Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
True story of trapped hiker is intense, powerful, gruesome.
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Why Age 17+?
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127 Hours
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 18 parent reviews
Based on 68 kid reviews
Kids say the film is an intense adventure drama that explores themes of survival and human resilience, centered around a true story. While many found the storytelling powerful and the acting by James Franco commendable, several parents highlighted concerns regarding its graphic depiction of an arm amputation and frequent strong language, suggesting it may not be suitable for younger viewers.
- intense adventure
- strong language
- graphic violence
- inspiring story
- powerful performance
- suitable for older teens
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
One weekend, Aron Ralston (James Franco) decides to go hiking and climbing by himself. He haphazardly packs his backpack with water and supplies and heads out. He spends some time with two girls (Amber Tamblyn and Kate Mara), who are lost and shows them an underground lake. They part ways, and a little later, Aron slips and falls into a canyon. A boulder lands on top of his arm, pinning and trapping him. For five days, Aron tries to escape, rations his food and water, tries to keep warm, and passes the time by remembering and imagining his friends and family. He eventually decides that, to escape, he needs to make a painful sacrifice.
Is It Any Good?
Franco gives a powerhouse performance in the one-man centerpiece role, humanizing the movie and providing its emotional core. Directed by Danny Boyle (127 HOURS is his first movie afte the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire) the movie is very slick and stylish, including shots from inside a water bottle and X-ray shots of Aron's arm, as well as a large collection of fantasy sequences and flashbacks and clever, effective cinematography and editing.
You could argue that this high style is gratuitous, but on the other hand, it may be necessary to help the very intense material go down a little smoother; it gives viewers occasional rest breaks and moments of hope. It's interesting to compare 127 Hours to another one-man "trapped" movie, the almost totally stripped-down Buried. Both movies are powerful in their own ways. But 127 Hours will no doubt resonate more with audiences, given its ultimately hopeful message and themes of bravery and heroism.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the movie's gory parts. Were they absolutely necessary to tell the story? How did seeing those scenes make you feel? Could you feel the pain the character was going through? How was this accomplished?
Did Aron do everything possible to free himself? What could he have done differently? What would you have done differently?
Are movies based on real lives/true stories more interesting than those that are pure fiction?
Movie Details
- In theaters : November 5, 2010
- On DVD or streaming : March 1, 2011
- Cast : Amber Tamblyn , James Franco , Kate Mara
- Director : Danny Boyle
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Fox Searchlight
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 94 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : language and some disturbing violent content/bloody images
- Last updated : February 20, 2020
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