British coming-of-age comedy-drama has sex talk, language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Submarine is a brilliant British coming-of-age comedy-drama about self-absorbed teen Oliver (Craig Roberts) navigating his first relationship while worrying about his parents' marriage. It's set in 1980s Wales, and teens use homophobic taunts such as "gay lord" and taunts insensitive to intellectual disability. A girl nicknamed "Fat" is bullied and leaves school. Strong language includes "f--k," "motherf----r," "s--t," "bulls--t," "d--k," "c--k," and more. Teens use sexual innuendo; a teenage couple have sex (not shown). Adults kiss before implying oral sex. A mother tells her son she gave a man "a hand job." Schoolyard violence includes scuffles and a boy with a bloody nose and black eye. Teens play with fireworks and burn a dumpster, and one burns her boyfriend's leg hair. A heartbroken teen creates a "reasons for not killing myself" list, handled sensitively by a teacher. Oliver plans to kill his girlfriend Jordana's (Yasmin Paige) dog to help her prepare for her mother's death, but the dog is accidentally hit by a train first. A teen mixes antidepressants with alcohol and then breaks into a house. Teens smoke cigarettes and a pipe. Depression is depicted realistically. Crude humor includes defecation and vomiting. The film treats flawed teen characters with empathy, recognizing that mistakes are part of growing up.
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Language
a lot
Language includes "c--k," "f--k off," "motherf----r," "f---ing," "d--k," "slut," "f--k," "piss," "bloody," "bulls--t," "s--t," "s--tting," "f--k muppet," "for God's sake," and British slang "wank" and "twat." Playground taunts of "gay lord," as well as "gay" being used more generally as a label that's applied in a derogatory way.
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A teen smokes cigarettes; another briefly smokes a pipe. A teen mixes antidepressants with alcohol while emotionally distressed, then breaks into a house seeking revenge on its owner.
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Frequent teen innuendo and jokes about sex. A teenage boy loses his virginity with his girlfriend. A man and woman kiss before he pushes her head down, implying oral sex. References to wife-swapping. A man and woman enter a van with talk of massage oils. A mother tells her son she gave a man "a hand job."
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Schoolyard violence includes scuffles and a teen held in a headlock. When a teen stands up for himself, it cuts to him on the floor with a bloody nose and black eye. A teen couple plays with fireworks, burns a dumpster; one playfully burns the other's leg hairs. A character whose spouse is ill loses their temper in an emotional outburst, then apologizes. A teen experiencing heartbreak creates a "reasons for not killing myself" list, which a teacher finds and handles sensitively. In a misguided attempt to help his girlfriend prepare for her mother's death, a boy plans to kill her dog, though the dog is accidentally hit by a train before he can act. Bodily functions feature, with a story about someone defecating on the playground and a character shown being sick on the hood of a truck.
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The transition from childhood to adulthood can be awkward, self-absorbed, and full of bad decision-making. But it should be viewed with empathy and compassion, showing that mistakes and misguided choices are part of growing up. Emotional vulnerability is valued and creates space for open, honest communication about difficult subjects. The story recognizes that peer pressure and bad advice often stem from immaturity rather than malice. Communication and empathy are essential in both romantic and family relationships.
Diverse Representations
some
Set in 1980s Wales with a predominantly White British cast. Teens use homophobic taunts such as "gay lord" and taunts insensitive to intellectual disability. A girl is bullied with nickname "Fat" and leaves school after an incident. A character makes assumptions about a New Age couple who practice martial arts, stereotyping them as ninjas. Depression is depicted realistically and sympathetically through a parent character, showing its impact on family relationships. Female characters include main character Oliver's mother, who struggles with communication, and his girlfriend, Jordana—played by Yasmin Paige, who is of mixed Jewish and Iraqi Arab Muslim heritage—who deals with a parent's terminal illness with emotional complexity. Writer-director Richard Ayoade is British of Nigerian and Norwegian descent.
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Positive Role Models
a little
Oliver Tate is a self-obsessed teen who becomes infatuated with classmate Jordana. Awkward and searching for identity, he experiments with quirks influenced by misguided peer pressure. He worries about his parents' relationship and tries to mend it while neglecting his own romance when it gets difficult. Jordana has a dry wit and copes with a parent's illness. Her feelings are hurt by Oliver's actions, which she tells him directly. Oliver's mom worries about him but struggles to communicate. Oliver's dad, Lloyd, experiences depression and eventually shares his feelings with his son. Graham is a New Age guru whose self-important facade masks his pursuit of his ex-girlfriend: Oliver's mom.
In SUBMARINE, teen Oliver Tate (Craig Roberts) struggles to navigate his first romantic relationship while he also works hard to secretly fix his parents' marriage.
This coming-of-age comedy-drama authentically captures the feel of 1980s British school life, but its story of first love and the awkward transition to adulthood is universal. Submarine follows self-absorbed teen Oliver and his dry-witted girlfriend Jordana (Yasmin Paige) through fumbled romance and family worries. The dark comedy provides plenty of opportunities to laugh at Oliver's misguided actions, but writer-director Richard Ayoade treats him and those around him with sympathy and warmth. The film accepts its characters' flaws and offers hope that growth comes through mistakes. Submarine's kindhearted approach makes it valuable viewing for teens facing the adult world and a gentle reminder for adults that they've all been there.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Submarine depicted teenage relationships and sex. Why do you think the characters were so focused on it? Is that realistic? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding relationships.
What role did communication play in the movie? Can you give examples of when it was used well, as well as when characters would have benefited from better communication?
Discuss the use of strong language in the movie. What did it contribute to the story? Is a certain level of language expected in a film like this? If so, why?
Inclusion Information
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Black Movie Director(s)
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Black British Movie Director(s)
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Female Movie Actor(s)
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Black Movie Writer(s)
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Black British Movie Writer(s)
MPAA explanation
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language and some sexual content
Last updated
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February 25, 2026
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