Parents' Guide to

Life Partners

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Flawed film about friendship has lots of swearing, drinking.

Movie R 2014 93 minutes
Life Partners Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 16+

Based on 1 parent review

wonder dove
wonder dove Adult
May 27, 2015
age 16+

Good fun for the older crowd

Life Partners was a very enjoyable and simple film to watch, if you're over 15. Straight Paige (Gillian Jacobs) and lesbian Sasha (Leighton Meester) are two twenty-something best friends who are pretty much inseparable. They do not live together but are usually seen at one or the others' houses, sharing the same bed and discussing who should date who. Paige is a hard working, strong willed lawyer who doesn't like to admit that she's ever wrong, and Sasha is an easy going musician who works at a dead-end job. When Paige meets Tim (Adam Brody) and their relationship grows stronger, Sasha realizes that their closeness is beginning to drift and quickly becomes more desperate to find her life partner while their friendship struggles. It's a quirky romantic comedy with heart that balances humor with drama and is an incredibly realistic story of young adulthood and the ups and downs of every day life. The language is very strong and has many f-words in several forms (around 30), uses of sh*t, d*ck, @sshole, b*tch, p*sy, some sexually related words and religious terms. Violence is pretty mild and includes arguing and some yelling matches between friends, profanities yelled at one another in a joking matter, a woman hits another car while texting and driving. Sexual content has some kissing between couples, some characters are gay and are seen laying in bed (nothing happens), some sexual discussions and references throughout, off-screen sex scenes show only afterwords. Lots of drinking and social parties, nothing over the top - no drugs, no smoking. Due to the strong language it's best suited for 16+.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Sasha (Leighton Meester) and Paige (Gillian Jacobs) have been best friends forever. They're LIFE PARTNERS, really, but now that they're in their late 20s, the women are increasingly pulled in opposite directions. Sasha insists on dating women who are inappropriate and immature and phones it in at her job, even as she's supposed to be working on her music career. Paige, on the other hand, is a successful lawyer and has embarked on a serious relationship. As Paige spends more time with her boyfriend (Adam Brody) and less time with her best friend, Sasha starts to feel left behind.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Two things are right about Life Partners: It's an interesting look at a life-long friendship and how it morphs over time, especially when one friend sets off on a different path. It's also heartening to see a movie focused on a diverse and complex group of female friends who are allowed to speak authentically with each other. But here's the problem: They're not all that interesting. Their crises, especially Sasha's, seem manufactured, and the chemistry between Meester and Jacobs, while pleasant, doesn't feel like a friendship that has lasted through the ages. Their in-joke about driving seems forced, and their distress at the growing chasm between them doesn't feel all that authentic.

It's really a shame. Opportunities like this don't come all that often, and it's crucial for the audience to be invested in their friendship, because when it's put to the test, we have to care. In Life Partners, we're being told to care, but the plot doesn't translate into a palpable authenticity.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Life Partners' central friendship. Do Sasha and Paige help each move forward or hold each other back? Or is it sometimes a little of each? Does it seem like a real friendship? Can you relate?

  • What role does drinking play in the story? Do characters rely on alcohol? Are there realistic consequences?

  • Is Sasha's sexual orientation important to the story? Does it really matter?

Movie Details

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.

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