The Tracey Fragments

Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that this disturbing film follows a teenager who runs away from bullying classmates, a dysfunctional homelife, and a tragic accident. The 15-year-old Tracey ends up in the seedy underworld of a big city, populated by pimps, prostitutes, and thugs, who see her as an easy mark. The film opens with Tracey nearly naked, wrapped in a shower curtain in the back of a bus, and a series of flashbacks gradually reveals how she arrived in this difficult situation. The film uses a split-screen technique throughout, presenting multiple perspectives of each scene simultaneously. It's an interesting gimmick, but can be distracting. There are several moments of intense violence, including an attempted rape, mature sexual themes, drinking, smoking, and plenty of cursing. Young fans of Ellen Page expecting a fun follow-up to her hit film Juno should look elsewhere.

Sexual Content

In a pivotal scene, Tracey has sex in a car with a boy who is clearly using her. It's not romantic and there's no nudity. There is also a harrowing near-rape, and a seedy bar scene featuring an aging, nearly nude stripper.

Violence

A few scenes of intense violence that could be disturbing to kids. A thug beats another man senseless and then tries to rape the teenage Tracey; nearly naked, she fights back with the jagged edge of an open can, leaving the man bleeding profusely as she flees in her underwear. Tracey trashes a phone booth after an unpleasant call. Her father, in a moment of anger, takes off his belt in a practiced manner, making it obvious that he regularly uses it to discipline his children.

Language

Extremely coarse. "F--k" is used throughout the film, as are a choice variety of other epithets, including "p---y," "s--t," "c--t," and plenty of other words and gestures.

Social Behavior

Tracey is bullied at school, where other kids call her "It," and comment often on the size of her breasts. Her home life is dysfunctional, with a violent father and an emotionally absent mother. Tracey steals money from her mother's purse and runs away in search of her missing younger brother, ending up in a world of cheap bars, pimps, prostitutes, thugs, and assorted other low-lifes, where the vulnerable 15-year-old girl is likely to be victimized.

Consumerism

Some scenes show store signs.

Drugs / Tobacco / Alcohol

Some characters smoke, including teens and Tracey's mom, who smokes constantly. A few scenes take place in bars, where there is plenty of drinking,

This information for parents is provided by Common Sense Media, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving kids' media lives.

© Common Sense Media, Wed Jun 28 14:14:47 GMT 2017. All rights reserved