• Is it age appropriate?

  About our ratings

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  Not age appropriate for kids under 12, age appropriate for kids over 14; suggested age 14.

• Is it any good?

  2.0

• Common Sense says

  Sometimes-gritty dramedy has some moving moments.

Why We Rated This for Ages 14 and Up

The good stuff

• Messages:

  Perry’s messages of faith and hope shine through, which many viewers may find inspiring. But his chauvinism does, too: Main character April can’t seem to be saved without a man, and though she’s a strong character, a not-so-subtle undercurrent leaves the impression that a woman needs a “good man” to make her way through this world intact.
• Role models:

  The main character spends much of the movie being cold and selfish, even heartless (and her boyfriend is even nastier) -- but she ultimately experiences a huge sea change/epiphany. The supporting characters are actually far more appealing, with big hearts and obvious (to the point of being nearly one-dimensional) goodness.

What to watch out for

• Violence:

  A married man makes inappropriate, aggressive advances toward a teenager -- to the point of almost raping her. Two men end up in a bloody fight. A woman nearly kills a man by electrocuting him. Two comic characters jokingly threaten to dispense corporal punishment to set kids straight.
• Sex:

  A woman messes around with a married man, but the audience doesn’t really see anything except them in bed under the covers. In another scene, a man and a woman share a gentle kiss.
• Language:

  Mild swearing, including one use of "s--t" and several instances of words like "ass," “hell,” "damn," and “shut up.” Also "oh my God."
• Consumerism:

  While characters are seen dressed to the nines, there’s little mention of brands -- though the Heineken label gets screen time.
• Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

  A woman practically chain smokes her way through the movie; she also drinks so much that her friend calls her on it. A joint is mentioned but never seen on screen.

What Parents Need to Know

About Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All by Myself

Families Can Talk About