review Date: November 9, 2005
- PG
- Genre: Drama
- 2001
Common Sense Media says
Amazingly poignant performance by Peter Sellers.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this film is emotionally taxing and touching. There is some brief profanity. In one off-screen moment that is meant to be comedic, a woman masturbates with the hopes of seducing a man who is clearly not interested.
What's the story?
BEING THERE centers on Mr. Chance, who has spent his life working as a rich man's gardener. Though illiterate, a bit slow, and obsessed with television, he possesses a unique passion for plants. Upon the death of his employer, a confused Chance is cast out into the big world. Having never cooked, ridden in a car, or visited a doctor by himself, he sees a minor automobile accident as a lucky break as the woman involved in the accident, Eve Rand (Shirley MacLaine), whisks him back to the house of her rich and ailing husband (Melvyn Douglas). The Rands misinterpret the oddity of Chance -- misidentified as an insightful Chauncey Gardiner -- as profound insight. What starts as a misunderstanding evolves into a national phenomenon. Mortality, sex, and the presidency find new meaning when seen through the nearsighted eye of the mysterious stranger.
Is it any good?
Sellers spent years trying to bring the story of the odd-duck gardener to the big screen, but not until the Pink Panther sequels renewed his bankability would a major studio agree to front the film. The result was a critically acclaimed and poignant piece. Sellers earned many nominations for his role and took home the Golden Globe. Director Hal Ashby won the coveted Golden Palm from the Cannes Film Festival, while Melvyn Douglas earned the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as the ailing Benjamin Rand.
Although the film has been touted as a classic, some people may find it too esoteric. The majority of the main characters are overall good people, but the film's premise emerges from a poignant/painful misunderstanding. Parents, not kids, will be drawn to this film due to its grown-up humor.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about issues regarding the media. What part does the media play in the creation of Chauncey Gardiner? Is Chance's depiction as a simpleton politically correct or ideologically problematic? In addition, parents may want to discuss this film in the context of contemporary Hollywood. How does its rather small and understated narrative compare to films today? Can they think of anything similar?
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AGE
It's really quite a good movie! If you're young, and have heard bad language before, it's not an issue. The only scene that is a little iffy, is when Chance is in the bedroom and Eve is on the floor. Chance is watching TV, but Eve is, well, doing something else. You don't see anything, you just hear her. But, it's not something a kid would recognize. Great movie! Sometimes you feel bad for Chance... but it's actually funny too!
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AGE
A glimpse at the truth??
This is one of my all time favorite stories, and I am glad a film was made from it. This movie depicts how people, through their own choices, misinterpret the acts and utterances of a very simple man. It just so happens that in this story, the believing people have a lot of political clout, causing the simple man to become a prominent figure in national politics.
There is no reason to believe this kind of thing does not happen on a regular basis, and it is a good step from which to launch the idea that you must really think about what any leader is saying, if it makes sense, and if it will ultimately serve our community.
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| Topics: | misfits and underdogs |
| Director: | Kelly Asbury |
| Cast: | Melvyn Douglas, Peter Sellers, Shirley MacLaine |
| Genre: | Drama |
| Run time: | 130 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | March 12, 2001 |
| DVD release date: | April 3, 2001 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | language and sexual humor |
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