Common Sense Media Review
By Mieke VanderBorght
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Intriguing look at human morality has dark themes.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Place
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
THE PLACE is set in a generic café where a mysterious unnamed man (Valerio Mastandrea) sits as "clients" come in to describe their desperate desires. One wants to save his dying son, another wants to be prettier, a third asks to restore his eyesight, and another wants to re-find God. After consulting his notebook, the man promises each that his or her wish will be fulfilled upon completion of a task. But many of the tasks are violent -- or at least morally challenging. As clients struggle with whether or not they should carry out their assigned task, they revisit the man to update him on their progress -- and, slowly, their stories are woven together.
Is It Any Good?
This thought-provoking story about the limits of human morality raises questions about how far people will go to get what they want. There's just one set (the café), and the whole plot unfolds through dialogue, which is a storytelling technique that works well here but may bore those who like to see more action. If you can accept this technique, you'll easily get caught up in each character's story. Be prepared for some surprises around who's prepared to complete their task. How the stories end up connecting can feel a bit contrived, but it does make for a more dramatic and intriguing storyline.
There are lots of discussion possibilities here, relating to both The Place's comments on society and to the internal story structure (e.g., who is the mysterious man, and how does he have all this power to make things happen in other people's lives -- or does he?).
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about The Place's message when it comes to cause and effect. What does being moral mean? Is it ever OK to do something bad to someone if it results in a positive outcome for you? Why should we consider the consequences of our actions?
What or who do you think the mysterious man represents? Is he forcing people to do bad things, or is he merely a facilitator?
What role does the waitress play? How is she different than the people who come to see the mysterious man? How does she help him?
Movie Details
- In theaters : November 9, 2017
- On DVD or streaming : February 28, 2018
- Cast : Valerio Mastandrea , Marco Giallini , Alba Rohrwacher
- Director : Paolo Genovese
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Medusa Film
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 105 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 13, 2022
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