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Parents' Guide to

All Is Lost

By Jeffrey M. Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Intense lost-at-sea tale with one actor and little dialogue.

Movie PG-13 2013 106 minutes
All Is Lost Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 12+

Based on 4 parent reviews

Ken R.
Ken R. Adult
April 3, 2022
age 12+

All is Lost - What Not To Do and What to Think About

Robert Redford stars as the sailor known as ‘our man’, we’re introduced to him yachting solo at sea, and what a sea! This journey doesn’t offer us as much to emotionally connect with as did ‘Adrift’ and ‘The Mercy’ for here, we know nothing about ‘our man’s’ background - apart from an apologetic letter we witness him write (to what sounds like a family) I’m constantly in awe of the sea and understand the need to respect it but have little love of it...for long distance sailing that is. So why do some people pit themselves against a virtually unbeatable force? Many who take on the cradle of life, as a challenge to survive, end up losing their life. With little opportunity for dialogue, actions and reactions say it all – this makes the Cinematography most important and both the highly talented Frank G. De Marco (above water) and Peter Zuccarini (underwater – who just the year before scored with the dazzling; Life Of PI ‘12) - never let us down. A most effective music score by Alex Ebert adds the perfect pensive touch. Writer/Director J.C.Chandor, aided by excellent special effects, takes us out to sea and leaves us feeling like we may never find land again. ‘All is Lost’, in its own modest way, joins the great sea dramas in cinema history, and the DVD release is perfect.
daddyo1
daddyo1 Adult
June 24, 2019
age 16+

intense .great performance

only Redford can hold u captive for an hour plus not much dialogue but u don't need it as your drawn into his performance and follow and become him .very intense. well acted and great shots. awesome movie it will leave you wanting more and thinking for those who love boats and sailing a bonus but anyone can enjoy this movie that is so well acted by one of the true greats.
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

ALL IS LOST begins with our main (and only) character, called "Our Man" in the credits and played by Robert Redford, reading a letter to unnamed loved ones. Eight days earlier, we begin his story. His yacht has crashed into a shipping container, puncturing the side. He repairs it, but before he can get to land, a violent storm further damages things. Eventually he is forced to abandon ship and takes to his life raft. He tries to head for a nearby shipping zone, hoping to be picked up by a large ship, but his luck and resources begin to run out.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4 ):
Kids say (7 ):

Written and directed by J.C. Chandor, whose last movie was the brilliant and wordy Margin Call, All Is Lost is surprisingly spare, almost the polar opposite of its predecessor. It's a highly skilled and impressively unique movie, making use of only about a page of dialogue (the narration of a letter, an attempt to radio an SOS, and one four-letter word), and one single actor (Robert Redford). Redford is onscreen at every moment, and he effortlessly pulls off this very physically demanding, commanding performance.

On the downside, the movie recalls two other, similar, lost movies, Life of Pi and Gravity. Unlike the former All Is Lost contains no moments of wonder, and unlike the latter it contains no thrills. It's all business and remains rather grim throughout. It seems more determined to impress than to entertain. However, it succeeds wildly on the first count, which may make it worth seeing for many adventurous teens and parents.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the movie's intensity and level of violence. What is the tone of this movie? Is it thrilling or disturbing? What does it show and not show?

  • How is this movie different from other kinds of movies about men struggling against the odds? What is different or similar about it?

  • How does an actor act without dialogue? What kinds of things does Robert Redford do onscreen to convince you that he's playing a character?

Movie Details

  • In theaters: October 18, 2013
  • On DVD or streaming: February 11, 2014
  • Cast: Robert Redford
  • Director: J.C. Chandor
  • Studio: Lionsgate
  • Genre: Drama
  • Topics: Adventures
  • Run time: 106 minutes
  • MPAA rating: PG-13
  • MPAA explanation: brief strong language
  • Last updated: August 8, 2023

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