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Pollock

(2001, Rated R, Drama, Starring Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris, Marcia Gay Harden)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 16, age appropriate for kids over 17; suggested age 16.
  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Wonderful movie, but for adults and older teens.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 16–17

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Tolerance of individual differences
  • Violence:

    Scary drunken car ride, fatal crash (offscreen)
  • Sex:

    Sexual references and situations, brief but explicit sexual encounter
  • Language:

    Very strong language
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Severe
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Pollock

Parents need to know that this movie contains a lot of mature material, including very strong language and sexual references and situations. A highly unsatisfactory sexual encounter between Pollock and Guggenheim is shown fairly explicitly. Characters drink, smoke, abuse drugs, and engage in self-destructive behavior. Pollock's drunk driving with the passengers screaming is shown, though not the crash that killed him. Family members treat each other badly, which may be upsetting for some viewers.

Read our full review by Nell Minow

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about why people become passionate about art and how art is affected by the surrounding commerce and culture. Why did Krasner give up her own art to take care of Pollock? Why were the views of Guggenheim and Greenberg so important? Why aren't Pollock's paintings just considered scribbles? Are there any painters today who are as important a part of the cultural landscape as Pollock was when he was featured in Life Magazine? Or are our new cultural icons working in different mediums?

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