"Mixed Messages"
| None | Light | Moderate | Heavy | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Language | ||||
| Violence | ||||
| Sex | ||||
| Nudity |
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What You Need To Know:
IT’S COMPLICATED contains strong cinematography, an entertaining and laughable storyline appealing mostly to adults, and believable characters. Considering the plot is almost entirely based on a woman and her ex-husband committing adultery, it is difficult to find many redeeming elements, even though the main character of the story, Jane, decides to do the right thing in the end. Thus, extreme caution is advised due to the strong humanist and pagan elements, strong sexual content featuring adultery, some scenes of drunkenness, and some depicted marijuana use.
Content:
(HH, PaPa, B, LL, SS, N, AA, DD, MM) Strong humanist and pagan worldview where main characters rely on their own strength and another character states that Fate brought them together, and characters act according to their feelings, ignoring their conscience and giving little thought to the potential consequences of their actions, with some moral elements where a character does the right thing in the end, even though characters say they don’t regret their wrongful decisions; four obscenities and seven profanities; no violence; strong sexual content includes discussion on sex, multiple instances of implied adultery, man grabs woman’s private area, man and woman briefly discuss their sexual encounter, man makes references to various sexual positions, passionate kissing, and movie implies two minor characters are living together; woman wears a bikini top, upper male nudity and almost full male nudity in one scene where certain parts are strategically covered, woman shown in bra, and it is implied that man and woman are naked in bed together; strong alcohol use and drunkenness; parental figures smoke marijuana; and, betrayal.
More Detail:
IT’S COMPLICATED is a sometimes funny, heartfelt, but ultimately unrewarding movie about a divorcee dealing with empty-nest syndrome, who falls into an adulterous affair with her now-remarried ex-husband, and finds herself torn between him and another male friend who works as her architect.
Jane (played by Meryl Streep) is the mother of three grown kids, owns a thriving Santa Barbara bakery and finally has, after a decade of divorce, an amiable relationship with her ex-husband, attorney Jake (played by Alec Baldwin). When Jane and Jake find themselves out of town for their son’s college graduation, things start to take an unexpected turn. Finding themselves alone after throwing back one too many drinks at the hotel bar, their night together turns into the unimaginable – an affair. With Jake remarried to the much younger woman, Agness, and caring for his new stepson, Jane is now, of all things, the other woman in the relationship.
Encouraged by her friends and even her shrink to participate in the affair to see where it goes, Jane soon finds herself lying to her children about what is really happening. She also finds herself torn between whether it is really wrong or whether in the end the affair will be worth it.
Caught in the middle of their renewed romance is Adam (played by Steve Martin), an architect hired to remodel Jane’s kitchen. Healing from a divorce as well, Adam starts to fall for Jane, but soon realizes he’s become part of a love triangle. Jane realizes she must choose whether or not she is willing to say good-bye to her ex-husband for a second time.
IT’S COMPLICATED can boast decent production values with strong cinematography, a mostly entertaining and laughable storyline appealing mostly to adults, and believable characters. Steve Martin does an excellent and enjoyable job of playing the character of Adam, and may perhaps be the most likable character in the whole movie. Considering the plot is almost entirely based on a woman and her ex-husband committing adultery, it is difficult to find many redeeming elements. However, it is encouraging that the main character of the story, Jane, decides to do the right thing in the end (even though she doesn’t specifically acknowledge that what she did was actually wrong).
However, extreme caution is required for IT’S COMPLICATED due to its strong humanist and pagan worldview, sexual content including implied adultery with no real rebuke, alcohol content, and strong drug use. Please check out the content section for more specifics concerning the objectionable content.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
