Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that Secondhand Lions is a is a heartwarming coming-of-age story about a boy whose unreliable mother leaves him on a ranch with his two great uncles, former globetrotting adventurers who still have wild streaks. Set in rural Texas in the 1960s, these great uncles chew tobacco (and offer some to the boy) and shoot rifles whenever salesmen try and ply their wares. There's also a knife fight between the great uncles and a group of greaser teenagers, and some war scenes and chase scenes that come up in the form of flashbacks. Beyond this, though, Secondhand Lions is a fun and touching story that raises questions about what it means to grow up and to grow old.
Sexual
Content
Reference to a shiek's harem.
Violence
Early in the film, the two great uncles sit on their porch and fire rifles at a succession of salesmen and con artists who drive up hoping to relieve them of their fortune. During flashback scenes, a World War I battle is shown -- with one character smashing another character's face with the butt of a rifle. Characters fight with swords in later flashbacks set in North Africa. One of the great uncles fights five switchblade-wielding teenagers. A man slaps a boy in the face. A lion is shown attacking a man who is later in a full body cast as a result of the attack.
Language
"Damn," "crap," "pisses off."
Social
Behavior
Good always triumphs over evil. True love never dies. People can grow older without losing their inner spark.
Consumerism
Not applicable
Drugs / Tobacco /
Alcohol
A woman smokes in her car. Two great uncles share chewing tobacco; they offer some to their nephew, who tries it and gags. During a knife fight, a character dumps a bottle of beer on the head of the person he's fighting.
