Running with Scissors Movie Poster Image

Running with Scissors

age 17+
(i)

 

Dysfunctional-family memoir wallows in smug humor.
Watch
Write a review
See all 10 user reviews
  • Review Date: February 5, 2007
  • Rated: R
  • Genre: Drama
  • Release Year: 2006
  • Running Time: 120 minutes

What parents need to know

Positive messages

Damaged, miserable adults raise damaged, frustrated, frightened (in one case, nearly homicidal) children; affair between a 35-year-old and a teenager; medication as a means to "cope" depression and manic behavior; mother's crazed behavior frightens her son; reverence/reading of bowel movements as a sign from God. The central teenage characters have no good role models to follow and no limits placed on their behavior -- they do whatever they want without consequences (like tear down the kitchen ceiling on a whim).

Violence

A woman slams her husband against a cupboard, and he falls to the floor, his head bloodied; discussions of suicide and electroshock therapy; an adopted adult son explodes in father's office, ripping and slamming furniture, then approaches his adoptive father with a knife.

Sex

Dr. Finch keeps a "Masturbatorium" in his office; sexual activity between a 14-year-old boy and his 35-year-old male lover (some skin visible, not explicit); mention of penis/flasher; language ("Don't touch my sausage," "I don't eat p---y").

Language

Casual, frequent, and angry use of profanity, including "f--k" (20+); fewer instances of "s--t," "bitch," "c--t."

Consumerism

Mentions or brief glimpses of time period-defining products like Sanka, Tab, McDonalds; Dark Shadows on television.

Drinking, drugs, & smoking

Frequent cigarette smoking (by teens and adults); doctor dispenses pills randomly to "quiet the nerves" lots of drinking.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this film isn't for kids. It's based on the true story of author Augusten Burroughs' extremely dysfunctional childhood (his manic mother handed him over to her therapist) and runs the gamut of bizarre, often-crazy behavior. Characters smoke, drink, use drugs, receive very questionable psychiatric treatment, and discuss suicide (in one scene, a boy is outfitted with electroshock therapy gear, though he's not shocked). The film includes frequent arguments between family members, with yelling, crying, and occasional aggression (including a knife threat at one point). Sexual images include lesbians kissing and hugging and an affair between a teenage boy and a 35-year-old man (who ends up being his adoptive brother). Lots of profanity, especially "f--k."

What's the story?

Based on Augusten Burroughs' bestselling 2002 memoir, RUNNING WITH SCISSORS follows the tumultuous relationship between the precocious Augusten (played as a 6-year-old by Jack Kaeding, thereafter by Joseph Cross) and his mother. Delusional, erratic, aspiring poet Deirdre (Annette Bening) is unable to set "boundaries" for her bewildered son and is in constant opposition with her alcoholic husband Norman (Alec Baldwin). Eventually, Deirdre turns to Dr. Finch's prescribed therapy and medication. When Norman leaves for good, Augusten is almost relieved to see his father go, but he's devastated when Deirdre leaves him with the quirky Finch family. Weary Mrs. Finch (Jill Clayburgh) proves to be the most compassionate and durable member of his new "family, " which includes two differently damaged daughters: devoutly religious Hope (Gwyneth Paltrow) and rebellious Natalie (Evan Rachel Wood). The boy finds some solace in bed with his new "brother," the darkly manic, 35-year-old Neil (Joseph Fiennes), but their romance is hardly healthy.

Is it any good?

QUALITY

More absurd than insightful, Running with Scissors treats its dangerously self-deluded characters as broadly comic figures. Director Ryan Murphy's film grapples with mature themes -- including child sexual abuse, drug and alcohol addiction, and mental illness -- but loses its way thanks to its episodic structure and flat-footed humor.

Organized by assorted traumas, the film seems dated and smug (think The World According to Garp). With its outsized, wannabe Oscar-bait performances, the movie careens from scene to scene, dropping in Deirdre's lesbianism as yet more evidence of her delirious search for "herself." By the time Augusten makes his escape, you're way ahead of him.

Families can talk about...

  • Families can talk about Augsten's difficult relationship with his mother. How does he come to eventually understand her behavior? How does the movie show that he has to leave her to survive, even though the separation is painful for both of them? What about Augusten's relationship with Neil? Is it abusive, tender and loving, or both? Does Augusten (the "victim") truly understand the nature of their relationship? How does his perspective of Neil change over time? Why? How is the "therapy" that Deirdre and Augusten receive from Dr. Finch bogus, detrimental, and dangerous? If you were in Augusten's position, how do you think you would have coped?

Movie details

Theatrical release date:October 20, 2006
DVD release date:February 6, 2007
Cast:Annette Bening, Brian Cox, Joseph Cross
Director:Ryan Murphy
Studio:Columbia Tristar
Genre:Drama
Run time:120 minutes
MPAA rating:R
MPAA explanation:for strong language and elements of sexuality, violence and substance abuse.

This review of Running with Scissors was written by

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

Quality

Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

Find out more

About these links

Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization, earns a small affiliate fee from Amazon or iTunes when you use our links to make a purchase. Thank you for your support.

Read more

About Our Rating System

The age displayed for each title is the minimum one for which it's developmentally appropriate. We recently updated all of our reviews to show only this age, rather than the multi-color "slider." Get more information about our ratings.

Great handpicked alternatives

Browse more movies

Top advice and articles

What parents and kids say

See all user reviews

Share your thoughts with other parents and kids Write a user review

A safe community is important to us. Please observe our guidelines

Adult Written byannamaeniac April 9, 2008
not rated for age

Deceptive Marketing

I rented this video because it looked funny. Reading the box it appeared to be a COMEDY about a dysfunctional family. The majority of the film my husband an watched had us swinging back and forth between shock and disbelief. It was never funny. After about 35 min we turned off the film and put in Oceans 11. There may be families that are truely this dysfunctional but I won't waste my time watching them. This film is highly inappropreate for children and young adults. AND I am including my 26 year old self in that category.
Was this review useful?
Flag as inappropriate 
Adult Written bymercymercygray April 9, 2008
not rated for age

deceived by the promos

could not decide if movie was meant to be funny, dramatic or a satire. it was slow moving and the story line was actually painful to watch. some small moments could not carry this movie nor its flippant attitude toward serious subjects. quality actors in this film and inspired sets could not improve the way this was filmed or the story line. definitely skip it!!!!!!!
Was this review useful?
Flag as inappropriate 
Adult Written byconfettie April 9, 2008
not rated for age

Wished that I watched something else at my free time!!!

Although the cover says it should be funny, It really wasn't. I thought it was just DUMB!!!
Was this review useful?
Flag as inappropriate 

See all user reviews

Poll

Did our review help you make an informed decision about this product?