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Cold Mountain

(2003, Rated R, Drama, Starring Nicole Kidman, Jude Law, Renee Zellweger)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 15, age appropriate for kids over 16; suggested age 15.
  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Excellent but upsetting, only for older teens.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 15–16

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Very strong female characters.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    Graphic wartime violence, torture, many characters wounded and killed.
  • Sex:

    Nudity, sexual references and situations, including rape, group sex.
  • Language:

    Strong 19th century language.
  • Consumerism:

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

    Drinking.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Cold Mountain

Parents need to know that the movie has very graphic battle violence, with many characters wounded and killed. There are explicit sexual references and situations, including nudity, prostitution, and attempted rape. Characters engage in a swindle involving seduction and betrayal, with nudity and graphic references. One character shows strong values by turning down sexual offers so that he can remain faithful to the woman he loves. Characters use strong language.

Read our full review by Nell Minow

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about how the perspective of this movie, sympathetic to the point of view of the deserter and putting a lot of emphasis on the challenges of the people who were not fighting the battles, differs from many stories set in wartime. What does that say about that era and ours? How does that relate to the description of what happens when the bird eats a seed? Ruby and Ada were both raised by their fathers. Which father prepared his daughter best for what she would have to do? What do each of the people Inman meets on his way home add to the story? If the sky were to fall down tomorrow, what would you want to make sure you said today?

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title on for age 15 and give it 0.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content

    e.g. You should think twice before going with a tween!

    I saw this movie a few months ago and I am 13 years old. My father onlylet me see it because I read the book, let me tell you if you thought the movie was violent the book was worse but well written. Anyway, the deal with this movie is mature teens could see it, teens who understood the circumstances at the era. The violence gets intense in some scenes like the torcher scene the war scenes are like any other war movie. Sexuality was a bit high especially in the scene in the cabin if you saw it you most likely know waht I am referring to. The scene between Ada and Inman (Jude and Nicole) is very sweet and tender.

  2. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in Texas
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 4.0

    i cried

    It is a good movie but it was made for older people like grown ups to watch and not kids my age there bad language and it has sex and some smothers don't want here kids seeing that but it depends if there mom will let them watch it or not... but i don't think we younger kids should see this movie till they get older...=]

  3. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it 4.0

    Great Movie!

    The main reason why I like this movie is because of its strong female characters. It just gave justice to the film. I

  4. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    Lives in Washington
    I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it 3.0

    Starts of very promising but it boils down to a poor love story

    I will get it right out in the open. I am not a fan of romance movies. I went into Cold Mountain expecting a Civil War/Drama. It turned out that it was really a romance film. It has one repulsive battle scene in the begining. From this standpoint it is more successful than a film like Saving Private Ryan. In that film, we are desensatized to the violence. But in Cold Mountain, the director succeeds in conveying a genuine disgust for war. Realistic or not, the cruelity inflicted on the charactors causing horrible screams and moans, working effectivly as being disturbing. The music was excellant. But overall, it seemed like the movie was bogged down in it's pretentions and dull. Not a bad movie, but women and older men are more likely to enjoy than teenagers. It is a romance movie, so go in expecting that.

  5. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Oklahoma
    I rate this title off for age 17 and give it 0.0

    Don't waste your time

    I totally enjoyed this movie up to the point of the love scene between Jude Law and Nicole Kidman. It was totally shocking and unexpected. It was almost pornographic. They wouldn't have to show much more for it to get an X rating. I believe Nicole Kidman wants to push the envelope in this area. I will not be seeing any more movies with her starring in them. This one scene ruined the entire experience for me.

  6. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Texas
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 5.0

  7. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Ohio
    I rate this title off for age 17 and give it 0.0

    too violent!!

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