Shopping
Stylish '90s British action crime drama has language, drugs.
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Shopping
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Shopping is a crime drama about a delinquent pair of friends, Billy (Jude Law) and Jo (Sadie Frost), whose thrill-seeking sees them clash with the police and other criminals. While Billy and Jo care for one another, Billy in particular has trouble expressing his feelings. Neither of them are primarily motivated by money, but peers such as Tommy (Sean Pertwee) are, which makes their world nihilistic and dangerous. Characters frequently cause property damage, steal cars, rob stores, and start fires. Violence is mostly threatened rather than shown, but there are some scuffles and one character sustains bloody injuries when objects are hurled at him from a height. Language is strong and constant including variants of "f--k," "s--t," and "wanker." There are references to sex, as well as kissing and petting in one scene, but there is no graphic or sexual nudity. Characters smoke cigarettes constantly and one character runs a drug dealing business. Because of this there are conversations about selling drugs, including pressuring teenagers to do so.
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What's the Story?
SHOPPING follows a gang of thieves -- including Billy (Jude Law) and Jo (Sadie Frost) -- who cause mayhem after Billy is released from prison.
Is It Any Good?
A low-budget but slick ode to self-destructive teens, this early 1990s crime drama brings together a collection of emerging British talent, most notably Law in his first starring role. Cast as Shopping's adrenaline junkie ram-raider Billy, Law is on a collision course in more ways than one. Frost is along for the ride as Jo, not always approving but bound by loyalty and her unreciprocated romantic love for him. Law glides through his debut as a leading man, his boyish good looks not disguising the menace that rises to the surface when he clashes with his rivals -- the action sequences shine under the streetlights of London's darkened skies. And while the movie's cast of villains might be too familiar for some, Shopping does have a style and sense of place that so many other movies lack.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what motivates the characters in Shopping. What attracts Billy and Jo to a criminal lifestyle? Was it just the money or something more?
Discuss the strong language used. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?
Discuss the movie's action sequences. Did you find them impressive? How were they different from modern movies, which tend to rely more on CGI?
How were drinking, smoking, and drugs depicted? Were they glamorized? Were there consequences? Why does that matter?
Movie Details
- In theaters: February 9, 1996
- On DVD or streaming: June 3, 2008
- Cast: Jude Law, Sadie Frost, Sean Pertwee
- Director: Paul W. S. Anderson
- Studios: Gramercy Pictures, New Horizons
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Topics: Cars and Trucks
- Run time: 105 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: violence/mayhem, pervasive language and some drug content
- Last updated: February 21, 2023
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