Common Sense Media Review
By S. Jhoanna Robledo
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Predictable romantic drama deals with pretty heavy themes.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Safe Haven
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 11 parent reviews
Based on 19 kid reviews
Kids say this movie is a blend of romance and drama that tackles heavy topics such as domestic abuse, mental health, and personal growth. While many viewers found it heartwarming and intense, they also noted the presence of mature content including violence and sexual scenes, which makes it suitable primarily for older teens and adults.
- heavy topics
- heartwarming story
- mature content
- intense scenes
- age appropriate
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks -- author of The Notebook, The Last Song, and The Lucky One -- SAFE HAVEN finds a young woman named Katie (Julianne Hough) landing in a small North Carolina town, brought in a by a bus she boards under extreme duress. Her intent is to keep her distance from the locals, fashioning a spartan but content existence away from her past. But she can't help falling for Alex (Josh Duhamel), a widower with two adorable children who owns the local gas station and convenience store. She also befriends Jo (Cobie Smulders), an equally mysterious neighbor who encourages her to take risks and enjoy life. But Katie can't let herself get comfortable, not with the secret she's keeping that's threatening to upend her fragile, new life.
Is It Any Good?
By now, it's clear that Sparks has a fan base for whom a movie like this is especially formulated. You can pretty much predict the bits that are sure to appear: footage of gorgeous sunsets, a mysterious stranger pulling into town, a gallant man drawn to a gentle woman, a secret that tears them apart, an obstacle that, really, isn't much of one. Yes, it's all here.
Director Lasse Hallström knows how to paint with light; his canvas is strewn with vibrant hues (except for when he's denoting an evil presence, in which case scenes are drained of color, of course, because, well, evil). But all of the pretty cinematography and dark undertones can't save Safe Haven from its sickly-sweet core. We're all for heartfelt romance, but audiences deserve for them to be much smarter than this.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Safe Haven portrays relationships. Parents, talk to your kids about the signs of unhealthy (and even abusive) relationships.
Is this a typical damsel-in-distress movie? If so, in which way? If not, how?
Discuss Katie's decision in the beginning of the movie: Did she have any other recourse?
Movie Details
- In theaters : February 14, 2013
- On DVD or streaming : May 7, 2013
- Cast : Cobie Smulders , Josh Duhamel , Julianne Hough
- Director : Lasse Hallstrom
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Relativity Media
- Genre : Romance
- Topics : Book Characters
- Run time : 115 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : thematic material involving threatening behavior, and for violence and sexuality
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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