Lucky Number Slevin gallery
What parents need to know
Violence
Sex
Language
Consumerism
Drinking, drugs, & smoking
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that the movie includes multiple violent scenes (shooting, neck- and nose-breaking, fighting, knifing, smothering in plastic wrap), as well as one flashback where a young boy sees his father killed by a hitman (the shooting is off-screen, the boy's stunned and frightened reaction is visible). Most characters are professional thugs and killers, gamblers, and con-men. One female character works in a morgue, where a burned corpse is visible (close-up of the grisly arm). Characters curse frequently, drink occasionally, and a few scenes display or insinuate sexual activity. None of the characters provides an admirable role model; some are cleverer than others.
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Kids say
What's the story?
Slevin (Josh Hartnett) leaves his unfaithful girlfriend and takes up residence in a friend's New York City apartment. Soon, Slevin finds himself mixed up in a war between two criminal kingpins: the Boss (Morgan Freeman) and Schlomo (Ben Kingsley), also called the Rabbi. They despise one another, share a history of violence and revenge, and live in stunning penthouse apartments facing one another across the street. And they think Slevin is \"Nick,\" who owes $96,000 in gambling money, and before you can say \"North by Northwest,\" Slevin is faced with impossible choices. The Boss invites Slevin-as-Nick to erase the debt by killing Schlomo's gay son (retaliation for a previous murder). And everyone is under the mostly misinformed scrutiny of muttery Detective Brikowski (Stanley Tucci).
Is it any good?
QUALITY
Proudly clever, LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN sets up a range of characters for collisions and takedowns. At the center is Slevin, partly lucky, partly ingenious, mostly Josh Hartnett, with scruffy hair, bared torso, and eyes slightly squinty as he peers at the camera, inviting you to guess what he's thinking. At a train station, Mr. Goodkat (Bruce Willis) tells Slevin (Josh Hartnett) a story about cheats, killers, and gamblers, with a lesson on what he calls the "Kansas City shuffle," which he describes thusly: "It's when everybody looks right and you go left." Check. Lucky Number Slevin is a caper movie, with tricks and turns and characters who aren't who they seem.
Families can talk about...
Families can talk about the strong bond between the father-figure and his protégé. You might also discuss the risks of gambling (on anything), and the suggestion here that a "sure thing" (like the central, meticulously detailed revenge plot) might be possible. What do you make of Schlomo's assertion that "People are never happy with what they have, they want what they had or what somebody else has"?
Movie details
| Theatrical release date: | April 7, 2006 |
| DVD release date: | September 12, 2006 |
| Cast: | Bruce Willis, Josh Hartnett, Morgan Freeman |
| Director: | Paul McGuigan |
| Studio: | Weinstein Co. |
| Genre: | Drama |
| Run time: | 109 minutes |
| MPAA rating: | R |
| MPAA explanation: | strong violence, sexuality and language. |
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QUALITY
lifty for teens not for tweens
Great movie lifty for teens and up
What other families should know
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
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QUALITY
older teens can appreciate this
i think that a child couldn't tolerate the maturity of this movie, but a normal 13/14/15 year old defiantly could follow the awesome story line, i personally love this movie, even though the role model is terrible and just about getting revenge, it sure is a good movie.
What other families should know
Too much violence
Too much swearing
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QUALITY
Great Movie (just not for kids)
My husband and I went to see this movie when it was first released, we left our girls with a babysitter, thank goodness we did. It was a good movie with many great actors, it was insanly violent and had very harsh language, but all and all I would see it again. Sad beginning, semi-confusing story, twisted ending. I give it two thumbs up!
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