Stuck

Parents need to know that Stuck is the film adaptation of a stage musical that implores audiences to treat strangers with kindness and compassion. It focuses on six multicultural New Yorkers trapped in a subway car who at first appear to live up to their stereotypes. But once they open up and admit their personal struggles, it eventually becomes clear they're not all that different. Mature themes include homelessness, disability, loss, sexual assault, immigration, poverty, and unwanted pregnancy; the film doesn't get political, but some heated debates feel lifted straight from cable news. Language includes "s--t," "bitch," and "f---ing" but isn't frequent, and the dialogue works around harsher terminology like "abortion" and "rape." It's the same for imagery: Enough is shown to imply the rough stuff being depicted without getting super graphic. For instance, a young woman is brutally assaulted, but viewers only see flashes of three men grabbing her, followed by her reactions in close-up, where she has a bloody nose and lip. One scene includes suggestive dancing during a song about the objectification of women. The film is earnest and clear about its positive message -- to put down our devices and our differences and engage with the world around us -- but it's unlikely to result in a single teen changing habits.