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Recount

(2008, Rated NR, Drama, Starring Bob Balaban, Laura Dern, John Hurt)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 13, age appropriate for kids over 15; suggested age 15.
  • Is it any good?

    3.0
  • Common Sense says

    Talky, smart docu-drama about 2000 presidential mess.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 15 and Up

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    While some characters, such as Warren Christopher and James Baker, seem more gentlemanly (and less profane) than others, each character, Democrat or Republican, seems to believe he or she is doing the proper thing, fighting in court to get the "rightful" president in office. Ron Klaim, who initially feels resentful against the Al Gore team for ousting him, regains his sense of party loyalty. The overtly religious (and Republican) Katherine Harris, who thinks her part in all this is the work of God, may look a little ridiculous, and there is a sense that the Republicans here stooped to dirty tricks (like organizing violent mobs of demonstrators) more so than the Democrats, even though their dialog refers to episodes in history when the Democratic Party got away with "stealing" elections.
  • Violence:

    Scuffling in a protest-riot.
  • Sex:

    Crude verbal reference to President Bill Clinton's oral-sex scandal.
  • Language:

    "S--t" and frequent use of "f--k" -- so much so that one character is scolded for it (not that it changes him much).
  • Consumerism:

    Mainly the names of major news channels and media agencies.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Social drinking and smoking.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Recount

Parents need to know that there is abundant profanity and a vulgar dialog reference to the sex scandal involving former President Bill Clinton. The cast of characters is split between Democrats and Republicans, with the script suggesting (but not as shrilly as documentaries like Fahrenheit 9/11 did) that the Republicans used thug tactics, smears, and cronyism to unfairly win the 2000 presidency (although some of the dialog refers to Democrats behaving just as unethically to "steal" past elections). There is also some social drinking.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the characters and their motivations. Do you think this drama is unfair to one side or the other in the Bush-Gore rivalry, or does it "tell it like it is"? Do viewers feel any differently about the George W. Bush presidency after this film?

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Teen Reviewer Age 17
    Lives in Washington
    I rate this title on for age 14 and give it 5.0

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