I absolutley loved this movie. Personally, I saw nothing wrong with it. It was a pretty creepy, and some images were kind of disturbing ( you do see people dead, that is kind of bloody ) slight language, but over all very appropriate for ages 12.If you are strict about what your kid watches, you may want to watch the movie before they do to decide.
Hide and Seek
-
Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
-
Common Sense says
Older teens may enjoy; too creepy for kids.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 15–16
What to watch out for
-
Violence:
-
Sex:
-
Language:
-
Consumerism:
-
Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Hide and Seek was written by Nell Minow
Parents need to know that this is a very scary movie with intense peril and upsetting deaths. For those who have dealt with loss, the killer, "Charlie" will be especially disturbing since he wins Emily as a friend when she most needs someone to help her. Issues of trust and the suffering of main characters, including a child, are themes in this movie. Relationships are strained by inability of characters to handle trauma. There is social drinking, infidelity, and implied psychological spousal abuse.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about why Emily did not feel like she could talk about her emotions directly and what other characters might have done to let Emily know she was not alone. What does the last picture that we see on-screen mean about Emily and about the future?
Have you seen it? Review It!
More on Hide and Seek
What’s the Story?
In this atmospheric thriller, widower Dr. David Callaway (Robert De Niro) moves his daughter Emily (Dakota Fanning) to a woodsy town in upstate New York to help her escape the memories of his wife's suicide. In Woodland, they meet the local police officer, the jumpy real estate agent, and a married couple who live next door, trying to cope with the recent loss of their daughter, who was Emily's age. David reaches out to child psychiatrist Katherine (Famke Jannson), who is the understanding adult trying to help Emily and coach David through the grieving process. Emily starts talking about all the fun games she is playing with "Charlie," her imaginary friend. The disfigured dolls, scrawled threats, and dead cat that follow alarm David enough to leave his study, where he spends most of the day. Emily's strange drawings hint that Charlie might be positioning himself to be Emily's only friend, and the mysterious death that follows finally drives father and daughter to action. To say anything more would make Charlie very, very angry.
Is It Any Good?
HIDE AND SEEK features strong acting, and the film's quiet scenes are more terrifying than on-screen mayhem. Most of the movie comprises a slow but steady-paced thriller with the camera drinking in little Emily's eerie stare and propensity for standing in the doorway whenever something spooky is happening. The last twenty minutes of the movie will satisfy audiences looking for a cathartic terror and a good twist. For some jaded audiences, however, the ending might seem self-conscious, forced, and dragged-out, especially when Charlie's secret is revealed.
Robert De Niro gives a solid but uninspired performance, and Dakota Fanning does a lovely job in this movie, out-acting the grown-ups with breathtaking grace and dignity. She genuinely seems to break, well, just like a little girl during the big showdown.
Movie Details
Studio: Twentieth Century Fox, Director: John Polson
Run time: 100 minutes
Theatrical release: 1/28/2005, DVD release: 7/5/2005
MPAA Rating: R for frightening sequences and violence
Run time: 100 minutes
Theatrical release: 1/28/2005, DVD release: 7/5/2005
MPAA Rating: R for frightening sequences and violence
Our Members Say
See 24 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
-
I rate this title on for age 12 and give it
-
I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Negative role models
This is potentially a scary film to certain people - So do watch first before deciding to show children
I very much enjoyed this film, the ending was not so much to my liking but was clever all the same. I didn't find it very scary, however, there are people I know 15+ who would find this movie scary. If you are going to watch this with a child under 15 - I recommend you watch the film first and decide whether or not your child should watch it, using your own discretion.
-
I rate this title iffy for age 9 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
-
I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Who is Charlie?
This is a very good scary movie for pre teens 13 and up. But the movie gets very cofusing at times because of all the twists and turns! Even at the end of the movie many people will be confused on if the dad was Charlie all along, or if he was possesed by the neighbor Charlie, or that the dad had a mental illness?
-
I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
Great movie.
should not be put as a horror movie it was like drama, not scary at all. It was a realistic thing that could happen, a diaese that many people have and don't even know it. but for being rated R?? I dont think it should have been rated R, no languge, a little kissing, a little blood, and deaths. but i can understand for somone who is scared easily or a young child it would come off as scary. but overall it was a great movie, and i think even a kid would enjoy it.
Give Recommendations, Get Them, Too!
Become a member and get recommendations from other parents based on your child's age.Tell us your child's age:
Already a member? Log inOur Members Rate It
Have you seen it?
For Your Family
Get age-based recommendations for your kids:
Customize based on your child's age
MamaFitz recommends:
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
for kids age 3
See more from MamaFitz
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
for kids age 3
See more from MamaFitz
