Common Sense Media Review
By S. Jhoanna Robledo
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
People seek escape through self-medication in somber drama.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Anesthesia
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Teens who smoke pot. An unhappy suburban housewife who drinks every night. A college-educated junkie. A college student who tries to drown the pain of her loneliness with self-inflicted wounds. Almost everyone in ANESTHESIA is seeking some kind of escape, as shown in several loosely connected storylines set in and around New York. The center of the film is Sam Waterston, as an about-to-retire college professor whose lectures about the nature of life serve as a framing device; they show that everyone has very different life experiences, but we all have similar feelings. The film co-stars Tim Blake Nelson (who also directed), Kristen Stewart, Glenn Close, Gretchen Mol, and Corey Stoll.
Is It Any Good?
This is a thought-provoking, if imperfect, ensemble drama that examines what tethers us to each other, no matter how different we are. The film holds viewers on its performances alone, with the always-excellent Waterston serving as the movie's heart and center. The dialogue is compelling -- except, perhaps, in scenes where two siblings sound more like the idea of sophisticated, swagger-filled New York teens than real ones -- and so are (most of) the setups and even the ending.
Still, it all feels a little diffuse, our attentions divided by too many storylines, too many characters. Cutting some of the storylines could have done away with some of the weaker plot points.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what the various characters in Anesthesia are seeking to escape. Which ones sink deeper into isolation, and which ones decide to stop running from their pain? What prompts people to attempt to make a switch? Do they succeed?
How does the movie portray drinking and drug use? Are they glamorized? Are there realistic consequences? Why do you think people turn to substances when they're in pain?
The film has many stories that intersect briefly, a structure that's more common in comedies and romance films. Does that format work as well for this more serious film? How does it compare to others that use the same framing device?
Movie Details
- In theaters : January 8, 2016
- On DVD or streaming : May 3, 2016
- Cast : Sam Waterston , Corey Stoll , Kristen Stewart , Glenn Close , Gloria Reuben
- Director : Tim Blake Nelson
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Gay Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : IFC Films
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship
- Run time : 90 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : language, sexual content, drug use and brief violence
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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