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Parents' Guide to

The Doors

By Elliot Panek, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Intense biopic full of drugs, sex and rock'n'roll.

Movie R 1991 138 minutes
The Doors Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 17+

Based on 3 parent reviews

sa555if
sa555if Adult
November 15, 2022
age 18+

Love this movie

Val Kilmer did a great Job playing Jim Morrison. Such shame that he never won or nominated for any awards for playing Jim Morrison

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
sa133if
sa133if Adult
July 15, 2022
age 18+

An insult to the legacy of Jim Morrison

. I have seen this movie and i am going to write my opinion on it. The movie didnt have any positive and it didnt have any positive role models in it, the one thing i like about this movie is val kilmers Performance, i do not blame anyway i Think that he did a very good job playing Jim Moorison. One thing i didnt like about this movie is the wrong image of Jim Moorison and the wrong he was depicted in this movie, he was being depicted as Jerk and Physcopath, while in real life jim was very kind and Charming and funny poet, he wasnt like that as it was in the film... Jim didnt follow pam on the beach, they were meet in London fog in 1966, and the band never peformed at outdoors concert, and Jim was arrested in 1967 and not 1968, and the band never took a trip to the desert, i would like that doors isnt actually a biopic about Jim morrison or the doors, But its actually a movie slandering Jim Moorison and it didnt do Him Justice. And i Think that movie was a Negative message and a Negative role model, does this film makes you love the doors and Jim Moorison, no. This films negative message are simple... Alot of historical and important stories of the band are actually werent depicted in this film, such the band actually toured in Many countries and after the miami trial and how The band came up with the name the doors and Jims teenage years. this film didnt have any positive messages and no positive model was in this movie, they Should new movie about the doors with a positive messages and a positive role model and a new film that can do justice for Jim and Fair protrayal. The movie didnt even show Jim Moorisons last days in paris and last days before his death, the movie didnt even show the doors last concert in New Orlanes stars 🌟🌟 2/10 ratings! Bad. (this movie didnt have any positive messages and no postive role were presented in this film! (negative message and a false role model depiction about the band and Wrong depection of Jim,
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

THE DOORS chronicles the rise and fall of the popular 1960's rock act. Legendary lead singer Jim Morrison (Val Kilmer) blows into Los Angeles in the mid 60's, shy at first with a head full of poetry. While attending UCLA film school, he meets keyboardist Ray Manzarek (Kyle MacLachlan), and, together with Robbie Krieger (Frank Whaley) and John Densmore (Kevin Dillon), form a band. They are not short on ambition, fancying themselves the mythmakers for the Age of Aquarius. As the band achieves success, Morrison indulges in excess, spiraling out of control, alienating lovers and band-members before meeting his inevitable end.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3 ):
Kids say (6 ):

This story of a tragic artist who lives fast and dies young could have come off as clichéd in less able hands. Oliver Stone had a string of hits in the early 1990's, and here his distinct style meshes seamlessly with the content. Though they may not add up to anything special in terms of plot, the scenes function well on their own, with longtime Stone collaborator Robert Richardson bringing 60's SoCal culture to life and, of course, the Doors providing the soundtrack. There is a lyrical quality to the film, non-linear and highly subjective.

Val Kilmer's performance is utterly convincing. Stone and Morrison seem to be cut from the same cloth, and it's hard to imagine anyone else telling (or living) so vivid a story.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the distinction one of the characters makes between using drugs to expand one's mind and using them to escape from responsibilities. Why do people use drugs? How has our knowledge of the long-term effects of these drugs changed since the 1960's?

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