Parents' Guide to

Eyes Wide Shut

By Afsheen Nomai, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 18+

Disturbing and completely inappropriate for kids.

Movie R 1999 159 minutes
Eyes Wide Shut Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 16+

Based on 15 parent reviews

CSMContentDefault
CSMContentDefault Adult
March 13, 2016
age 14+

Kubrick's final film is his masterpiece!

Eyes wide shut is an amazing film with great philosophical themes and messages, unlike other reviews that call this movie "Pornographic garbage". This is one of my favorites film because it prompts you to ask questions and doesn't give you the answers. What does it mean to give yourself to another body and mind? That was a huge question on my mind after I pondered a couple hours as to what the movie means. Yet, even though it has a meaning, young kids and immature adults (hence, whoever called this movie porno trash). Though I usually put an age for my reviews, for this one I can't. Sadly Common Sense Media says I have to... It really depends on the maturity level and how you interpret the film. For example, the first time I saw this movie I was 13 years old. It was on Netflix so I decided to give it a try since Kubrick was my favorite director (still is). At first I didn't know what to think of it. But later that night as I thought about it, I was overcome with questions and confusion and finally made a decision. What is the movie about? I think it's about intimacy and how that compares to sex without mental relations. How does sex with someone you love compare to sex with someone you barely even know. This is so evident in the EXTREMELY GRAPHIC secret society-party-orgy scene. Many people have sex yet it is not titilating, it's disturbing with barely any moaning at at. Characters also smoke pot. Language contained about 20 f words, not much else. There was no violence. So in the end, EYES WIDE SHUT is a disturbing, sometimes satirical, and thoughtful movie. Though there is a lot of full frontal nudity + the orgy scene which lasts for 4 minutes, there is a meaning, it's just very hard to find. It all depends on maturity, not age. Common Sense got this film wrong.
227770
227770 Parent of 11 and 14-year-old
July 10, 2023
age 13+

It really depends on the person as I saw this movie at 13 and handled it well.

See all 15 parent reviews

What's the Story?

The story of Dr. William Harford (Tom Cruise) begins after he and his wife Alice (Nicole Kidman) have a discussion about love, desire, and fidelity. After Alice admits that she had thought about other men, William is floored by her admission and embarks on an adventure that is driven by jealousy-fueled visions of his wife having sex with another man. William encounters a world of sexual desire and betrayal that grossly outweighs his own as he finds himself surrounded by the dire consequences of unchecked sexual desire.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (15 ):
Kids say (19 ):

Director Stanley Kubrick handles all of this with his trademark visual power, and like most of his films, this one is beautiful to watch for its elegance and style. Unfortunately, the dialogue can be a bit stilted, which doesn't help Cruise, who gives his usual stiff performance. On the flipside, Kidman and a host of secondary character actors come shining through enough to somewhat help save the film. Despite the few positives, Kubrick's treatment of women in this film is abhorrent, and the movie should not be watched by children.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the reaction of the main character, Dr. William Harford, to his wife's admission about a sexual fantasy that she once had about another man. Was his reaction justified? What alternative, perhaps even more productive, course of action could he have taken to deal with how he was feeling? Viewers could also talk about the representation of women in this film. Is it acceptable?

Movie Details

  • In theaters: July 16, 1999
  • On DVD or streaming: March 14, 2000
  • Cast: Nicole Kidman , Sydney Pollack , Tom Cruise
  • Director: Stanley Kubrick
  • Inclusion Information: Female actors
  • Studio: Warner Bros.
  • Genre: Drama
  • Run time: 159 minutes
  • MPAA rating: R
  • MPAA explanation: strong sexual content; nudity; language; drug usage
  • Last updated: April 14, 2024

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