Parents' Guide to Sunny Dancer

Parents need to know that Sunny Dancer is a moving comedy-drama set at a "chemo camp" for teens living with cancer. Initially cynical toward camp, main character Ivy (Bella Ramsey) comes to value the shared experience there, as do the other teens, who each want to be treated like any other kid rather than be defined by their illness. Camp founder Patrick (Neil Patrick Harris) lost his own son to cancer and has channeled his grief into building the camp for other young people going through the same thing. Given the subject matter, grief and references to young deaths are ongoing themes. Sex is another major theme: teens talk candidly about virginity, birth control, and condom use, two characters have a nongraphic first sexual experience, others kiss and fondle each other, and a group strips to their underwear to go swimming. Language is frequent and includes "f--k," "s--t," "c--k," and the slur "retard." Teens smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol, and mimic taking drugs by sniffing their prescription medication. In one scene, a group of bullies insults some of the teens and a brawl breaks out, with punches thrown and a character spitting at another.

To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .