Parents' Guide to Widow Clicquot

Parents need to know that Widow Clicquot is a historical drama about the woman behind the iconic Veuve Clicquot Champagne brand. As portrayed here, Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot (Haley Bennett)—a young wife/widow and mother living in the restrictive Napoleonic era who abruptly inherits her late husband's winery and keeps the patriarchy at bay to hold onto it—is a strong role model who demonstrates perseverance, curiosity, self-control, and other character strengths. "Veuve" is the French word for widow, and grief is a strong note throughout the film. Barbe-Nicole and her husband, François (Tom Sturridge), are very much in love, and their marriage is full of passion. But his unspecified mental illness (likely manic depression) and erratic behavior make it clear that Barbe-Nicole was walking a tightrope before his death. Violent outbursts, drug use (opium), death by suicide, and extramarital sexual activities are alluded to in ways that many adults will understand, but kids may not. People frequently talk about and drink wine for professional reasons (no one gets drunk), and there are a couple of fairly steamy sex scenes, including one with a woman's bare breasts.

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