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The Shipping News

(2001, Rated PG-13, Drama, Starring Cate Blanchett, Judi Dench, Julianne Moore, Kevin Spacey)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 15, age appropriate for kids over 16; suggested age 15.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0

  • Common Sense says

    Not really meant for kids and teens.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 15–16

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    All characters white

  • Violence:

    Some scary moments, dead bodies (one headless)

  • Sex:

    Sexual references, including rape, incest, adultery, and homosexuality

  • Language:

    Brief strong language

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Character gets drunk
 

What Parents Need to Know

About The Shipping News

Parents need to know that this movie has some mature material, including references to homosexuality, adultery, rape, and incest. Petal is selfish. cruel, and promiscuous. There are images of dead bodies, one separated from the head. Characters drink and smoke. When some characters get drunk, they destroy property and one embarrasses himself by behaving badly to someone he cares about.

Read our full review by Nell Minow

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about why some families seem to be trapped by their history. Why was kindness so hard to come by in Quoyle's family? Why did Tert become so angry at Quoyle? Who in the movie finds it hard to talk about feelings? Why? What made Quoyle begin to think that he could change things for himself and Bunny? How did the lesson about headlines make Quoyle think differently? What would be your headline today? Quoyle learns that every boat has a story. Is that true about cars? Houses? Families? Anything else? What does water symbolize in the movie? The weather? Where is the beating heart at the center of your story?
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