What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Austen-loving teen girls might be drawn to this movie by the promise of lots of Austen talk (not to mention the presence of Hugh Dancy). But many of the movie's themes -- infidelity, betrayal, a teen hooking up with his teacher -- are on the mature side. There's some minor language (including one use of "f--k") and social drinking, and a supporting character is a heavy marijuana user. Still, for the most part, the film is fairly heartwarming, and the discussions about the books are surprisingly robust (for a movie, anyway). There's little nudity or drinking or drug use to be concerned about.
- Families can talk about the connections drawn between Jane Austen's work and the movie characters: What are the differences and similarities between them? Has romance changed so much since Austen's time, or is it just Hollywood that makes love seem more complicated than it truly is? If so, why are filmmakers drawn to the subject? Do the complex relationships in the movie seem believable?