What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this ensemble romantic comedy from director Garry Marshall -- which stars everyone from Julia Roberts, Jennifer Garner, and Anne Hathaway to teen faves Taylor Lautner and Taylor Swift -- features relationships in various stages, from sweet childhood crushes and hormone-driven teen matchups to confusing adult connections and mature, enduring love. Characters kiss, teens talk about having sex, unmarried couples are seen in bed together, and a man cheats on his wife. There’s a sense that you're incomplete without a partner, and that finding true love isn’t easy – and yet everything has a fairy-tale feel in the end. Expect some swearing (including "s--t") and a few raunchy conversations.
- Families can talk about what Valentine’s Day means, if anything. Is it really manufactured, and does it make people who aren’t with someone on that day feel bad? Can it be a chance to focus on a relationship for a day, or does it just breed consumerism?
- Does the film approach the topic of love any differently from other romantic comedies? Are all the pairings and their subsequent conclusions believable?
- How does the film portray dating and romance? Ask your teens if this is what they think adult relationships are really like.