Common Sense Media Review
By Tara McNamara
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Creepy, thought-provoking thriller has disturbing images.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Nocebo
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In NOCEBO, children's clothing designer Christine's (Eva Green) mysterious illness seems to improve after her domestic worker, Diana (Chai Fonacier), introduces her to alternative healing therapies. But Christine's husband (Mark Strong) suspects that Diana is too good to be true.
Is It Any Good?
Offering a unique twist on a scary movie, writer Garret Shanley summons a social justice message that's likely to stay with viewers. Thanks to Nocebo's creepy, unpleasant images, a feeling of wanting to flee is part of the experience. Part of the thrill is figuring out what happened to create Christine's (Green) illness, but director Lorcan Finnegan doesn't keep it a secret -- you may catch on where it's going, but you're never going to guess how it ends.
While the film has thought-provoking material, families might find a more immediately pertinent conversation by following the thread of unintended consequences. Nearly every character makes a self-serving choice that in the moment, doesn't seem likely to have a negative outcome but in fact leads to devastating results. The storytelling can be taken on face value, or that message can be extrapolated to the way wealthy countries impose their will on vulnerable ones, making them their "servants" and paying them in fractions of their worth. Nocebo is a statement that what ails the world isn't in our heads.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the "placebo" effect. How can the mind create healing? What about a "nocebo," where the mind makes you sick?
What's a protagonist? An antagonist? Who is the protagonist and who is the antagonist in Nocebo?
Talk about the neo-colonialism reflected in the film, and how corporate interests can oppress residents of vulnerable countries. How can this kind of situation be avoided?
Discuss all the times that characters made self-serving choices that led to unintended consequences. Why do we need to be conscientious about how our actions affect others?
Movie Details
- In theaters : November 4, 2022
- On DVD or streaming : November 22, 2022
- Cast : Eva Green , Mark Strong , Chai Fonacier
- Director : Lorcan Finnegan
- Studio : RLJE Films
- Genre : Horror
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic )
- Run time : 97 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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