Common Sense Media Review
By Tara McNamara
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Drugs, smoking, swearing in dad-daughter addiction drama.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Bleeding Love
What's the Story?
In BLEEDING LOVE, a 20-year-old woman (Clara McGregor) with a drug dependency is taken on a road trip from San Diego to Santa Fe by her estranged father (Ewan McGregor), who's in recovery for alcohol addiction. During the long drive, he tries to rehabilitate their broken relationship with a hope that he can help rehabilitate her, too.
Is It Any Good?
This authentic New Mexico-set odyssey arrives at the truth and consequences of addiction. Despite all of the data and anecdotal evidence out there that drug use destroys lives, many films (like, say, nearly everything Seth Rogen makes) intentionally or unintentionally send the message that drugs are fun and that everyone's doing them. Films with anti-drug messages don't tend to be received as well, perhaps because teens smell that it's coming from adults, or they just don't think it will happen to them. The young female filmmakers behind Bleeding Love beg to differ, laying it all out: This is what addiction really looks like. There might be "fun" moments, but the consequences of overdoing it can be dire. This drama isn't as alarmist as Requiem for a Dream, but it's the kind of realistic portrayal that Gen Z might actually take to heart—especially the part where blame is put on the father.
Trapped in a truck as they drive through the desert, the absentee father (neither he nor his daughter are ever named) can no longer run from his kid or his past; he's forced to confront the damage he's inflicted. It may serve as a reminder to parents how our decisions can damage our children's perceptions of themselves. And for teens, the fallout is a bit of a shake: It can happen to you. The ultimate message is that any temporary fun from drugs isn't worth the potential fall, and making your parents pay for all of their mistakes could cost you everything.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Bleeding Love portrays drug use/dependency. Do you consider it a warning or a cautionary tale, or is substance use made to look appealing in any way? What are the consequences? Are they realistic?
Discuss how cigarette smoking is depicted: The father mentions the danger but lights them both beautifully when they smoke. Is smoking glamorized here?
The father and daughter reconnect over a song they used to sing together and a warm memory of a baseball game they attended together. Does your family have a song or activity that "brings you back" to a happy place?
How do the filmmakers use the camera to show the emotional divide between the father and daughter? How does it change as they start to work out their issues? How does that affect the viewing experience?
How does the director convey that the daughter is in danger when she goes to the stranger's house? Discuss what they actually say or show, versus what you think might happen. How was that achieved?
Movie Details
- In theaters : February 16, 2024
- On DVD or streaming : February 16, 2024
- Cast : Clara McGregor , Ewan McGregor
- Director : Emma Westenberg
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Vertical Entertainment
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 96 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : February 24, 2024
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