Common Sense Media Review
By S. Jhoanna Robledo , based on child development research. How do we rate?
age 12+
Poet Emily Dickinson is focus of thoughtful, serious biopic.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
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Violence & Scariness
a little
Intense arguments between family members. One sequence covers the U.S. Civil War, with onscreen photos of battles and casualties. Key characters die, and others mourn their passing with tears and other forms of grief.
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Sex, Romance & Nudity
very little
Discussions about sex using oblique references and subtle allusions, including a wife who talks about doing "her duty." One scene shows a couple embracing on a sofa, leading to many arguments about infidelity.
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Language
very little
One character uses the word "prick"; otherwise no swearing at all.
See AlsoA Quiet Passion - Movie Reviews'A Quiet Passion' and the Myth of Emily Dickinson - Collegeville InstituteDid you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
none
No drinking or smoking; some scenes explicitly discuss characters who abstain from drinking and even avoid tea and coffee.
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Positive Messages
some
To be an artist is to be dedicated to your art, even to the point of being invested in the tiniest of details (such as the placement of a single comma in a poem). Being an artist does not mean a person must be alone; in fact, being alone and avoiding romantic entanglements can be a source of pain. To be human is to suffer, but art -- and friends and family -- can help you endure many things.
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Positive Role Models
some
Dickinson is a fierce advocate for her poetry at a time when it wasn't generally acceptable for women to be artists, making her an early feminist. But her independence had a cost, and her sharp wit and prickly manner sometimes drove people away. She takes losses and setbacks very hard and often sees things more pessimistically than optimistically. But she perseveres, always.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that A Quiet Passion is a drama based on the life of Emily Dickinson. Cynthia Nixon plays the acclaimed 19th-century poet, showcasing her sharp wit, perseverance, and fierce independence, as well as the choices that led to a life of solitary introspection. The story, which is beautifully filmed, examines Dickinson's day-to-day life and her struggle to establish herself as a literary voice at a time when women were mostly silenced. There's almost no drinking, swearing, or sex (aside from a reference to a wife doing "her duty"), though characters do long for others romantically. Characters argue, and some die, leading to intense mourning. The language may seem stiff and overly formal to a modern audience. Younger viewers may learn something about the social conditions that made it difficult for Dickinson to wed, as well as how her resulting loneliness helped inspire her writing. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
Where to Watch
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A Quiet Passion
Parent and Kid Reviews
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- Parents say (2)
- Kids say (2)
age 13+
Based on 2 parent reviews
BrigidArmbrust Adult
October 3, 2020
age 13+
lisbeth Parent
August 1, 2017
age 13+
So slow and dull
I contemplated walking out after about 15 minutes, but stayed hoping, eventually, something might make my visit to the cinema worth it. I ended up leaving with about half an hour to go. It was beyond boring, I'm sorry to say. I don't like being critical of others' art, but this was neither interesting nor believable, and it was hard to get close to or understand any of the characters. A modern child would not be able to handle the stiff language and lack of story.
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See all 2 parent reviews
What's the Story?
As a young woman, Emily Dickinson's sharp wit sometimes landed her in trouble with her teachers, but it also helped the budding poet win the respect and support of her family -- which she needed to become one of the most acclaimed poets of her era. In A QUIET PASSION, we see Dickinson struggle against the 19th-century social standards that made it so unusual for a woman to be recognized for her writing. Directed by Terence Davies and starring Cynthia Nixon, the movie also reveals Dickinson's fierce determination to express herself on the page, as well as the price she paid for her independence, ending up as a lonely recluse who yearned to connect with others, even as her well-crafted verbal repartee drove suitors -- and friends -- away.
Is It Any Good?
Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (2):
Spare but not spartan in filmmaking (there's no music or special effects to pump viewers' emotional well), this thought-provoking film will appeal to fans of Dickinson and poetry in general. With little to distract from the actual biographical story, A Quiet Passion allows Dickinson's words to take center stage, aided by Nixon, who strips her portrayal of the complicated and sometimes miserable writer of any artifice and distils it to its wonderful essence.
Nonetheless, A Quiet Passion could be a challenging watch for younger viewers, with its sober, somber quality. And despite of Nixon's best efforts, Dickinson's source of despair and intractability still feels hard to put a real finger on, making it difficult to identify with her pain, even if we do feel compassion for her.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Dickinson and her poetry. Why was it so unusual for her to want to write and publish her work? Was her family supportive of her choice? Was society? What does A Quiet Passion tell us about gender roles and how they've changed over time?
How does Dickinson exhibit perseverance? Why is this an important character strength?
Why do you think Dickinson never married? How did she feel about being unmarried? How did her personality impact her personal relationships?
In her later years, Dickinson became somewhat reclusive. How does the film portray this part of her life? Why do you think she chose to live like that?
Movie Details
- In theaters: April 14, 2017
- On DVD or streaming: July 11, 2017
- Cast: Cynthia Nixon, Jennifer Ehle, Keith Carradine
- Director: Terence Davies
- Inclusion Information: Female actors, Queer actors
- Studio: Music Box Films
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: History
- Character Strengths: Perseverance
- Run time: 126 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: thematic elements, disturbing images and brief suggestive material
- Last updated: November 5, 2023
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A Quiet Passion
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