Common Sense Media Review
By Stefan Pape
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Romantic period drama celebrates true love; sex, nudity.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Lady Chatterley's Lover
What's the Story?
LADY CHATTERLEY'S LOVER is the story of aristocrat Connie Reid (Emma Corrin), who is in an unhappy marriage and in desperate need of true love in her life. Which she finds in an unlikely place, as she begins an impassioned affair with her gamekeeper, Oliver Mellors (Jack O'Connell). Though with their standings in society so different, the question remains: is this sustainable?
Is It Any Good?
This reimagining of D.H. Lawrence's classic novel is a story that has been told before, a few times. Yet this version of Lady Chatterley's Lover is a more than welcome and capable adaptation of the one-time controversial piece of literature. Interestingly, director Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre and writer David Magee have resisted any urge to massively deviate from the source material. It remains very true to the original text.
The fact that this retelling still grabs your attention is credit to Clermont-Tonnerre's accomplished cinematic storytelling. There's a confidence to her filmmaking style, and she evidently trusts her two leads, and she has every right to. Corrin and O'Connell are both brilliant in the leading roles, especially Corrin who truly shines as the film's titular character, doing as much justice to Lady Chatterley as they did Lady Diana in the fourth season of The Crown.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Lady Chatterley's Lover portrayed sex. Was it affectionate? Respectful? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.
How did Connie differ from those around her? How did she display courage? Would you describer her as a positive role model? Why, or why not?
Talk about the strong language in the movie. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?
This movie is an adaptation of a classic novel. Why do you think it was so controversial when it was released? Have you seen any other movies based on books?
Movie Details
- In theaters : November 23, 2022
- On DVD or streaming : December 2, 2022
- Cast : Emma Corrin , Jack O'Connell , Joely Richardson
- Director : Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre
- Inclusion Information : Non-Binary Movie Actor(s) , Queer Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Romance
- Topics : Book Characters , History
- Character Strengths : Courage
- Run time : 126 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong sexual content, graphic nudity and some language
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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