Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this teen coming-of-age drama set in a small Texas town in the early 1980s includes many scenes of partying and teen drinking (mostly beer, but some hard liquor as well), as well as heavy cigarette smoking and a scene of pot smoking. Language is infrequent but fairly strong -- including "s--t" and "a--hole," in addition to some homosexual slurs. There's kissing and some sex, but no nudity is shown. There are also some bullies and fighting. The movie has several female characters who are beginning to assert their identities, but it also treats many other women as objects. The movie isn't particularly good, but some of the actors come from the Twilight franchise, so teens may be interested.
Sexual
Content
A teen couple kisses and has sex (no nudity shown). Also lots of sexual innuendo, flirting (including one scene of homosexual flirting), and ogling of pretty girls. Though there are some strong women in this story, women are frequently treated as objects.
Violence
A few bullies show up from time to time and threaten violence. In one sequence, they bash in the back window of a car with a baseball bat, which results in a chase and a car crash. Eventually there's a fight sequence that includes smashing with a stick, some blood, and attempted choking.
Language
Language is infrequent but strong, including several uses of "s--t" and "a--hole." Also insults like "slut," "faggot," and "queer bait."
Social
Behavior
Although the movie's major refrain is that the teens in this small Texas town need to do something -- anything -- with their lives (and all the better if they can leave town to do so), very few actually face this challenge or overcome those odds. Viewers see examples of characters who have failed and returned.
Consumerism
Not applicable
Drugs / Tobacco /
Alcohol
Teen characters are regularly seen smoking cigarettes, drinking all kinds of alcohol (mostly beer, as well as some scotch), and occasionally smoking pot. Nearly everyone smokes cigarettes, including adults.
