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When Did You Last See Your Father?

(2008, Rated PG-13, Drama, Starring Jim Broadbent, Colin Firth, Michael Beard)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 15, age appropriate for kids over 17; suggested age 15.
  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Mature, deeply affecting father-son drama.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 15–17

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    A father who is otherwise attentive seems oblivious to his son's feelings, insisting on getting his own way, making fun of his son (he calls him a "fathead"), and conducting an affair in front of him and then asking him to keep mum, even though the son is still a kid Another character kisses a woman who isn't his wife. Nevertheless, most of the characters are well-intentioned and are searching for the right answers.
  • Violence:

    Raised voices in argument, but no physical fights.
  • Sex:

    No explicit nude scenes, though couples in varying/implied states of undress are shown about to make love or making love (for example, a teenage couple is shown under the covers with bare shoulders). A teen boy is briefly shown masturbating under the covers. In front of his son, a father cozies up to a woman who isn't his wife. Some kissing and discussion of the "sex police."
  • Language:

    Some salty language, but not on overload. "S--t" is uttered in the first few minutes, and in one scene with strong emotions, a character screams "f--king" several times. Other language includes "bloody," "hell," and "damnation."
  • Consumerism:

    Book covers are clearly visible (one character reads a lot); some brief product mentions, but nothing obvious.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Visible consumption of alcohol -- mostly in social situations, though a teenager is shown drowning his discomfort in hard liquor that his own father buys for him.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About When Did You Last See Your Father?

Parents need to know that this is a very grown up movie depicting extremely complex father-son dynamics, exploring the good, the bad, and the ugly of their relationship. That means infidelity and, at times, emotional cruelty. Some scenes depict the son as a teen, complete with raging hormones. Though there aren't any explicit nude scenes, his growing fascination with the opposite sex is explored (there's a masturbation scene). He also drowns his sorrows in hard liquor at one point, and there's some swearing. If your son is going through a rough patch with his father, see the movie ahead of time so you can unpack some of the complicated emotions the movie is guaranteed to raise.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about complicated father-son relationships. Did any of the scenes in the movie resonate? How do relationships change during puberty and after? What role do your kids think mothers should play in the relationship between fathers and sons? Did the movie do a good job highlighting tensions, or were the situations shown specific to the movie?

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Parent Reviewer
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 4.0

    Makes you wonder

    This was a great movie. The acting was superior and the story was thought provoking. It is a movie you know the final outcome, but you you are hooked on finding out more about the characters. It without question makes you think how important it is not to put off saying I love you to someone you love..Well worth watching!

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