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Parents' Guide to

Contraband

By Jeffrey M. Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Lots of suspense, violence, language in smuggling thriller.

Movie R 2012 110 minutes
Contraband Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 17+

Based on 3 parent reviews

swaterfield
swaterfield Adult
February 3, 2012
age 18+

Keeps you wanting more.

I enjoyed the movie, but this is one I would not let my child watch. The only thing that made me uncomfortable was the suggestion you get that a female character will be raped. Mark Whalberg gives a good performance full of suspense and violence without all the gore.
davis4
davis4 Adult
January 21, 2012
age 17+

too much terrible language

Didn't read commensense review first, big mistake, got up and left not even half way through, f word about every other word, no exaggeration!
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In New Orleans, Chris Farraday (Mark Wahlberg) is a brilliant former smuggler who's gone straight for the sake of his wife (Kate Beckinsale) and two sons. But when his wife's younger brother (Caleb Landry Jones) gets in trouble with a local thug (Giovanni Ribisi), Chris must go back into business with his best friend, Sebastian (Ben Foster). Their plan is to ship out to Panama, pick up a huge, truck-sized pile of counterfeit bills -- Chris refuses to smuggle drugs -- and bring it back. Unfortunately absolutely everything goes wrong, from bad bills to a temperamental drug lord (Diego Luna) and a betrayal.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3 ):
Kids say (11 ):

CONTRABAND's plot (remade from a 2008 Icelandic thriller) is pretty creaky, but Icelandic director Baltasar Kormakur's execution is scrappy and energetic. The movie begins at ground level, with an authentically urban, working-class feel around Chris; it's similar in this regard to the atmosphere of The Fighter. Using this as a basis, Kormakur very simply keeps raising the stakes.

The story grows more and more absurd, but each new wrinkle generates more suspense. Kormakur isn't particularly good at subtle things (like revealing a secret twist or creating a moment of discovery), and the action could have been cleaner and sharper, but most of the movie is based around big events, and they're very satisfying. It's more about guts than brains, along with generating supreme tension. The strong cast also includes J.K. Simmons as a cranky ship's captain and Lukas Haas as a nervous helper.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Contraband's violence. Is it suspenseful or gory? Is it necessary to the story?

  • The characters use questionable methods to accomplish their goals. What message does that send to viewers? Do the ends ever justify the means?

  • At the end of the movie, the main characters are left with the promise of great -- albeit ill-gotten -- riches. Do you think they'll find happiness?

Movie Details

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