Parent reviews for Harriet
Common Sense says
Tubman biopic includes realistic violence, racial slurs.
age 12+
Based on our expert review
Harriet for Teens not Children
Harriet was an amazing movie. I saw it with my husband and cried and cried and cried But felt pride and inspired. As an African American woman and mother of a 10 year old daughter, I don’t recommend this for children below 6th grade. I recently learned The Holocaust isn’t taught until 6th grade and frankly I feel similarly about slavery and the genocide of African Americans and Native Americans. I would further suggest that for children to get the most out of it 13/14 and older is best. The rating here does matter.
While there isn’t gratuitous violence- there is a lot of violence and it is very contextual, meaningful and in some cases painful. Where there isn’t violence, there is the threat of violence. While it didn’t bother me in historical context- the “n” word Was used and I know some other parents found discussions with their children around that use challenging if not desensitizing. For that reason I marked language.
Having gotten that out of the way, this film is incredibly powerful and inspirational. Harriet is nothing if not empowering and her story is clearly told. It does have to be noted that parts are fictionalized and my 10 year old who didn’t see it but read books about Harriet Tubman told me a set of different facts from her books. We appreciate this however as it has sparked a conversation about what actually existed historically even if not directly to her story.
I love this movie, am incredibly grateful for it and can’t wait to show it to my daughter when she’s in 6th grade.
While there isn’t gratuitous violence- there is a lot of violence and it is very contextual, meaningful and in some cases painful. Where there isn’t violence, there is the threat of violence. While it didn’t bother me in historical context- the “n” word Was used and I know some other parents found discussions with their children around that use challenging if not desensitizing. For that reason I marked language.
Having gotten that out of the way, this film is incredibly powerful and inspirational. Harriet is nothing if not empowering and her story is clearly told. It does have to be noted that parts are fictionalized and my 10 year old who didn’t see it but read books about Harriet Tubman told me a set of different facts from her books. We appreciate this however as it has sparked a conversation about what actually existed historically even if not directly to her story.
I love this movie, am incredibly grateful for it and can’t wait to show it to my daughter when she’s in 6th grade.
This title contains:
Positive role models
Violence & scariness
Language
This review...
Really solid movie about Harriet Tubman
We took our 10 and 12 year olds to see this. It led to some good discussions about her life, slavery, and the historic role of women. There is not a lot of violence shown and no language. I think kids need to be mature enough to handle the topic of slavery, and I think these conversations should start early.
This title contains:
Positive role models
This review...
Not for small children
This is an amazing movie! . . . a must see. But it is not for children. The rating is important but please, do not dismiss it as comparable to fictional superhero movies with comparable ratings. It is more intense in that Harriet Tubman is a real person with disturbingly real experiences who flourished in spite of real racist ideology (the fruit of which is still prevalent today). Anyone striving to thrive under the weight of racist systems will feel the origins of that weight in this movie. Anyone who has been called nigger will taste the venom every time the word is used in this movie. And anyone who has experienced painful family schisms (for any reason) will revisit that tearing while watching this movie. There are some who will not simply watch a movie but they will witness the trauma of the events unfolding on the film. The rating doesn't really tell the story of how viscerally viewers may digest this movie. It was intense, too intense for children.
My final thought is that anyone who sees it (particularly minors) should unpack it with someone else.
My final thought is that anyone who sees it (particularly minors) should unpack it with someone else.
This review...
Amazing story of resilience, determination and faith
I think it is very important for Americans to know the history of this country as it relates to slavery and it's lasting impact.
This title contains:
Positive role models
This review...
Awesome!
Take your children to see this movie! It will give children the sense of reality of what happened during slavery. How blacks were talked to, and mistreated. Kids use the "N" word often when referring to each other. They need to know the context of this word as it was used during this time period in history.
Yes, it is disturbing! It should disturb all of us! If we don't acknowledge it, we are destined to repeat it!
Yes, it is disturbing! It should disturb all of us! If we don't acknowledge it, we are destined to repeat it!
This title contains:
Positive role models
This review...
O
Should be r for intense and realistic portreals of Slavory including graphic violence and for some language including frequent racial slurs
This title contains:
Violence & scariness
Language
This review...
Too long!
The acting was stellar. The story line too long and drawn out.