Common Sense Media Review
By Tom Cassidy
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Conspiracy drama has violence, suicide, swearing, smoking.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Lawrence: After Arabia
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In LAWRENCE: AFTER ARABIA, the British secret service plots to kill the influential military leader T.E. Lawrence (Tom Barber-Duffy) and will stop at nothing to cover up the killing.
Is It Any Good?
Did the British secret service kill T.E. Lawrence? Unfortunately after two hours of Lawrence: After Arabia, you won't care either way. Movies based on conspiracy theories can be entertaining if the intrigue is laid out cinematically. But despite its best intentions and efforts, there's nothing to recommend in this cheap movie. The life of Lawrence -- the hero from the epic Lawrence of Arabia -- is doubtlessly fascinating. But this is likely the worst way to learn about it. Stuffy, entirely humorless, and without humility, the movie leaves no room for enjoyment. The heavy use of green screen occasionally tips the movie into accidentally funny territory but the laughs soon die down as it settles back into its sullen trudge. Teens old enough to watch this movie are old enough to reject filmmaking of this low quality.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the premise of Lawrence: After Arabia. It's based on a conspiracy theory about a murder and the subsequent cover-up. Do you think it's OK for movies to speculate about actual events? Why, or why not?
Discuss the movie's violence. What impact did it have? What consequences were there? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence?
The main characters were all White men with little diversity when it came to gender, race, and ethnicity. Did you find this problematic? Why representation matters in kids' media.
How were drinking and smoking depicted in the film? Were they glamorized? Why does that matter?
Do you think the movie's objective was to educate or entertain? Did it succeed at either?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 31, 2020
- On DVD or streaming : April 8, 2021
- Cast : Tom Barber-Duffy , Derek Herbert , Steve Rollins
- Director : Mark J.T. Griffin
- Studio : Renderyard
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 121 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : February 2, 2023
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