Some Kind of Beautiful

Movie review by Amanda Nojadera, Common Sense Media
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Common Sense says

age 16+

Painfully clichéd romcom is full of sex and profanity.

R 2015 99 minutes
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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 Some Kind of Beautiful is a romantic comedy staring Pierce Brosnan, Jessica Alba, and Salma Hayek in a complicated love triangle. While there isn't much violence or consumerism to worry about, you can expect plenty of sex and profanity. Several couples are shown having sex -- their bare backs and butts are visible -- and having affairs, and one character imitates orgasm noises while walking through an elementary school. Salty language includes several uses of "f--k," "s--t," "a--hole," and more. Adults drink and smoke (both cigarettes and pot) in social settings, and one character does receive a DUI and is sent to AA meetings. Although none of the characters are particularly admirable, the movie does offer messages about prioritizing honesty in relationships and following your dreams.

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What's the Story?

Following in his promiscuous father's (Malcolm McDowell) footsteps, Richard Haig (Pierce Brosnan) is a charismatic poetry professor at Cambridge who's known for sleeping with his students. But Richard is forced to reevaluate his playboy lifestyle when his young American girlfriend, Kate (Jessica Alba), tells him she's pregnant. Although Richard is thrilled to embrace fatherhood and aspires to be a better role model than his own dad, things get complicated when Kate falls in love with a younger man, and Richard acts on his growing attraction to Kate's beautiful older sister, Olivia (Salma Hayek). while he tries to figure out how to avoid deportation.

Is It Any Good?

There's nothing beautiful about this painfully predictable romantic comedy, except for the picturesque shots of Cambridge and Los Angeles. Not only is the lack of chemistry between Brosnan (once again playing a suave womanizer) Hayek excruciating to watch, but it's unfortunate that her most memorable scene is when Olivia imitates orgasms while walking through an elementary school. There are some tender moments between fathers and sons here, but the rushed, formulaic plot makes the positive messages come across as clichéd. While this certainly isn't SOME KIND OF BEAUTIFUL movie, it certainly is some kind of awful mess.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Some Kind of Beautiful compares to other romantic comedies. What do most Hollywood romcoms tend to have in common? How is this one different (if it is)?

  • How does the movie depict sex? What about drinking and smoking? What role do they play in the story and in the characters' lives? Are there realistic consequences?

  • What makes a relationship work or fail? How does the movie handle this topic?

Movie Details

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