Parents' Guide to

Premonition

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Dark Bullock deja-vu thriller won't interest kids.

Movie PG-13 2007 110 minutes
Premonition Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 13+

Based on 6 parent reviews

Daniel Davee 2003
Daniel Davee 2003 Adult
February 13, 2022
age 12+

Great pacing and script. May be confusing for children under the age of 13

Great pacing and script. May be confusing for children under the age of 13. I personally love this film. I rewatch it frequently.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
gowestla
gowestla Adult
December 11, 2021
age 13+

Horrible script, cliche overacting by Bullock

The plot is all over the map, the writing and dialogue is ridiculous, and bullock is irritating and even cringeworthy. Amber Valleta’s stint as the go to for the “other woman” should have stayed at “What Lies Beneath” which was much better.
See all 6 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Sandra Bullock plays Linda Hanson, a newly widowed stay-at-home mom who wakes up the morning after her husband, Jim's (Julian McMahon), fatal car accident to relive the day before his death. The next day, she awakens to find he's dead again. Her jumps continue with each new day for Linda, as she finds herself going back and forth between the days before and after his death, until she pieces together awful truth surrounding Jim's death.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (6):
Kids say (8):

Even an avid Sandra Bullock fan would have to admit that, while it's slightly original, PREMONITION also exemplifies what's awful about the time-bending thriller subgenre. The problem, of course, is that she's either insane (or, as a priest suggests, a witch with some sort of "shining") or, perhaps, imagining everything in a Lithium-induced dream. Who can be sure? And a halfway through the movie, who even cares any more?

The point is that Linda uses the days on which Jim is alive to show him that she loves him -- even though they weren't really passionate about each other and she eventually discovers that he crashed on his way to cheat on her. Ultimately, she may or may not have a living husband, but she sure-as-Hollywood gets a treacly end to her Groundhog Day spent in emotional hell.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about thrillers with plot twists. What's the appeal of having a big "surprise" at the end of the movie? Are those surprises always satisfying? Why or why not? What do you think really happened at the end of this particular movie? Families can also talk about life and death and second chances. When given the chance to relive otherwise mundane moments with her husband again, how does Linda act differently? What would you do differently if you had a second chance with someone who's gone?

Movie Details

  • In theaters: March 15, 2007
  • On DVD or streaming: July 17, 2007
  • Cast: Julian McMahon, Nia Long, Sandra Bullock
  • Director: Mennan Yapo
  • Inclusion Information: Black actors
  • Studio: Sony Pictures
  • Genre: Thriller
  • Run time: 110 minutes
  • MPAA rating: PG-13
  • MPAA explanation: some violent content, disturbing images, thematic material and brief language.
  • Last updated: January 1, 2023

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