Parents' Guide to

Exit Plan

By Tara McNamara, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Sedate mystery romanticizes suicide; gun violence.

Movie NR 2020 90 minutes
Exit Plan Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

See all

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

In EXIT PLAN, Max (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) is investigating a life insurance claim in which a woman says her husband is dead -- but there's no body or evidence. The trail leads Max to the mysterious Hotel Aurora at the same time that he's contending with his own personal health crisis.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

The rise of suicide tourism is a ripe subject for a debate-goading film, and writer Rasmus Birch's enigmatic approach provides material that will last for days. But the approach to the subject matter seems very iffy for teens, a population that's seen an alarming and significant spike in suicides in recent years. In establishing the allure of an assisted suicide facility, arguments that support electing to end your life are presented as alarmingly rational -- including the idea that a pill or injection can allow someone to finish their "journey" with an "honest and beautiful ending."

Aside from the chilling worries about unintended consequences, Birch and director Jonas Alexander Arnby's film is like a less interesting Memento or Inception, a mystery in which the audience is trying to figure out what the protagonist is learning through the roadblocks of false realities. Presented in flashbacks and altered realities, it's confusing. It's also quiet and tortoisely slow, and the ending isn't firm -- it's up to viewers to decide. That's going to turn off most teens, but if they're on board to sit through the slow parts, the movie's surrealist approach and beautiful production design (Arnby started his film career in the art department) make for an active brain experience: a guessing game that forces audiences to confront their own opinions about life and death.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the debate around assisted suicide and "suicide tourism." Does the film take a position on whether it's right or wrong?

  • Max is stoic: He doesn't show his emotions or have much to say, which makes him a challenging character for cinema. How do the filmmakers work to make a man who'd likely be described as "boring" into one who's compelling to watch?

  • How is watching films produced in cultures other than our own beneficial to cultural growth and understanding?

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate