Moulin Rouge

Movie review by S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media
Moulin Rouge Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 14+

Dazzling musical romance has innuendo, mature themes.

PG-13 2001 127 minutes
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Parents say

age 14+

Based on 12 reviews

Kids say

age 12+

Based on 33 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Moulin Rouge is the 2001 bombastic remake of the 1952 movie. Although the film, on paper, sounds a bit too mature for even teens (seduction and obfuscation are employed to raise money for a club), it's really quite a tender love story -- though there is plenty of sexual innuendo -- and a sweet message about the power of love. Characters frequently drink absinthe as well as various types of alcohol. There are references to prostitution. One of the characters is referred to in a disparaging manner as "the Jew." Overall, this is a hate-it-or-love-it movie: Where some see endless self-indulgence and ostentation, others see nonstop vivid entertainment of the kind guaranteed to make viewers temporarily forget the drab realities of day-to-day life.

Community Reviews

BathtubNelly
BathtubNelly Adult
October 11, 2020
age 15+

Songs and discussions about sex

I LOVED Moulin Rouge when it came out so recently had my 12 and 15 year olds watch it with me. I think a lot of the joy from hearing familiar songs recreated was lost on them. I found myself explaining how Madonna wrote Like a Virgin in the 80s and so it was very funny to see the men singing to that. I had forgotten the actual storyline - the whole movie has so much sexual innuendo as well as just the fact that the whole time the creepy guy wants Satine to sleep with him. My 12 year old left the room multiple times, she commented that she once went to make sure it wasn't rated R. In retrospect I would have waited for her to watch a few more years. There isn't any sex shown although one scene with Satine and Christian topless holding each other with blankets around their waists.
Rarityfan
Rarityfan Adult
October 10, 2018
age 18+

The fabulous Moulin Rouge

Lots of drama, romance, old timer Paris cityscapes and hit song medleys for the elder Francophiles. One of the movies you had to view on the big screen like I did back then. Many movies and shows had quoted David Bowie like Friendship is Magic did with Diamond Dogs. Good for the class of elder teen that can discuss the story of Montmatre, why we love the 1980's and what the meaning of the lyric means. In consumerism there are of course Montmatre.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much consumerism
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 12 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Set in late-1800s Paris, MOULIN ROUGE begins in a garret, where a visibly heartbroken poet, Christian (Ewan McGregor), sits at his typewriter, pecking out what is essentially the film's premise: The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return. Rewind to the past, when Christian believed in love but had never been in love. Wide-eyed and full of hope, he's recruited by a group of bohemians led by the artist Toulouse-Lautrec (John Leguizamo) to write a spectacular show for the Moulin Rouge. But first he must persuade Satine (Nicole Kidman), the Moulin Rouge's hot-blooded, cool-eyed courtesan, to agree. Eventually, they fall in love. But Satine's mission is to seduce a rich duke (Richard Roxburgh) so he can finance the Moulin Rouge. If he finds out she loves another, their entire enterprise is doomed. Worse, Satine is suffering from mysterious blackouts.

Is It Any Good?

MOULIN ROUGE is that kind of movie that divides viewers into two distinct camps: Those who love it and those who don't. It almost doesn't matter, however. Because no matter how moving or maddening it may be, depending on which side of the argument you're on, this refreshingly modern musical is memorable and fascinating.

In the hands of another director, the story would have probably marched on in a fairly typical fashion. But this is Baz Luhrmann territory, which means kinetic camerawork, quick cuts, color-saturated tableaus, and lots and lots of music. In places, it overwhelms the senses and seems overdone. But the chemistry between MacGregor and Kidman is unmistakable and their voices not half-bad. In the end, all this pageantry and ballad-belting enthusiasm pays off. Though it may not be everyone's cup of tea, Moulin Rouge is creative, daring, and original.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why Satine enjoys her job as a courtesan (or if she actually does). Can anyone really be happy pursuing fame using one's physical charms? What attracts her to Christian and vice versa? Why is Hollywood enamored of opposites-attract themes? Are Satine and Christian truly destined for each other?

  • What were some of the ways in which the movie went beyond its 1899 setting, especially in terms of music?

  • How does this movie exemplify the idea of "entertainment for entertainment's sake"? What are the many ways in which this movie seeks to provide escape from reality rather than an attempt to imitate or depict reality?

Movie Details

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