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Parents' Guide to

20th Century Women

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Unique, powerful, mature look at '70s mother and son.

Movie R 2016 118 minutes
20th Century Women Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 15+

Based on 4 parent reviews

meydiana.rizki
meydiana.rizki Parent of 18+-year-old
November 9, 2022
age 17+

Good movie

I strongly recommend watching "20th Century Women", Mills' script and casting are so 'real' that we sense we know the characters. It takes place in Santa Barbara in 1979. Most part of the movie is narrated by Jamie, a 15-year-old nice feminist guy who tries to show us how special his 55-year-old mother, Dorothea, who "comes from the Depression" is, but sometimes the other characters get the chance to narrating, introducing themselves, telling us who they are and where are they going to, tissuing past present and future. The cultural changes are some of the struggles Dorothea must face throughout the movie. Not only does she try to understand this new era of skateboarding and punk music, listening to people beyond the surface but also hanging out with her two tenants: Abbie - the marvelous GRETA GERWIG, and a mechanic who is tolerant and helpful. Abbie is a hardcore feminist photographer recovering from cervical cancer, in some of the funniest and most political scenes in the movie, she gives Jamie some feminist books and lessons, about the importance of "clitoral stimulation" and not be frightened with women periods. Jamie's best friend from childhood, a depressed girl named Julie, also haver her space in the movie. As she is so unhappy at home, carry on crawling through Jamie's window at night to sleep, without sex. Jamie is in love with her, but as she does not wanna have sex with him, he respects her decision, and tries to be a good guy and just be there for her and his mother and his friend Abbie. It's definitely worth watching!

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much consumerism
josephine L.
josephine L. Adult
December 17, 2017
age 14+

Mature

If your child is mature then this is probably an okay film. It’s 2017 and i suspect that every 14 year old knows about sex and certain drugs so the topics won’t be new to them. This movie focuses on many different characters which I personally loved because all of them had something different about them. A girl with cancer who loves to party. A mother who loves her son. A young girl who is way too wise for those around her. All teens think about sex therefore this movie isn’t morally wrong. (The teens don’t do anything, by the way.) However, there is a scene with two adults which may cause discomfort because of the age gap (the woman being in her late 20’s and the man in his late/early 40’s) or because there was dirty-but-not-so-dirty talk. I don’t know.

This title has:

Great messages
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In 20TH CENTURY WOMEN, single mother Dorothea (Annette Bening) and her 15-year-old son, Jamie (Lucas Jade Zumann), are trying to make sense of their lives in Santa Barbara, Calif. Jamie's dad is long gone, and the mother and son live in a big house that's perpetually being restored, thanks to William (Billy Crudup), one of Dorothea's boarders, who barters repair work for rent. Also living there is Abbie (Greta Gerwig), a former New York photographer who's come back home to California after discovering she has cancer. Every once in a while, Jamie's best friend, 17-year-old Julie (Elle Fanning), sleeps over; Jamie would love to actually sleep with her, but for now they're just very good friends. Dorothea and Jamie have always been a unit, but when he starts to agitate for answers about his father -- and, more importantly, about his mother's internal life -- they hit a rocky patch and she recruits William, Abbie, and Julie to help Jamie figure out what kind of man he wants to become. But is that what Jamie needs?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4 ):
Kids say (3 ):

This indie dramedy isn't your average movie -- which is another way of saying it's fantastic. An original story executed by writer/director Mike Mills in a singularly specific and refreshingly offbeat way, 20th Century Women requires viewers to surrender to its rhythms -- and its whims. The movie's biggest strength is its characters, who are, to a person, distinct and interesting, and therefore engaging to watch. The story also provides heartbreaking insight into what binds mothers and their sons -- and what drives them apart.

The film will no doubt have its detractors because it can be frustrating how long it takes to connect the dots (and it doesn't even connect all of them). But you won't likely finish it without feeling changed somehow for having watched it and having spent time with Dorothea, one of the more interesting women to grace the screen in years.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how 20th Century Women depicts drinking and drug use. Are they glamorized? Are there realistic consequences? Why is that important?

  • How does the film handle the topic of teen sex? How is that approach different from other films? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.

  • Talk about Dorothea's relationship with Jamie. Are they close? What are the challenges they face, especially as Jamie becomes a young adult? How does their story show the importance of communication?

  • How are the characters' lives influenced by the politics and social upheavals of the 1970s? How is their substance use presented through the prism of the 1970s? How have things changed since then? How are they similar?

Movie Details

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