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Parents' Guide to

Red State

By Jeffrey M. Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 18+

Startlingly violent, intense Kevin Smith shocker.

Movie R 2011 88 minutes
Red State Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 18+

Based on 3 parent reviews

age 18+

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Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3 ):
Kids say (3 ):

This gruesome, brutal movie is going to be a tough sell to fans of Smith's usual humorous fare. Writer/director Kevin Smith is known for his vulgar comedies about troubled slackers (Clerks, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Zack and Miri Make a Porno, etc.), but for his 10th feature film, he strikes out in a radical new direction with a horrific thriller. Aside from RED STATE's rampant language and sex talk, it barely feels like a Smith movie -- unless you consider that religion in some form or another has crept into many of his films, most notably Dogma. He's clearly very angry at those he thinks justify hatred in the name of righteousness.

Even in his comedies, Smith has never been shy or held back on taboo topics; but here he turns his usual humor into a cynical rant, without a specific comment or a likeable hero. It's very effective and highly powerful, but the movie's main drawback is that it's so heavy and dark.

Movie Details

  • In theaters: September 23, 2011
  • On DVD or streaming: August 11, 2023
  • Cast: John Goodman , Melissa Leo , Michael Parks
  • Director: Kevin Smith
  • Inclusion Information: Female actors
  • Studio: Lionsgate
  • Genre: Thriller
  • Run time: 88 minutes
  • MPAA rating: R
  • MPAA explanation: strong violence/disturbing content, some sexual content including brief nudity, and pervasive language
  • Last updated: September 3, 2023

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