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My Boy Jack (NR, 2007)

common sense media says

Daniel Radcliffe goes to war as Kipling's son.

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that characters swear explicitly during combat (not outside of it, though), and there is brief but bloody battlefield violence and fatalities. The younger Kiplings are shown sneaking cigarettes and alcohol unsupervised. Early readers who have come to idolize actor Daniel Radcliffe for his incarnation of Harry Potter should know this is a likeable but very different character he plays, who comes to a very different, sadder end. Viewers whose knowledge of English history and culture doesn't go much deeper than Hogwarts may feel left out.

Positive messages: Good manners, courageous bearing, and being a valiant warrior for king and country are the themes here, even if you wonder whether the filmmakers are endorsing the once-noble ideals of the British Empire or condemning them as having inspired the war that stained the Kipling household (and so many others) with loss. John is an unspoiled young man, and has no problem earning the friendship of the Irish volunteers he commands.
Violence: Brief but vivid shooting; explosions in the trenches of WWI, with blood gushing out of bullet wounds.
Sex: A naked Jack has a physical, but nothing explicit shown.
Language: The F-word and Christ's name in vain under battle stress. "Ass," "hell" and "damn."
Consumerism: Viewers may be inclined to read Rudyard Kipling books (or see the movie versions).
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: The younger Kiplings smoke and drink unsupervised.
Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines. Learn more.

More on My Boy Jack

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about Rudyard Kipling, and how his literary output and political prominence propped up the British Empire. You can compare his books to movies based on them, especially The Jungle Book. How tough (or cool) might it be as the son of a national icon?

What's the story?

What's the story?
Opening in 1914, MY BOY JACK concerns the son of celebrated writer Rudyard Kipling (David Haig). In Imperial Britain the elder Kipling is more than just a successful creator of widely read adventure stories and poems like Gunga Din, The Jungle Book, and Kim; he upholds the spirit of the British Empire and publicly advocates war against a competing Germany. Kipling's teenage son John (Daniel Radcliffe), meanwhile, struggles to measure up to his father's lofty codes of manhood and patriotism. John wants to enlist in the Royal Navy, but Rudyard uses his considerable influence in the government to ensure the youth becomes a British Army officer instead. John's mother and especially his sister are less enthusiastic about his going off to fight when the war begins, and Britain initially suffers disastrous defeats. A well-liked leader of a platoon of Irish Guards, John is reported missing in action after a huge battle, bringing much grief and introspection to the prominent Kipling household.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
Much like Christopher Columbus, Rudyard Kipling represents, for some people, an idol of the finest quality, and for others (especially those on the political left), he summed up the worst; a conquest-happy nationalist who never served a day in uniform himself, but who used his literary talents to propagandize for British armed strength and superiority worldwide. This story, based on fact (and a poem Kipling wrote in tribute to his son) could well have portrayed the author as a foaming fanatic who sent his boy to suffer in the trenches for his own personal glory. But -- and as My Boy Jack was first aired on British television for a national holiday honoring war veterans -- the filmmakers recognize that nobody at the time had that attitude. Thus, we have a fair-and-balanced script that doesn't judge harshly by making Kipling too extreme or his wife too reproachful.

In this treatment though, something notable got overlooked: John himself. He seems like a nice, capable, unpretentious young adult, not at all stuck up as a child of privilege. He's self-conscious about his weak eyesight and well accustomed to his dear domineering dad -- and that's about it. Well-acted and handsomely produced, My Boy Jack just doesn't have much to say about the title character or the challenges of growing up Kipling. Viewers not especially spellbound with the time period may hunger for more drama and insight.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: BBC
Director: Brian Kirk
Cast: Carey Mulligan, Daniel Radcliffe, David Haig, Kim Cattrall
Genre: Drama
Run time: 93 minutes
Theatrical release: November 11, 2007
DVD release: April 20, 2008
MPAA Rating: NR
This review was written by Charles Cassady Jr.
 
 

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love2
parent of 19 year old
12
 
the sadest movie i have ever scene
COANTAINS SPOILER my favorite actor in the world is daniel radcliffe. So i rented the movie and watched it. and it was the sadest movie i had ever scene! when jack goes missing in the war his family does everything they can to find him. But then trgicly they find out that he had died ( and in the scene they show him being shot and falling to the ground and dies) i cried and cried and cried at that part. and one of the sadest things is that his father insisted that he went to war and when Jack dies he begins to realize that he basicly murdered his own son. a very sad story. ONLY FOR MATURE VIEWERS.
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drama movie fan
teen, 14 years old
13
 
vilont and sad
vilont and sad!
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icarly 101
teen, 14 years old
11
 
A SAD MOVIE MOVIE.... BUT STILL A GREAT ONE
this movie is very sad, and not to mention vilont. This Harry Potter star stars in my boy Jack a sad war drama about a young 18 year old boy whos dream is to fight in war and protect his country. Jack is very nice and determined character but there is some swearing that he says and he smokes without any supervision. Kids under 11 will find themselves confused and scared of the content and images in the movie. kids 12 and older wont be as scared or confused but still the ending will shock them. And if your daughter is in love with Daniel Radcliffe DON'T let her watch this movie!!!!! Bottom line: great movie just not for everyone.
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Sanjay407
kid, 13 years old
11
 
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the boy in the ...
teen, 14 years old
12
 
GREAT MOVIE
This was awsome and vilont!!! i loved it!!!!! And this a perfect movie for older tweens to watch to teach them about war!!! BUT BE WARNED THE ENDING IS MUCH TO SAD AND OVERWELMING FOR YOUNGER KIDS.
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so watever
teen, 14 years old
10
 
1-10
this movie is awsome!!!! but sad. I will rate things on a scale from 1-10 on how extreme the content is or how much u should be consenered about it. these are for kids who are 8: HOW EXTREME for there age: VILONCE: 10 SEX: 3.8 LANGUAGE: 9.8 CONSUMERISM: 1.2 DRINKING,DRUGS ECT. : 6 HOW MUCH U SHOULD BE CONSENERED: VILONCE:10 SEX: 2.1 LANGUAGE: 10 CONSUMERISUM:1 DRINKING DRUGS ECT. : 4.2) these 1-10 scales are for kids 9-10 year old. HOW EXTREME for there age: VILONCE: 9.5 SEX: 2.5 LANGUAGE: 9.5 CONSUMERISM: 1 DRINKING DRUGS ECT. : 5.8 HOW MUCH U SHOULD BE CONSENERED: VILONCE:10 SEX: 1.3 LANGUAGE: 9.8 CONSUMERISM: 1 DRINKING DRUGS ECT.. : 4) these scales are for kids 11-12 years old. HOW EXTREME it is for there age: VILONCE: 9.4 SEX: 1.5 LANGUAGE: 9.4 CONSUMERISUM:1 DRUGS DRINKING ECT. : 5 HOW MUCH U SHOULD BE CONSENERED: VILONCE: 9.6 SEX: 1.2 LANGUAGE:9.3 CONSUMERISUM: 1 DRINKING DRUGS ECT: 4.8) these scales are for teenagers ages 13-14: HOW EXTREME IT IS for there age: VILONCE: 7.9 SEX:1 LANGUAGE: 8.1 CONSUMERISUM:1 DRINKING DRUGS ECT. : 3.1 HOW MUCH U SHOULD BE CONSENERED: VILONCE:6.8 SEX:1 LANGUAGE: 10 (teenagers are into a stage where if they hear the swear they say the swear) CONSUMERISUM: 1 DRINKING DRUGS ECT: 8.9 ( there is a point in a teenagers life where they might think about smoking this movie might influence the idea even more for them to smoke)
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sara4you
teen, 14 years old
12
 
i love the movie the end its sad
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Ghillie
teen, 14 years old
11
 
Great, But Be Careful!
This movie really changed my view of World War I and is an amazing educational and entertaining story. But there is a lot of violence, and the ending is sad and scary. Jack and Elsie smoke frequently, trying to hide it from their parents. But if children can see past that, the movie is life changing, not to be dramatic or anything.
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