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The Gift

(2001, Rated R, Thriller, Starring Cate Blanchett, Katie Holmes, Keanu Reeves)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 16, age appropriate for kids over 17; suggested age 16.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0

  • Common Sense says

    A superior horror movie for older teens.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 16–17

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Character makes racist and anti-Semitic comments.

  • Violence:

    Graphic, gruesome images, peril, murder Very scary.

  • Sex:

    Nude corpse, topless scene, sexual references, including sexual abuse of a child.

  • Language:

    Very strong language.

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Characters drink and smoke.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About The Gift

Parents need to know that this movie is very scary, with lots of tense moments, characters in peril, jump-out-at-you surprises and fake-out twists and turns. There is a nude dead body, a battered wife, an an inexplicit scene of characters having sex, and a reference to child sexual abuse. A character is doused with gasoline and then lit. The movie has very strong language, including a racist and anti-Semitic comment.

Read our full review by Nell Minow

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about why people go to see Annie. It seems that they care more about being listened to and heard than about hearing what she has to say. Why are Valerie and Buddy unable to help themselves? What are their options? Annie faces a moral dilemma when she realizes that Donnie is not the murderer. How does she handle it? Should she have warned Jessica about what she saw with her ESP? Should she have warned Wayne about what she saw at the country club? Annie tells others that they should face up to their problems, yet she has a hard time talking to her children about her late husband. How does that change?
Tools and tips that can help

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Adult Reviewer
    jsmiddy
    Lives in Tennessee
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 4.0

    Awesome Movie

    Suspenseful and delightfully chilling. One of my all time favorites.

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate

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