Violet & Daisy

Movie review by Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media
Violet & Daisy Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 17+

Quirky tale of cutesy hit girls is full of violence, curses.

R 2013 88 minutes
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Parents say

age 15+

Based on 1 review

Kids say

age 14+

Based on 2 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

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

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Violet & Daisy is a quirky, comedic crime movie about two female contract killers. It comes from the Oscar-winning writer of Precious but feels more akin to the style of Quentin Tarantino. As such, violence and language are both very strong. The girls shoot and kill many victims and perform a comically sadistic dance on their corpses called the "internal bleeding dance" (it makes blood ooze from the victims' noses and mouths). Swearing includes "f--k," "s--t," "c--t," and especially "bitch." Plus, the girls are obsessed with a fictitious pop star ("Barbie Sunday") and are saving money to buy expensive dresses from the star's personal line.

Community Reviews

wonder dove
wonder dove Adult
October 16, 2013
age 15+

I liked it!

I enjoyed Violet & Daisy and mainly watched for Alexis Bledel, her character really stood out and her acting was top notch. It really lets you get to know each character which I liked. It's a very violent story of two friends Violet (Alexis Bledel) and Daisy (Saoirse Ronan) who are also partners in crime. They are teenage assassins and while lusting over a dress in the Barbie Sunday fashion line but not having enough money to purchase the clothing, the two decide to take another job what they think will be an easy task. One day on the job, and dressed up as painters, the two emerge into an empty room and wait for their target to arrive but fall asleep on his couch. They awake to a troubled yet kind-hearted man sitting on a chair who actually wants to die, but he's nice and the two girls accept his offer of delicious home-baked cookies. Spending the day with him and unable to complete their duty, the more they get to know him the harder it is to get rid of him (Daisy being the main one to connect with him most). The two hit girls must figure out together how it will all end. The language is strong with plenty of f-words, sh*t, hell, [email protected] and more. Violence is very strong and gory with lots of blood shown, the two girls hop and dance on the dead bodies that squirt blood from their mouths and noses, bodies are thrown into a tub where a girl stands on top of them and takes a shower, lots of gun shootings and injuries seen, a girl fight, knife threatening. Sexual content is very mild and starts off with a teen telling a joke about a veterinarian having sex with animals, a girl takes a shower (no nudity) later she's walking around in a towel. Apparently one girl smokes when she says she needs a cigarette. Overall, very violent but good assassination flick. Not suitable for kids under 16!!!

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much swearing
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Violet (Alexis Bledel) and Daisy (Saoirse Ronan) are partners, friends, and hired contract killers. After their latest job (posing as nuns delivering pizzas), they decide to take a vacation. But when they realize that they need money to buy fancy new dresses from the "Barbie Sunday" line, they take another "easy" job. Unfortunately, it turns out to be not so easy. The would-be victim (James Gandolfini) seemingly wants to die; rather than resisting, he offers the girls fresh-baked cookies. Over the course of a long day, the girls must dispatch other assassins, run out for more bullets, and figure out what's really going on with their latest hit.

Is It Any Good?

Violet & Daisy feels like something out of the 1990s, when first-time filmmakers were either trying to imitate Quentin Tarantino or trying to be "quirky"; this movie does both. Geoffrey Fletcher, who won an Oscar for his first produced screenplay, Precious, wrote and makes his directorial debut with VIOLET & DAISY, and the two movies couldn't be more different. Though this one can't keep up its energy throughout, especially as it's set mostly in one room, it's charming enough -- and short enough -- that there are no hard feelings.

The wonderful cast, including cult actor Danny Trejo in one scene, and a terrific Marianne Jean-Baptiste as a veteran hit woman, helps a great deal. They seem up for anything, including the weird girly games that go on throughout, such as spontaneous games of pat-a-cake. They all have an interesting openness throughout that carries them through the movie's dry spots. Fletcher seems to genuinely like them, and we do, too.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Violet & Daisy's violence. How did it affect you? What's the characters' attitude toward violence? How do you think the filmmakers expect you to react to the violence? How can you tell?

  • The two lead characters are tough hired killers, which is the kind of role that usually goes to men. What's interesting and unique about having girls playing these characters? How do they compare with other movies and TV shows about tough girls?

  • Why are the girls so obsessed with Barbie Sunday? Does this fictitious star resemble anyone from real life? Have you ever coveted products from a certain star? Do you think the movie is trying to express a viewpoint about celebrity or consumerism?

Movie Details

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