Common Sense Media Review
By S. Jhoanna Robledo
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Indie drama asks -- but doesn't answer -- big questions.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Uncertainty
What's the Story?
Bobby (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Kate (Lynn Collins) have been together only 10 months, but they're at a critical juncture: They're expecting a baby. But what to do about it? Within the first 15 minutes of UNCERTAINTY, the story splinters into two vastly different directions: One's a thriller involving a stranger's cell phone that leads to gunfire and mayhem; the other's a slow Fourth of July filled with big questions about family and relationships.
Is It Any Good?
Certainly, Uncertainty is creative. The twin storylines appear to reference a major decision that Bobby and Kate face in their relationship -- to keep or not to keep something -- and the two scenarios unfold simultaneously in a conceptually intriguing way. But while the exceedingly gifted Gordon-Levitt and the able Collins make for a watchable pair, the setup is gimmicky and the resolution unsatisfying.
It's as if we're watching two different films, one a thriller, the other a drama. And when the two finally meet in the end, we're more perplexed than satisfied. But New York City is beautiful here, grit and all. In either storyline, it, more than anything, holds the audience's gaze.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what theme binds the two storylines together. What are the similarities? Does the film's structure enhance or detract from the story?
Do Bobby and Kate seem like a loving couple? Troubled? Both? How realistic is their relationship?
What feeling does the film end with, and why? What are the little-spoken conflicts that loom over Bobby and Kate?
Movie Details
- In theaters : November 13, 2009
- On DVD or streaming : April 20, 2010
- Cast : Joseph Gordon-Levitt , Lynn Collins , Olivia Thirlby
- Director : David Siegel
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Bisexual Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : IFC Entertainment
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 105 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 17, 2022
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