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The Man Who Wasn't There

  • 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?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Some mature themes--best for older teens.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 15–16

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Non-stereotyped gay character

  • Violence:

    Struggle that ends in murder, dead body, car crash (offscreen)

  • Sex:

    Reference to adultery, adult has vague fantasies about teen

  • Language:

    Some strong language

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Characters drink and smoke a lot
 

What Parents Need to Know

About The Man Who Wasn't There

Parents need to know that this movie's themes include adultery, blackmail, murder, and the death penalty. There's a very violent struggle, and a character is killed. Another dead body is briefly visible. A character commits suicide, and characters are injured in car accident (off-screen). An adult has some unfocused fantasies about an intimate relationship with a teenager. Characters drink and smoke (Ed smokes constantly).

Read our full review by Nell Minow

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about how this movie compares to the movies that it salutes, and about whether audiences have changed. Why was Ed so passive? What else could/should he have done?
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