OK for kids 17+
'60s-set coming-of-age tale has some edgy content.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Not Fade Away is an evocative but slow-moving coming-of-age movie from David Chase (creator of The Sopranos) about a young man growing up in the 1960s who tries to find himself through music. The soundtrack is great, and the story may appeal to older teens. Expect some swearing (including "f--k" and more), plus loads of period-accurate smoking (both cigarettes and pot) and drinking at parties -- all by teens. There's also a brief, intense scene depicting a couple having sex, though there's no complete nudity.
- Families can talk about how Not Fade Away depicts teen life in the 1960s. Is it relatable? Do the characters face similar issues to what teens deal with today?
- Why does Douglas seem hostile to his parents (and vice versa)? Does this generational chasm still exist today, or was it played up for cinematic effect?
- How does Not Fade Away compare to other coming-of-age films? How does it depict drinking and smoking? Does it glamorize them?
- What does music mean to Douglas, and how does the changing musical landscape reflect the times?
The good stuff
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Messages: Follow your dreams and be who you are, and don't expect success to come to you without putting in the hours.
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Role models: Douglas is driven and works hard, and Grace, though a work-in-progress, ends up valuing herself and articulating her feelings and beliefs about being a young woman in the 1960s.
What to watch for
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Violence: A motorcycle accident results in one of the lead characters being bloodied and injured. A drug-addicted young woman is hauled away to rehab in a combative fashion. A couple has loud fights; in one of them, her boyfriend degrades her based on her sexual history and calls her names. A father and son tussle verbally and teeter on the edge of a physical fight. Two friends have a full-on fist fight, with one nearly choking another.
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Sex: A couple is shown seemingly naked or nearly naked on a couch, having sex. (No genitals are shown.) A man gropes a woman while making out. Men discuss what they did with the same woman -- they mention specific sex acts.
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Language: Pretty much every bad word, including "f--k," "s--t," "damn," "bitch," "a--hole," and more. Also plenty of racist and homophobic terms from the time period, including "f----t" and the "N" word.
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Consumerism: Not an issue
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Drinking, drugs and smoking: Lots of drinking (beer, hard liquor) and pot use (by teens), plus mentions of dropping acid. It's not particularly glamorized; it's just there.
Fan Reviews provided by
4
So you want to me a rock star? by calexan
This is a funny, poignant story of a young man growing up in the 1960s who wants his rock group to be the next Rolling Stones. We see his awkward attempts to find love, the jealousy he inspires in another band member, the gaping generation gap with his Italian-American parents and finally his realization that achieving stardom ain't that easy. The soundtrack is a tutorial on '60s music and James Galdofini gives a great turn as the tough-love father. It's a very enjoyable movie.
1
David Chase & Nemisis Kill Something Other Than Wise Guys. by Alon Patterson
The Sopranos and what's this? Audience murder. Death by boredom. Chase must either be senile or high all the time now, since this confusing mess of a movie is just sad, and what's it really about? .....I'd say loving Ludlowe just got a whole lot easier didn't it SJ? Pass on this one unless you're having trouble sleeping. This movie will knock you unconscious faster than anesthesia.
1
Absolutely boring and unwatchable by mwgarb
The movie opens with a depiction of Jagger meeting Richards. It is charming and engaging. That is the last good moment of the movie. Just horrible. all the way around. It was like David Chase's diary was put to film, day by day. It had no start, middle or end. Without the monumental achievement of The Sopranos behind him, this dog of a script never gets made.
3
What is it? by termeh905
Is it an art film? Or is it just unevenly paced?!
I felt for the main characters but wish I wasn't expected to read their minds so much, specially at the end. The movie relies heavily on tv programs to set historical context, sometime at against common sense, i.e, tv showing a historically significant event in the middle of a loud party where no one is watching nor would there be any reason for the tv to be on. Nevertheless, it's a sweet and quirky story and if you're in a band or a fan of music, you might enjoy it.
1
Will Fade Away by LovesMoivies
Despite a gifted writer/director, and the rock cred.of its executive producer Van Zandt this is little film manages to be both earnest and half-hearted. It 's surprising not be be surprised by David Chase but the Jersey kid aspires to be rock star in the 60's &70's story is sketched out with flat stereotypic characters and situations. The result is take on a pivitol era in politics , culture and the characters' lives -with little energy, sexiness or soul. There are glints of the potential for a better movie. but even reliable character actors and some promising new-comers can't overcome the pall cast by a script that doesn't seem fully committed somehow. As for music - there is much that is good though familiar. But the standouts are the great blues songs of Leadbelly and Robert Johnson and Tracie Nelson's stirring 1974 rendition of "Down So Low", which rises above the nostalgic choices on the soundtrack and shines.