Not recommended under 10, PG to 15 (Themes, sexual references, language)
This topic contains:
Children under 10 | Not recommended for children under 10 due to themes, sexual references, violence and coarse language |
Children aged 10-15 | Parental guidance recommended due to themes and sexual references |
This section contains details about the movie, including its classification by the Australian Government Classification Board and the associated consumer advice lines. Other classification advice (OC) is provided where the Australian film classification is not available.
Name of movie: | December Boys |
Classification: | PG |
Consumer advice lines: | Mild sexual references, Mild nudity, Mild violence and coarse language |
Length: | 102 minutes |
This review of the movie contains the following information:
Based on the novel by Michael Noonan, December Boys tells the story of four orphans living in a Catholic convent in outback Australia who are sent to the seaside to stay with Bandy McAnsh (Jack Thompson) and his wife (Kris McQuade), for one summer. What is meant to be a simple holiday turns into a time that will define the boys forever. Maps (Daniel Radcliffe) learns some difficult lessons about life and love while exploring a relationship with Lucy (Teresa Palmer), a girl from down the coast. Sparks (Christian Byers), Misty (Lee Cormie) and Spit (James Fraser) spend the majority of their holiday striving to be the “most adoptable” when they learn that a childless couple Fearless (Sullivan Stapleton) and Teresa (Victoria Hill) are planning to adopt one of them. In the process the boys’ friendship is severely tested as they all try to overcome their longstanding issues with rejection. Ultimately their bonds of friendship and their enduring loyalties overcome their rivalry
Children and adolescents may react adversely at different ages to themes of crime, suicide, drug and alcohol dependence, death, serious illness, family breakdown, death or separation from a parent, animal distress or cruelty to animals, children as victims, natural disasters and racism. Occasionally reviews may also signal themes that some parents may simply wish to know about.
Adoption; living with cancer; abandonment.
Research shows that children are at risk of learning that violence is an acceptable means of conflict resolution when violence is glamourised, performed by an attractive hero, successful, has few real life consequences, is set in a comic context and / or is mostly perpetrated by male characters with female victims, or by one race against another.
Repeated exposure to violent content can reinforce the message that violence is an acceptable means of conflict resolution. Repeated exposure also increases the risks that children will become desensitised to the use of violence in real life or develop an exaggerated view about the prevalence and likelihood of violence in their own world.
There is some violence in this movie including:
Children under five are most likely to be frightened by scary visual images, such as monsters, physical transformations.
In addition to the above-mentioned violent scenes, there are some scenes in this movie that could scare or disturb children under the age of five, including the following:
Children aged five to eight will also be frightened by scary visual images and will also be disturbed by depictions of the death of a parent, a child abandoned or separated from parents, children or animals being hurt or threatened and / or natural disasters.
Children in this age group may also be disturbed by the above-mentioned scenes.
Children aged eight to thirteen are most likely to be frightened by realistic threats and dangers, violence or threat of violence and / or stories in which children are hurt or threatened.
Children over eight are unlikely to be scared by anything in this film.
Children over the age of thirteen are most likely to be frightened by realistic physical harm or threats, molestation or sexual assault and / or threats from aliens or the occult.
Children over thirteen are unlikely to be scared by anything in this film.
None of concern
There are some sexual references in this movie, including:
There is some nudity and sexual activity in this movie, including:
There is some use of substances in this movie, including:
There is some coarse language in this movie, including:
December Boys is a coming-of-age drama which features beautiful scenery. Because of its themes, it is best suited to older children and adults.
The main messages from this movie are that there is more than one way to realize a dream and that sometimes what you think you have always wanted may turn out to be something you didn’t realize you’ve always had.
Values in this movie that parents may wish to reinforce with their children include:
This movie could also give parents the opportunity to discuss the real-life consequences of early sexual experiences, drinking, smoking and stealing.
Tip: Leave out the first A, An or The
Selecting an age will provide a list of movies with content suitable for this age group. Children may also enjoy movies selected via a lower age.
Content is age appropriate for children this age
Some content may not be appropriate for children this age. Parental guidance recommended
Content is not age appropriate for children this age
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ABN: 16 005 214 531