Off the Rails
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Off the Rails
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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 Off the Rails is a sentimental comedy with themes around sex, occasional strong language, drinking, and positive messages about living life to its fullest. Friends Liz (Sally Phillips), Kate (Jenny Seagrove), and Cassie (Kelly Preston) -- all in their 50s -- fulfill their late friend's wish and take a trip across Europe with her daughter, Maddie (Elizabeth Dormer-Phillips). The friends are all flawed characters, but remain likable. They steal a boat, get arrested for criminal damage, and are seen mimicking the French accent when in Paris. Cassie has an alcohol problem and is striving to win custody of her son. There is no real violence of note, but a heated argument does see a character throw her coffee over another. There is also reference to suicide. Sex is discussed frequently, but not in too graphic a detail, and there is no nudity within the movie. In one scene, it is clear a character has had sex the night before. The language is relatively strong, with several uses of the word "f--k" and others such as "s--t," and "bitch." Characters are seen drinking from bottles in the street and they are shown to be inebriated at times. But it's not glorified, in fact when drunk they end up making costly mistakes and live to regret their actions the following day. There are also a number of scenes involving smoking.
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What's the Story?
In OFF THE RAILS, Liz (Sally Phillips), Kate (Jenny Seagrove), and Cassie (Kelly Preston) promise to fulfill a friend's dying wish by recreating a trip across Europe they took when they were younger. Only this time they must also take their friend's daughter, Maddie (Elizabeth Dormer-Phillips), with them.
Is It Any Good?
This is a sweet and charming movie that requires an uncynical eye in order to enjoy. There's no escaping the fact that Off the Rails is flawed and that's an understatement. Some of the dialogue is clunky, and the frustrating inclination to throw in drama is contrived and often unnecessary. So much seems to happen to this group, and it all just becomes so unbelievable, and distracting. It's hard not to wish they had more faith in the characters, the story, and the profound themes being explored, so as not to need all the silly sub-plots.
Yet despite these issues, Off the Rails' heart is in the right place, and there's something moving about the general exploration of time and how cruel it can be. Yet it doesn't ever feel dour. Rather it's an upbeat celebration of life. There is an added poignancy given the real-life passing of Preston, making her scenes hard to watch at times. There's also a really brilliant and moving sequence at the start where Judi Dench delivers a powerhouse performance, in less than five minutes of screen-time. Fans of Blondie will also be pleased to hear that they comprise the entire film's soundtrack.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how friendship is portrayed in Off the Rails. What made the friends so close? Did it seem like a realistic portrayal? Talk about your own friendships. What do you like about them?
Discuss how the movie presented drinking and smoking. Did you think any of the characters drank too much? Were there consequences for what they did?
How was sex portrayed in the movie? Was it affectionate? Respectful? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.
Discuss the strong language used. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?
Movie Details
- In theaters: December 10, 2021
- On DVD or streaming: February 1, 2022
- Cast: Kelly Preston, Sally Phillips, Judi Dench
- Director: Jules Williamson
- Studio: Screen Media Films
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Friendship, Holidays
- Run time: 94 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: some language
- Last updated: October 8, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
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Bridesmaids
Crude but sincere comedy about friendship and confidence.
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Girls Trip
Warm-hearted but raunchy comedy has nudity, sex, language.
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Our Ladies
Teen comedy has underage drinking, sex, and strong language.
For kids who love stories about friendship
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