The Moth Diaries

Name: The Moth Diaries
Item: The Moth Diaries
Rating: 2
Author: Jeffrey M. Anderson

Movie review by

Jeffrey M. Anderson, Common Sense Media

Common Sense says

age 17+

(i)

Angst-ridden teen horror movie has suicide themes.

R
2012
82 minutes

Save

Rate movie

Watch or buy

Parents say

age 16+

Based on 1 review

Kids say

age 13+

Based on 1 review

Get it now

Searching for streaming and purchasing options ...

Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.

Get it now on

Searching for streaming and purchasing options ...

X of Y

Official trailer

The Moth Diaries

X of Y

Did this review miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive, diverse representations in books, TV shows, and movies. Want to help us help them? Suggest a diversity update

A lot or a little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

Positive Messages

The Moth Diaries begins with a tough and confusing problem, and the way to deal with it isn't clear. Help is requested but not received, and the problem is solved with violence. Suicide is a major theme as well. The main character thinks about it and must decide whether or not to do it.

Positive Role Models & Representations

The main character mostly breaks down when faced with something troubling or challenging. Her strength seems to come through moments of pain, and her only moment of triumph manifests itself in destructive violence (for which she pays a penalty).

Violence

Two flashbacks to suicide victims, with lots of blood. A razor blade is the implement used, and viewers see it again and again. In a dream sequence, a girl slices her wrist, and it "rains" blood all over a library. The main character gets a terrible bloody nose. Several dead bodies. Threats ("I'd like to kill her"). A sex scene includes screams of pain.

Sex

One quick sex scene in a dream sequence. A boy is shown on top, thrusting. The girl is shown first moaning and then screaming in pain. One naked breast is shown. Another partial breast is shown during a suicide sequence. A teacher kisses a female student and begins unbuttoning her top. Two women are shown naked in bed together, though nothing sensitive is seen (the scene is meant to imply vampire-like violence as well as pleasure). Persistent sex talk throughout, including discussions about women's "cycles.

Language

Language is very infrequent but includes one use of "f--k." The rest is mostly sex-related talk/insults: "whore," "virgin," "dyke," etc.

Consumerism

A single mention of Facebook.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Teens are shown smoking pot in two scenes. Some of them react badly; one girl collapses on a bed, feeling sick, and another goes crazy and throws a chair out a window.

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that The Moth Diaries is a horror movie set at a girls' boarding school. Some of the events contain vampire-like elements, but the movie's main theme seems to be about suicide. It's clearly intended to follow in the footsteps of the popular Twilight movies and their mix of horror and teen angst, but there's much more gore -- and sex -- here. Viewers see several dead bodies -- including suicide victims -- and lots of blood. Sex scenes include partial nudity and two women in bed together; there's also strong innuendo and sex talk throughout. Language is quite infrequent but includes one "f--k," and there are scenes of teens smoking pot, with consequences.

User Reviews

Parents say
Kids say

Adult Written bywonder dove March 23, 2013

age 16+

Disappointing.

For some reason, I really wanted to like this movie. The trailer seemed interesting but the film turned out dull and didn't make much sense. The theme felt... Continue reading

Report this review

Teen, 13 years old Written byDabbeyx April 21, 2014

age 13+

Maybe, maybe not

As a 13 year old I found this movie just fine. Although some people may not. It contains murders (3) suicides (2) cutting ( a few instances ) and sex (1) you do... Continue reading

Report this review

What's the story?

Recovering from her father's suicide, Rebecca (Sarah Bolger) attends an all-girls boarding school. She looks forward to seeing her best friend, Lucie (Sarah Gadon), again. But as they prepare for the best year ever, a new girl, the creepy Ernessa (Lily Cole), turns up and begins stealing Lucie away from Rebecca. Rebecca notices that Lucie has stopped eating and looks rather weak and sick, but no one listens to her. Not even handsome poetry teacher Mr. Davies (Scott Speedman) can help. Worse, Rebecca begins seeing creepy things, visions and other weird events, involving Ernessa -- including a bloody rainstorm and a glimpse of Ernessa passing straight through a glass window. Can Rebecca get to the bottom of these mysterious events?

Is it any good?

Coming from the intense, button-pushing director Mary Harron -- of American Psycho and The Notorious Bettie Page -- THE MOTH DIARIES is a disappointment. Ostensibly made as an angst-filled teen horror movie in the vein of Twilight, it doesn't really have an idea of its own identity. For example, the boarding school is supposed to be on the site of an old hotel, but this isn't really used in any interesting physical way.

 Despite an interesting, hushed atmosphere, scenes start arbitrarily in various locations throughout the school, with no real sense of place or time. As a result, the characters seem lost. Likewise, The Moth Diaries fails to balance its vague vampire themes and more overt themes of suicide. However the movie makes good use of Cole (also in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus), an actress with a truly unique look who, like Elsa Lanchester or Barbara Steele, seems destined for a great career in genre films.

Talk to your kids about ...

Families can talk about how the movie presents suicide. Is it realistic? Does it romanticize it at all? What makes some people think that it's their only option? What impact does their decision have on their friends and family? Where can kids in despair turn for assistance?
In the story, one of the teen girls has sex with a boy for the first time. How is it presented? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.
Is this movie scary? What are the scariest parts, and why do they or don't they work?

Movie details

In theaters: April 20, 2012
On DVD or streaming: August 28, 2012
Cast: Lily Cole, Sarah Bolger, Sarah Gadon, Scott Speedman
Director: Mary Harron
Studio: IFC Entertainment
Genre: Horror
Run time: 82 minutes
MPAA rating: R
MPAA explanation: some bloody images, sexuality, drug use and language
Last updated: September 21, 2019

Our editors recommend

Carrie

Stephen King's disturbing prom horror classic.

age 15+

Let Me In

Vampire remake is much gorier than Twilight.

age 18+

The Craft

Campy teen witch thriller more violent than fun.

age 15+

For kids who love scares

Best Horror Movies

Scary Movies for Kids

See all recommended movie lists

Or browse by category:

The Moth Diaries

Common Sense says

Parents say