Parents' Guide to

Journey's End

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Touching WWI drama focuses on humanity over battles.

Movie R 2018 107 minutes
Journey's End Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 15+

Based on 3 parent reviews

InformedFolk
InformedFolk Adult
December 21, 2018
age 12+

Watch WITH kids and Discuss.

Journey's End Review. It is rated r.... it is a war movie....from WW1. NO battle armor. Mustard Gas Chlorine gas Tear Gas Phosgene Gas. This movie did not show any of the gassing. In perspective.... it was a bad bloody war. I watched "All Quiet on the Western Front" in middle school after reading book in lit. Might be what provoked interest in these world wars and what our men went thru. That movie was honestly more violent than this one. In AQotWF... there were grenades leaving body pieces all over the barb wire fences. Nearing 4 decades later that picture is still in my head. This movie... had language. Did say F. What soldier goes into a bloodly deadly battle and never utters a form of shock. In Basic soldiers are often succumbed to this... not to be offensive but mentally to "toughen up". Yet these same soldiers that might have a slur are the kindest... most civil and would NEVER speak in front of mom that way by example. So back to movie... I might actually see recommend parents watching with middle schoolers up. Face it ... many kids are already playing kill games and have been for years. And if not your kid... i guarantee their friend is and they have still seen videos or gameplay. So why this movie... This is based on real history. My heart hurt for every soldier portrayed by the actor lying dead... (and decently done... there was death... not gore). For dads that never went home. For boys fresh out of school never even had a child. For lines of descendants that never will be. For descendants that only know the patriach from a photo in uniform. Thousands died. Our kids are simulating this. This movie is real. Its not a video game. Its a story of real families. Its a story of the front line. They ate. They drank. They slept. They peed. It was classy. No nudity. No sex. No gore. It used F and language a few times... your kids hear worse at school. People died. They are scared a gunman will murder them at school. If you let your kid play any shooter... its worth considering. For history buffs... it makes those 6 days not forgotten. "Those who forget history are bound to repeat it."

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
majhop01
majhop01 Adult
October 19, 2018
age 14+

Reality of War

It's a WWI war movie. Watched with my 13 and 15 year old boys. 15 year old really like it. 13 year old thought it was a little slow. Clearly depicts the struggle and toll of war on the human spirit. Some swearing, heavy drinking and war violence. Left with a strong feeling lives were disposable.

This title has:

Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
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What's the Story?

In JOURNEY'S END, World War I is under way, and fresh-faced young Raleigh (Asa Butterfield) has requested to be stationed with his old school head-boy, Captain Stanhope (Sam Claflin). Unfortunately, this means that Raleigh is to be deployed for a rotation of six days on the front lines, in the trenches just opposite a nest of German troops. Stanhope drinks heavily, quickly consuming the short supply of whiskey, but his stature in Raleigh's eyes fails to diminish. Rumors of an imminent attack are coming, and the men, led by the pipe-smoking Lt. Osborne (Paul Bettany), wait stoically. Other soldiers include dark-humored cook Mason (Toby Jones) and streetwise teddy bear Trotter (Stephen Graham), who loves to eat. Then their commanding officers order a suicide mission to capture a German; even if the men survive, a major attack may be imminent.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3):
Kids say (1):

This drama about the First World War is quietly moving as it conveys the horrors of war without heaviness, focusing on humanity and relying little on battle scenes. R.C. Sherriff's source play was first performed onstage with Laurence Olivier in 1928 and was previously adapted into a movie in 1930, marking the directorial debut of James Whale (Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein). It's tried-and-true stuff, and it still works. Director Saul Dibb (The Duchess) stages it with plenty of mud and gloom -- and even wobbly hand-held cameras -- and yet it has enough patience and care that it works beautifully.

Potent little moments, like attempting to clear mud from a whistle, punctuate the story. The cast is especially excellent, starting with Bettany, whose avuncular presence (the men call him "uncle") is downright calming; right before the mission, he coaxes Raleigh to think about other things (hot cocoa and a Lewis Carroll poem). Butterfield is appealingly naïve, and Jones makes a grimly funny cook, providing a commentary on the dishes he manages to put together. Even Claflin -- who usually seems to be cast more for his looks than his presence -- is fine here. Together, the characters manage to discuss things more immediate and personal than war, and, by extension, tell everything there is to say.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Journey's End's violence. How much is shown, and how effective is it? Is it more or less violent than other war movies?

  • Why do you think war might be exciting to young Raleigh? How does his opinion change over the course of the story?

  • How is drinking portrayed? Is Stanhope forgiven for his drinking because of the stress of war? What happens to him -- or what might happen to him?

  • How does the movie show smoking? Why was smoking more prevalent during those times? Does the movie make it look glamorous?

  • What did you learn about the First World War from this movie? Did it inspire you to learn more?

Movie Details

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