Savage Grace

  • Review Date: May 30, 2008
  • NR
  • Genre: Drama
  • 2008
Review

Common Sense Media says

Not-for-kids drama is showcase for Julianne Moore.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

Not yet rated

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this very mature indie film, which is based on a true story, is steeped in amoral and sexual behavior among the idle rich -- culminating in a sexual relationship between a mother and her son. The movie unflinchingly depicts raw, uncomfortable moments of sexual behavior and contains nudity (including full-frontal female), same-sex encounters, implied underage sex, and more. There's also plenty of language, and some violence, as well as drinking, smoking, and drug use. Teens who know star Julianne Moore's terrific acting work from bigger films like Children of Men and The Hours may be intrigued to see her here, but it's an edgy, uncomfortable film that's definitely not meant for kids of any age.

  • Positive messages0
    The idle rich discuss hypothetical actions for $10 million -- eating human flesh, sleeping with a friend. Much is made of the differences between the well-off and the less-fortunate. A character quotes their great-grandfather's axiom that "One of the uses of money is that it allows one not to live with the consequences of our mistakes." Many sexual taboos are violated heedlessly and eagerly (including a woman who has a sexual relationship with her own son).
  • Violence3
    Guns are fired; viewers see the aftermath of a suicide attempt, including bloody wounds; a character is fatally stabbed.
  • Sex5
    Lots of graphic discussion of sex, and extensive male and female nudity (including full-frontal female). Moore's character actively seeks out random encounters with strangers and is seen in lingerie; in one scene, her hand is shown on a partner's pants fly as she prepares to manually stimulate him (the actual act isn't shown on screen). There's rough (albeit consensual) sex; same-sex encounters between consenting adults, extended scenes of sexual activity and orgasm. An experimental sexual act between two underage boys is implied, and a three-person sexual encounter is seen when Moore's character begins a sexual relationship with her own son.
  • Language5
    Language includes "f--k" and "f--king," "tits," "ass," (in both English and French), "c--ks," "s--t," "whore," "c--t," "come," and more.
  • Consumerism0
    Brands like Chanel are mentioned, and there's extensive discussion of "Bakelite," the first synthetic material (and the source of the Baekeland fortune).
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking3
    Lots of period-accurate cigarette smoking, plus cigar smoking, marijuana use, constant drinking and discussion of hangovers, etc. A supporting character smuggles hashish; another character abuses sleeping aids as part of a suicide attempt.
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What's the story?

SAVAGE GRACE tells the true story of the wealthy Baekeland family's rise and fall, following the relationship between British plastics heir Brooks Baekeland (Stephen Dillane), his American wife Barbara Daly Baekeland (Julianne Moore), and their son, Antony (Eddie Redmayne). As the cracks between Brooks and Barbara widen, shattering their marriage, Antony becomes his mother's best friend, confidant, and ... lover. It's a desperate kind of consolation, and it can't stand for long.

Is it any good?

 

At first glance -- as the privileged-but-miserable Baekelands feud, fuss, and fight in their marriage, with ugly words spoken in beautiful rooms -- Savage Grace seems like a big-screen version of one of those guilty-pleasure tales of globe-trotting, bed-hopping, and bad behavior among the wealthy that you find tucked near the back of every issue of Vanity Fair. As the film unfolds, it becomes less of a movie (we know how things are going to turn out, after all) and more of a showcase for Moore, who's one of America's greatest living actresses.

So while Savage Grace is occasionally hard to watch, Moore keeps you riveted; she can shift between kind care and venomous contempt with razor sharpness, and yet she always makes you believe in Barbara Daly Baekeland as a person. The other cast members are strong (Dillane especially, nailing both the shine of class and the rot of weakness in Brooks Baekeland), but they can't compare to Moore's shining, disturbing, and compelling performance. Director Tom Kalin previously helmed Swoon, which was based on the infamous Leopold and Loeb murders -- another true tale of sexual desire and murderous behavior. Savage Grace is tough to take, but mature viewers who appreciate modern film acting at its finest will want to seek it out just for Moore's performance.

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What families can talk about

Families can talk about whether the Baekeland family's power and privilege mean they don't have to follow conventional rules of society. Is it true that the rich are different? Is that a good thing? How do movies and TV shows tend to depict the wealthy? Do you think they're like that in real life? Families can also discuss what a film like this -- with its tough subject matter and unflinching discussion of sexual behavior -- is trying to do. Is the film an exploration of real human behavior or a salacious tale of sex and death intended for shock value?

This review was written by James Rocchi
Teen, 18 years old
September 19, 2009
AGE
14
 
Good movie,but still not recommended for most teens
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January 12, 2009
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2
 
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This review was written by James Rocchi
Studio:IFC Entertainment
Director:Tom Kalin
Cast:Eddie Redmayne, Julianne Moore, Stephen Dillane
Genre:Drama
Run time:97 minutes
Theatrical release date:May 30, 2008
DVD release date:December 23, 2008
MPAA rating:NR
This review was written by James Rocchi
 

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ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
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