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Must Love Dogs

(2005, Rated PG-13, Comedy, Starring John Cusack, Diane Lane, Dermot Mulroney)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 12, age appropriate for kids over 13; suggested age 13.
  • Is it any good?

    3.0
  • Common Sense says

    Cute but predictable -- teen girls may like it.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 13 and Up

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Lying on the Internet to get dates, romantic cheating.
  • Violence:

    Brief, antic running and falling. A kid gets a bloody nose.
  • Sex:

    Sexual references and discussions of Internet dating, some sex scenes, a shot of a woman showering (back to camera).
  • Language:

    Jokey sexual references, one s-word and mild profanity like "damn".
  • Consumerism:

    Generic/fictional coffee shop and Internet sites.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Some drinking.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Must Love Dogs

Parents need to know that the movie includes repeated references to dating, body descriptions ("voluptuous"), and sex, including a couple of scenes in bed, and one in a shower (here the protagonist is naked, her back to the camera, alone and upset), as well as some party drinking. A woman ends up on a blind date with her father. There is some mild profanity. As its focus is Internet dating, the film also shows how it involves performing, deceiving, and self-deluding. A middle-aged woman "chats" with and attracts the attentions of a 15-year-old, whom she sends home immediately.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about Sarah's family's meddling in her dating business: they mean well, but the film suggests they are pushy too, such that Sarah worries about being single. How is Sarah distracted by her widower father's dating? How is her choice between Bob and Jake reduced to who seems less "scary" to her? How does the Internet affect the ways people interact, in romance and as families?

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Our Members Say

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Oklahoma
    I rate this title on for age 16 and give it 3.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content

    OK for 16 & up, not preteens

    Sarah's older sister is trying to help her get back into dating after a divorce. The internet dating angle is probably close to real, shows good & bad results (e.g.- one date being her own father who found it rather humorous). Close family, but maybe a little pushy concerning her personal life. Yes, basically it's a 'chick flick' but my husband enjoys it, too.

  2. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Georgia
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 3.0

    pretty good

  3. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in Indiana
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 4.0

    WOW!!!

    This was a fantastic movie!!!I saw it with my mom and we both loved it!!!!Tremendous!!!

  4. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in California
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 3.0

    i cried!

    This is a sweet love story for husbands & wifes to see.

  5. Teen Reviewer Age 17
    Lives in Virginia
    I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it 3.0

    "Must Love Dogs" is pretty much "must see"

  6. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Florida
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 4.0

  7. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in California
    I rate this title iffy for age 17 and give it 2.0

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