Parents' Guide to

Holes

By Nell Minow, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Great movie respects its audience's intelligence.

Movie PG 2003 111 minutes
Holes Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 9+

Based on 39 parent reviews

Anthony E.
Anthony E. Parent of 2 and 3-year-old
May 5, 2023
age 17+

Holes

Holes is about a boy who is wrongly accused of stealing a pair of sneakers and is sent to the camp green lake the juvenile detention center in the middle of the desert at the camp the boys are forced to dig holes for their consequences in the dry lake bed every day. Stanley realizes that there are more holes as he uncovers a mysterious history surrounding the camp with the warden. A little time later Stanley forms a friendship with their fellow campers and learns valuable lessons about perseverance, friendship, and the true meaning of family.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
1 person found this helpful.
Lizzy P
Lizzy P Adult
November 14, 2020
age 7+

Amazing Film

This is one of the best family movies I have ever watched with my children! I have a 11 year old and a 7 year old and they both loved this film! There is a little violence but nothing to bad/ harmful! Good movie for all the family!

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
1 person found this helpful.
See all 39 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Adapted by Louis Sachar from his Newbery award-winning book, HOLES, this is the story of Stanley Yelnats (Shia LaBeouf). Stanley is wrongfully accused of stealing a very valuable pair of sneakers and sentenced to a juvenile facility in the desert. Each boy there is required to dig a five-foot-deep hole every day. They are told it is to help them develop character, but could it be that the Warden (Sigourney Weaver) is looking for something that just might be buried in the endless stretch of sand that once was Green Lake?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (39):
Kids say (94):

Author Louis Sacher (who appears briefly as a man who is going bald) adapted his own story, and it retains all of the complexity and understated, offbeat charm of the book. The adult actors are excellent, especially Arquette and Dule Hill, but the kids are the center of the story, and they handle it beautifully. Khleo Thomas is wonderfully engaging as Zero. In sharp contrast to most movies directed at 10- to 15-year-olds (come to think of it, to most movies of any kind), Holes respects the intelligence of its audience. It is even willing to challenge them, and that makes it a movie for everyone in the family to treasure.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about its themes of fate and choice. What actions in Holes seem to have been decided by fate (or a curse) and what were decided by the characters?

  • How much of our present is influenced by or determined by the past?

  • There are even more connections between the three stories than you see at first. How many can you find?

  • If you pay close attention, there is something significant about when the boys use their real names and when they use their tough nicknames. What does that tell you?

  • Why doesn't Stanley tell the truth in his letter to his mother? How is Stanley different at the end of the movie?

Movie Details

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Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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