What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this moody adaptation of a classic 1950s crime novel centers on extreme violence toward women, which makes it iffy for even the most mature teens. The violence isn't constant, but a few key scenes are intensely brutal and disturbing, with the main character -- an amoral sociopath -- slowly pummeling two women to death with his bare hands. He also has sex with several women, many times, in a violent and aggressive way. Characters also drink and smoke throughout the film, though they don't swear much.
- Families can talk about the film's brutal violence. How did it make you feel? How does it compare to the more explosive violence seen in many action movies? Which has more impact? Why?
- How does the movie depict sex? How is it connected to the violence in the film? What message does that send to audiences?
- How does making the killer the main character make you feel about him? Is he the "hero"? Does the story work the same way as if a different person had been the hero?