What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that underage boys secretly smoke, drink beer and wine, and try to catch glimpses of women in states of undress. Their attempts are amateurish and relatively innocent. One scene dramatizes an adolescent boy's introduction to kissing and sexuality by a precocious girl slightly older, but experienced. No nudity involved, but there is kissing, suggestive touching, and a clear implication that sexual intercourse takes place when the scene ends. The fact that Maps, the boy involved, is played by Daniel Radcliffe, best known as Harry Potter, adds to the provocative nature of the scene.
- Families can talk about the fact that this film is set in the 1960s. What's different about growing up now? What's the same? The December Boys encounter a variety of adults in a small town. How do the boys change as they get to know different people? What did the filmmakers hope to say about what diverse people bring to our lives?