Parents' Guide to

Rain Beau's End

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Melodramatic adoption drama has strong language, violence.

Movie NR 2021 117 minutes
Rain Beau's End Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

See all

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

RAIN BEAU'S END follows coffee-shop owner Jules Paradise (Amanda Powell) and her mayoral candidate partner, Hannah Driver (Janelle Snow), who adopt a 4-year-old boy they name Rain Beau. Almost immediately, Rain Beau (who's never seen on camera) seems aggressive, hurting the family's kitten. After a few other concerning incidents, Jules and Hannah take Rain Beau to a therapist, who explains that the boy has Jacob's Syndrome, an extra Y chromosome that's linked with a propensity for violence and a tendency to be larger and taller. Jules believes a holistic approach of therapy, diet, and exercise will keep Rain Beau stable, but as the years pass, he continues to bully, injure, and lash out at classmates and even his mothers. Raising Rain Beau takes a toll on both women: Hannah has to cut her political ambitions short, and Jules' small business suffers from the negative publicity surrounding their son's issues. The film chronicles 15 years of Jules and Hannah's lives as parents.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Despite fine performances, this melodrama suffers from the visible absence of the titular character -- the son whose identity and behavior are never witnessed first-hand. The decision to keep Rain Beau off camera starts out as a curiosity (the 4-year-old can be heard crying but isn't shown), letting director Tracy Wren focus on the parents' reactions. The problem is that it's difficult to believe Rain Beau even exists, because as he grows, he's never spotted, and he's only heard from twice in the entire film. It ends up feeling like a gimmick without any payoff, and it distances audiences from the empathy the two mothers desperately want others to have for their son. Powell and Snow do a good job with the roles as written by Jennifer Cooney, but without seeing Rain Beau at the different stages of his life, it's difficult to connect to his story.

Sean Young stands out as Hannah's colleague, Nat, who gives straightforward advice and initially agrees to bring her young nephew (also unseen) to play with Rain Beau. Jules, meanwhile, has a close friend, Kris (Halena Keys), who encourages her not to lose her own identity as she parents. Not much actually happens until a melodramatic twist in the third act, so every time the movie fast forwards a few years, it's more of the same -- the therapists, the principal, and the moms all discussing how hard it is for Rain Beau to manage his anger. (Given all the time jumping, it's notably odd that Hannah is aged via makeup and hair, but Jules barely does.) As a character study of partners parenting a special-needs child, the movie had potential, but it never rises above the melodramatic plot developments and the dissonance of Rain Beau's absence.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the violence in Rain Beau's End. Is violence that's implied or discussed different than violence that takes place on screen?

  • What does the movie say about relationships and parenting? How does parenthood impact Hannah and Jules?

  • What makes someone a good parent? How does the media typically portray parents? Do the mothers in this movie seem realistic ?

  • Do you consider anyone in the movie a role model? Why, or why not? What character strengths did you see on display?

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate