Parents' Guide to

Georgia Rule

Movie R 2007 113 minutes
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Common Sense Media Review

Sandie Angulo Chen By Sandie Angulo Chen , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 16+

Lohan acts out in muddled mother-daughter comedy.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 16+?

Any Positive Content?

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age 14+

Based on 2 parent reviews

davispittman
davispittman Adult
May 28, 2017
age 14+

Family dramedy about molestation

I have read very negative reviews on this film, some based on filmmaking quality and one based on it being “anti-Christian". Both of those claims are, in my opinion, false. This movie is a well made family drama with some comedic moments. The acting is wonderful, Fonda, Huffman, and Lohan all fit their roles well and have good family chemistry. The film deals with very heavy mature subject matter, and it deals with some sexual content that includes explicit references to sex acts, for this reason I think a mature 14 year old can handle this film.
RonaldYu
RonaldYu Parent of 8-year-old
April 26, 2009
age 14+

Teens and up

Great movie, funny, dramatic, and able to be a relatively inoffensive black comedy. Fine for teens, probably could have gotten a PG-13 if it weren't for language.
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Lindsay Lohan is Rachel, a spoiled, highly sexualized San Francisco 17-year-old who's simply out of control: She lies, drinks, does drugs, and sleeps around without giving it a second thought. Her recovering alcoholic mom, Lilly (Felicity Huffman), realizes that her laissez faire parenting has created a narcissistic, manipulative monster, so she packs Rachel up and sends her to live with grandma Georgia (Jane Fonda) in small-town Idaho. Surrounded by rural Goody Two-shoes and her titular, rule-bound grandmother, Rachel gets her kicks by befriending handsome townie Harlan (Garrett Hedlund) and tempting sweet widower Simon (Dermot Mulroney), who happens to be her mom's high school boyfriend. Sex is a game, and Rachel knows exactly how to win. The movie adds a shocking backstory two-thirds of the way through when Rachel alleges that she's the victim of years of sexual abuse at the hands of her seemingly loving stepfather, Arnold (Cary Elwes).

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (2 ):

Despite her off-screen reputation, Lohan has real acting chops; Fonda and Huffman, for their part, are clearly gifted actresses. But even their dramatic pedigrees can't save this melodramatic mess from devolving into quick-fix sentimentality.

Septuagenarian director Garry Marshall has made many a woman-centered film, most of which are perfect for mother-daughter time -- Beaches, The Princess Diaries, etc. But GEORGIA RULE isn't the light-and-fuzzy Mother's Day picture it's being marketed as in TV ads. (Don't forget, Marshall is the man behind the funny-but-prostitute-focused Pretty Woman, too.)

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about whether stars' off-screen lives affect how you perceive them on-screen. Did what you know about Lohan's personal life distract you from her performance?

  • Families can also discuss the need for rules and boundaries. How did Lilly's lack of rules affect Rachel?

Movie Details

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