Parents' Guide to Sanctuary

Parents need to know that Sanctuary is a very mature thriller about a sex worker who specializes in domination and her submissive client. While the movie is all about sex, not much action is actually shown, and what does occur (one scene with simulated intercourse, multiple with masturbation) is shot with a focus on the characters' faces. That's because Hal (Christopher Abbott) and Rebecca (Margaret Qualley) talk while they're performing their parts -- mostly harsh, cruel, bullying, belittling banter because that's what arouses Hal. It's all a mind game, with the two characters always trying to one-up each other. Rebecca is manipulative, abusive, and described as "evil" because she's using her client's vulnerable state and trust to blackmail him into giving her money and power. Their struggle does turn physical at points, with death threats involving a knife, and someone's hands being tied to a piece of furniture. Beyond the sexually explicit conversation -- some of which is about potentially shocking past sex acts -- language is strong and insulting throughout ("bitch," "retarded," "d--k," lots of "f--k"). Characters drink and talk about frequent past drug use.

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