Parents' Guide to

The Quiet Girl

By Kat Halstead, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Beautiful Irish drama has language, death, smoking.

Movie PG-13 2022 95 minutes
The Quiet Girl movie poster: A young girl in a yellow dress runs through some woods

A Lot or a Little?

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

  • The Quiet Girl: A young girl sits in a kitchen
  • The Quiet Girl: A young girl and a middle-aged woman crouch beside a well. The young girl holds a ladle of water up to her mouth
  • The Quiet Girl: A man with graying hair and a young girl stand together in the countryside

Community Reviews

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age 12+

Based on 1 parent review

Beth A.
Beth A. Adult
July 10, 2023
age 12+

A Gem from the Emerald Isle

Beautiful, touching story of a lonely child who blossoms under the kind ministrations of a couple who care for her one summer. The film’s silent moments hold even more meaning than its dialogue. Each of us has the power to hurt or heal others by the way we treat and speak to them. As Seán tells Cáit, “You don’t have to say anything. Always remember that. Many is the person who has missed the opportunity to say nothing and has lost much because of it.”
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In THE QUIET GIRL, Cáit (Catherine Clinch) is sent away from her dysfunctional family to live with distant relatives for the summer. Used to shrinking into the background, she comes out of her shell in the new environment. But in a place of unfamiliar love, she also discovers a painful secret.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

This impactful debut from writer-director Colm Bairéad quickly became the top-grossing Irish-language film of all time in its home country. The Quiet Girl is also the first Irish-language production to be nominated for an Oscar for Best International Film. The film is a slow, stealthy affair that is often as subdued as its heroine, giving a child's-eye-view of the world from a place of detached curiosity, the camera noticing every detail that captures Cáit's attention. Her coming of age is a gradual understanding and experience of being loved, cared for, and seen. There are subtle moments of tenderness expressed in the smallest of gestures that will have the biggest of impacts on even the coldest of hearts. The movie is beautifully produced, with dreamlike shots and a wistful score which, along with the phenomenal performances -- particularly from newcomer Clinch -- make this an emotional tour de force to be reckoned with.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the theme of love in The Quiet Girl. Why is it important to experience love and care from those around you? In what different ways do characters show their love in the film?

  • The film is in Irish. Can you think of any other movies you've seen in that language? What impact did it have to watch a movie in its native tongue? Did it change the experience?

  • Eibhlín and Seán show empathy and compassion toward Cáit. Why are these important character strengths? What impact do you see them have on-screen?

  • Talk about the use of strong language in the movie. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?

  • How was smoking depicted in the film? Do you think attitudes to smoking have changed since when the movie was set? Why, or why why not?

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