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Parents' Guide to

Enemy

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 18+

Mind-bending, surreal mystery with sex and language.

Movie R 2014 90 minutes
Enemy Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

age 15+

Based on 4 parent reviews

age 15+

Dark, smart mystery

This movie is quite confusing. Violence 2/10. An intense car crash, two people die. They’re bodies are not seen. Sex 7/10. Many shots of nudity. Women are seen masturbating, dancing nude. A couple has sex numerous times, once with more explicit nudity, breasts. A man starts to have sex with his girlfriend while she is asleep, but she stops him. Language 6/10. Strong language is present but not abrasive.

This title has:

Too much sex
age 12+

Great movie

You have to pay attention or you will get lost in plot

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4 ):
Kids say (10 ):

Oscar-nominated Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve continues his collaboration with actor Jake Gyllenhaal, following Prisoners; the result here is much tighter but far less realistic. Indeed, ENEMY could easily be described as surreal. It's a mystery story, with mystery elements, but the movie does not provide much in the way of answers. It's more like a David Lynch film, with clues, emotions, images, ideas, and sensations coming together for one unique experience, with a bizarre, unforgettable ending.

Enemy begins with shots of a mysterious club involving women in sexual situations and spiders, and these nightmarish images continue to permeate the film. The movie also dabbles in notions of repeating patterns and doubled images, though not overtly. It's smart enough not to leave blatant clues or red herrings, anywhere. Based on a 2002 novel by Nobel Prize-winning Portuguese author Jose Saramago, it's a truly intriguing movie, sure to leave viewers pondering long after.

Movie Details

  • In theaters: March 14, 2014
  • On DVD or streaming: June 24, 2014
  • Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal , Sarah Gadon , Melanie Laurent
  • Director: Denis Villeneuve
  • Inclusion Information: Female actors
  • Studio: A24
  • Genre: Thriller
  • Run time: 90 minutes
  • MPAA rating: R
  • MPAA explanation: some strong sexual content, graphic nudity and language
  • Last updated: August 13, 2023

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