Common Sense Media Review
By Stefan Pape
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Twisted horror has full-frontal nudity, disturbing themes.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Men
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 4 parent reviews
Based on 13 kid reviews
Kids say the movie features intense graphic content and bizarre scenes that provoke strong reactions, evoking themes of toxic masculinity and body horror. While some appreciate its artistic ambition and message, many find it disturbing and unsuitable for younger audiences due to its extreme violence, nudity, and challenging narrative structure.
- graphic content
- toxic masculinity
- disturbing scenes
- artistic ambition
- unsuitable for kids
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
MEN tells the story of Harper (Jessie Buckley) who sets off to a remote village in the English countryside in a bid to come to terms with the death of her ex-husband, James (Paapa Essiedu). Staying at a grand country house that belongs to a local man called Geoffrey (Rory Kinnear), Harper is haunted by her own memories and, it seems, by Geoffrey -- and it turns out there are a lot of Geoffreys in this village.
Is It Any Good?
Written and directed by Alex Garland, this twisted tale will most certainly be divisive. If a friend saw Men and told you they hated it, you'd understand where they were coming from. Likewise, if they raved about their experience, you wouldn't necessarily be surprised. It's a movie that almost feels unsatisfying on a first watch, such is the complexity of the story at hand, and the layers being explored by Garland. In what is effectively a somewhat simplistic premise, comes a film that thrives in its metaphorical elements, and truly comes to life in its surrealist ones.
Buckley is at her very best as the central character, though needless to say much of the attention here will be focusing on Kinnear. The talented actor turns in the most remarkable performance of his career, playing a whole myriad of characters and bringing an unnerving depth to each and every one of them. It's a film that in some ways will be defined as a horror, but doesn't play up to the familiar cliches, surprising the viewer at each and every passing opportunity. Movies like this don't come around very often, and even if you do veer toward the side of not liking the film, you're unlikely to forget it.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence and psychological abuse in Men. How did it affect you? How much was actually shown? How realistic did it seem? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence?
Did you find the movie scary? How did it compare to other "horror" movies? What's the appeal of scary movies?
There is a lot of nudity in the film. Was it necessary to the story? Was it handled sensitively? Why is that important?
Talk about the strong language in the movie. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?
How did the film explore themes around grief? Have you experienced loss in your own life? How did it impact you?
Movie Details
- In theaters : May 20, 2022
- On DVD or streaming : August 9, 2022
- Cast : Jessie Buckley , Rory Kinnear , Paapa Essiedu
- Director : Alex Garland
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : A24
- Genre : Horror
- Topics : Fantasy
- Run time : 100 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : disturbing and violent content, graphic nudity, grisly images and language.
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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