Parents' Guide to

Capernaum

By Michael Ordona, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Powerful, gritty Lebanese drama shows kids in danger.

Movie R 2018 121 minutes
Capernaum Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

  • Capernaum Movie: Zain carries Yonas
  • Capernaum Movie: Zain carries Yonas

Community Reviews

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age 15+

Based on 2 parent reviews

meydiana.rizki
meydiana.rizki Parent of 18+-year-old
February 22, 2024
age 16+

~ what a masterpiece ~

want to make a complaint against my parents. I'd want adults to listen to me. I want adults who can't raise kids not to have any. What will I remember? Violence, insults or beatings, hit with chains, pipes, or a belt?" ~Capernaum~ A movie so mind-boggling yet depressing. It is an emotional ride that carries you to the other side of the world where life is drilling you at every step and the people around make you feel like smut. It speaks volumes about the scarred childhood and the infinite agonies one has to endure to survive. Capernaum is raw yet burnished with the appalling aspect of the reality where you will start feeling remorseful of the world you are living in. Humans are bartered for materialistic satisfaction and the young girls are traded to the lusty giants who desire nothing but pleasure. My heart twinged while I watched the movie and there came a moment where everything felt inherent as if I am living each scene of the movie at that exact time. This cinematic experience is so gripping that the powerful acting and the heartbreaking scenes started to tear up my senses into gazillion slivers of sheer sadness. It felt like an eternity to bounce back from the miserable reality and their pristine performance. It is a gut-wrenching story that is bound to leave tears in the eyes and a crack in your heart. It is not just a movie but a harrowing experience on a different level that can instantly shake your existence. Capernaum is daring and it screams realism till the end. Of course, nothing could be more delightful than the ending of the movie where Zain finally smiles. He deserved that smile after everything he went through and seeing him smile for the first time, in the end, warmed my heart straight away. Capernaum, you beauty!
Neon 999
Neon 999 Adult
April 5, 2019
age 14+

Film festival equalivent of oscar bait

Capernaum is solid with great performances and an interesting premise however the plot falls apart midway way through the 2nd act. 14 and up
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In CAPERNAUM, Zain (Zain Al Rafeea), a boy around 12, must fend for himself -- and a baby named Yonas -- on the streets of an extremely rough part of Lebanon. He and other, smaller children face severe abuse and threats, including human trafficking, as they try to survive. Zain's path will ultimately lead to a consequential act of violence.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (1 ):

It's one savage gut punch after another as Zain -- a resourceful, brave boy who has somehow developed real empathy in a world that doesn't value children -- suffers many horrific blows. Capernaum ("Chaos") can be very hard to watch, since it shows young children in dangerous, abusive situations. Zain's selfless love for his sister and for Yonas is palpable; it's hard to imagine not being touched by his efforts to nurture and protect them. Lebanon's official entry for the 91st Academy Awards joins other affecting 2018 films such as Lean on Pete and American Street Kid in detailing the lives and perils of kids who are trying to get by on their own in extreme poverty. Newcomer Al Rafeea is superb as Zain; Yordanos Shiferaw is sympathetic as an undocumented immigrant who befriends him.

Co-writer (and well-known Lebanese actress) Nadine Labaki's direction is extremely effective. She avoids heavy-handed sentimentality with a bare-knuckles style that allows Al Rafeea's outstanding performance to shine. It also lets viewers feel close to the character and his struggles. The script, when dealing with those struggles, is also quite effective, with horrific turns and shots of humor. But that same script has two major narrative flaws that seriously temper the overall experience of the film: a framing sequence involving Zain bringing a court case against his parents for allowing him to be born and inexplicable storytelling gaps at the end of the film that will leave many viewers frustrated. The former, especially, feels so wrong as to verge on "cute" for a film that, at its most affecting, feels anything but. Capernaum is no picnic, but its performances and direction certainly make it memorable.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Capernaum depicts the way kids are treated in Zain's neighborhood/world. Are they treated like people, as human beings with feelings and potential, or as commodities? Why?

  • How would you compare the violence and peril in Capernaum to what you would see in an action/thriller movie? Which has more impact? Why?

  • Do you consider any of the characters to be role models? Why or why not? What choices do you think you'd make in their position? How does watching their story promote empathy?

  • Did you find the ending satisfying, or were you left with questions that impacted how much you enjoyed watching the film?

Movie Details

  • In theaters: December 14, 2018
  • On DVD or streaming: March 26, 2019
  • Cast: Zain Al Rafeea , Yordanos Shiferaw
  • Director: Nadine Labaki
  • Inclusion Information: Female directors, Middle Eastern/North African directors
  • Studio: Sony Pictures Classics
  • Genre: Drama
  • Character Strengths: Empathy
  • Run time: 121 minutes
  • MPAA rating: R
  • MPAA explanation: language and some drug material
  • Last updated: July 16, 2022

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