Really over rated and parents should know that a primary plot line is about teens having sex before they die. Over all it is a really depressing view of life and definitely not the moral foundation or life outlook I want my kids to be exposed to until they are adults.
4 people found this helpful. Helpful ReportThe main aspects of the film to be worried about are some language (including a very blatant f-bomb), some casual underaged drinking, and some nudity during a foreplay scene. The book and film were released when I was a teenager and I was really impressed with the way Green accurately captured teenage behavior. The movie contains marginally less swearing than the book, but nothing too shocking or unheard of to any teen who’s been in a public school. Two scenes depict the teenaged protagonists drinking champagne (though one is set in Amsterdam where it might have technically been legal at their age), and one scene depicts an antagonistic character drinking before breakfast, implying overt alcoholism. Gus also famously carries cigarettes but never lights them. The main scene to be concerned about is the sex scene [spoiler alert] between an 18-year-old and a 16-year-old. In my opinion it went on longer than necessary and is one of the more explicit foreplay scenes for a PG-13 movie. Nothing obscene is shown, but there is blatant heavy petting and the sexual tension is very high before cutting away after they are undressed. The novel mentions the use of birth control, but the film does not. I personally choose to skip it when watching it at home (~1:16:16 to 1:19:05). Every other great thing about the film has been addressed in detail, and it is an extremely successful story and one of the best teenage romances. Author John Green stated that the main objective of the story is to show that one can still have a fulfilling life even if it’s short. While much much heavier of a topic and theme than most teen movies, it’s a topic that needs to be addressed, particularly to teens who know people suffering from terminal illnesses. A great film for adults and teens alike, and one whose story and themes can be a great springboard for discussion of heavy topics between parents and teens.
