Parents' Guide to

Jayne Mansfield's Car

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Thoughtful drama about effects of war has mature content.

Movie R 2013 122 minutes
Jayne Mansfield's Car Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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

Is It Any Good?

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

Oscar-winner Thornton (Sling Blade) returns to writing and directing after a bit of a hiatus, and though the result is often downbeat and meandering, it's also thoughtful and effective overall. Thornton and his frequent co-writer, Tom Epperson, manage to make the characters deeper through the device of other characters talking about them. But the main point of this movie is the contrasting visions of war from several points of view, without ever showing any battle sequences.

Concepts of three different wars -- and the various roles played within them (prisoner, soldier, administrator, etc.) -- bring up complex and opposing reactions. Thornton manages to balance these themes with interesting and damaged characters while also creating a strong family dynamic. A couple of silly subplots, such as an accidental dose of LSD, don't quite work, and the movie definitely isn't for younger viewers, but adults will find food for thought here.

Movie Details

Inclusion information powered by

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.

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