Common Sense Media Review
By Alistair Lawrence
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Cagey thriller has language, drugs, violence, and trauma.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Barbarians
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
BARBARIANS is a thriller that follows a birthday dinner in rural Ireland, involving two couples, that unravels into threats and violence.
Is It Any Good?
This low-budget thriller has some familiar faces but also plenty of familiar plot devices, none of them that well-crafted. Centered around an ill-fated birthday meal, Barbarians rushes both its setup and its finale, to make room for a home invasion at its halfway point that drives an even bigger wedge between the passive-aggressive Adam and his bullying childhood friend and business partner, Lucas. While Games of Thrones' Iwan Rheon capably plays against type as the former, there's not much for Downton Abbey star Tom Cullen to do as Lucas, other than literally throw his weight around. In addition, the home invaders that disrupt proceedings have to work as hard to justify their place in the story as they do in tying-up and threatening the lead characters.
Writer-director Charles Dorfman does seed some interesting bits of backstory for his cast to play with. But overall, you're left with a feeling that Barbarians would've worked better as a slow-burning psychological drama, without the forced horror element, instead leaving its four leads to inflict more of their secrets and lies on each other as their personal lives crumble around them.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in Barbarians. Did the blood and gore seem over the top? Did the violent scenes help tell the story in an effective way? Was it shocking or thrilling? Why? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence?
Did you find the movie scary? Why, or why not? What's the appeal of scary movies?
Discuss the language used in the movie. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?
Talk about the drug use. What impact did it have on the story? Were there consequences?
Discuss the role of social media in the movie. How was it manipulated to portray what different people wanted others to see? Why should we be careful when it comes to what we see online?
Movie Details
- In theaters : April 1, 2022
- On DVD or streaming : April 1, 2022
- Cast : Iwan Rheon , Catalina Sandino Moreno , Tom Cullen , Ines Spiridonov
- Director : Charles Dorfman
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Latino Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : IFC Midnight
- Genre : Thriller
- Run time : 89 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : March 28, 2022
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