A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Positive Messages
very little
In a very grim movie in which nothing matters and nothing can be done, family is shown to be an important source of comfort.
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Positive Role Models
very little
The main character is very depressed, somewhat destructive, and seemingly incapable of functioning in her everyday life, but when the end of the Earth is imminent, she's the one who stays the calmest and most logical, selflessly providing comfort to a young boy.
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Violence & Scariness
a little
The movie is all about the impending destruction of the Earth; there's an overall sense of terror, and a young boy is involved. Characters also yell and argue a great deal.
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Sex, Romance & Nudity
a lot
The main character is seen fully naked in more than one scene. She passionately kisses her husband on their wedding day (almost foreplay). But at one point she also drags a younger man off to a golf course for some rough and unexpected (perhaps forced?) sex (they remain clothed, and she climbs on top of him).
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Language
a lot
Language is infrequent, but occasional strong words include "f--k," "s--t," "bitch," "damn," and "hell."
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
a little
Characters drink heavily at a wedding. One character drinks champagne while awaiting the end of the world.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this drama about the end of the world from controversial Danish director Lars von Trier is emotionally overwhelming and very depressing, with a strong sense of mortal terror. Most of the movie's conflicts consist of arguing and yelling, but the impending destruction of the entire world is very intense. The other big issue is sexuality, with the main character (played by Kirsten Dunst) appearing fully naked in more than one scene and having sex with a younger man (not her husband) on her wedding day. Language includes infrequent use of "f--k" and "s--t," and characters occasionally drink alcohol, mostly at a wedding. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
What's the Story?
After a prologue showing some strange atmospheric phenomena, the first part of MELANCHOLIA introduces viewers to Justine (Kirsten Dunst) on the day of her marriage to kindhearted Michael (Alexander Skarsgard). Over the course of the evening, Justine grows increasingly moody and upset and starts alienating everyone around her. The second part of the movie takes place some time later; Justine's depression has worsened, and she's come to live with her sister, Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg). A rogue planet, Melancholia, is seemingly on a collision course with Earth, though Claire's husband (Kiefer Sutherland) asserts that it will be a near miss. As events turn darker and grimmer, Justine finds herself drawn to Claire's young son, perhaps looking for one final human connection.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the movie addresses the idea of the end of the world. How does the movie evoke terror and dread? How does it compare to other movies' take on the topic?
What makes the main character so depressed? How does she deal with her problem? What are some other ways she could deal with it?
Why does Justine use sex and nudity to deal with her depression?
Movie Details
- In theaters: November 11, 2011
- On DVD or streaming: March 13, 2012
- Cast: Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kiefer Sutherland, Kirsten Dunst
- Director: Lars von Trier
- Inclusion Information: Female actors
- Studio: Magnolia Pictures
- Genre: Drama
- Run time: 136 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: some graphic nudity, sexual content and language
- Last updated: October 4, 2023
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