Language includes "ass," "balls," "boobies," "bulls--t," "goddamn," "hell," "s--t," and one instance of "f--k." Name-calling, including "dumb," "moron," "son of a bitch," and "stupid." Threatening language ("I'll murder you") and antisemitic taunts ("kike"). Middle-finger gesture.
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A joint is offered as a peace offering between two teens, with the effects presented in positive and appealing terms. Adults have intellectual conversations and let loose while drinking bourbon. A respected, powerful older character smokes a cigar.
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Punches in a fistfight. Movie clip of a train striking a car, resulting in an epic crash with bodies flying -- shown several times. Bullying behavior includes threats and intimidation. Rough play in a school sports setting. Fake guns are used while the main character is filming a Western. Adult drives children into a tornado.
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High school students date and make out. One teen pursues another. Romance and love expressed between adults. Infidelity. Long scene of a woman in a see-through white cotton nightgown; details aren't visible.
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In one scene, Jim Beam bourbon is featured prominently, indicating likely product placement.
Positive Messages
a lot
Do what your heart says you need to do. Other messages throughout, like "guilt is a wasted emotion" and "movies are dreams you never forget."
Positive Role Models
a lot
Sam is self-possessed: He knows who he is and is a self-starter, an eager learner, a leader. Sam demonstrates self-control in several instances, doesn't let being bullied get the best of him. (And, of course, we all know "Sam" goes on to become a talented filmmaker.) Sam's father is a genius, creating inventions that will help bring computer technology to the forefront. Sam grows up in a loving household with parents who give him and his siblings their full attention and encourage him to follow his interests.
Diverse Representations
some
Written and directed by Jewish filmmakers, The Fabelmans has positive portrayals of Jewish American experiences and traditions, including religious holidays, music, speaking Yiddish, and mourning through Shiva. Main character deals with antisemitic bullying at school.
Parents need to know that The Fabelmans is the sentimental, not-too-dark, at-times funny origin story of filmmaker Steven Spielberg. While the story follows the development of a great talent, it's really about the relationship that Spielberg stand-in Sam (Gabriel LaBelle) has with his parents (Paul Dano and Michelle Williams), who surround him with love, support, and attention. The movie positively portrays Jewish American experiences and traditions, including religious holidays, music, speaking Yiddish, and mourning through Shiva. Also reflected is the shock of the antisemitic bullying and hate speech ("kike") that Sam encounters when his family moves to an affluent Christian community. The movie has a recurring theme of people trying to find control through life's twists and turns (in one scene, a mother drives her children toward a tornado, ordering them to chant "everything happens for a reason"). There's some romance between teens, adults, and a married couple, and the long-term consequences of infidelity are depicted. Language includes "a--hole," "s--t," and a single use of "f--k." Teens share a joint, adults drink, and a powerful character smokes a cigar. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
My husband and I went to see it because of Spielberg and our respect for his work. We appreciated what he tried to do as for inspiring kids about their dreams and not giving up. However, the length of movie was way too long for kids to sit through and stay focused to watch.
The bullying scene was hard to watch. I know though since it was loosely based on Spielberg’s life he couldn’t change it. I was glad to see at the end at least one character took up for him and punched the other guy out. I loved how he promised to not tell that the guy got emotional but added unless I make a movie about it. Clever!
Overall, it was a decent movie just a little long.
If you are interested in movies then you should definitely watch this movie. This film is arguably one of Spielberg’s best films and this is one of the only films that I’ve seen about a Jewish character that doesn’t take place during WWll.
What's the Story?
Written and directed by Steven Spielberg and based on his childhood experiences, THE FABELMANS follows Sammy (Gabriel LaBelle), an aspiring filmmaker who discovers a shocking family secret and uses his talents to help uncover the truth. The cast includes Paul Dano and Michelle Williams as Sammy's parents.
For film fanatics and aspiring filmmakers, Spielberg sharing the pivotal moments of his life through his eyes will likely be spellbinding. And for Jewish families, seeing Jewish culture and experiences positively expressed on the big screen promises to be fulfilling. But standard-issue teens who are just looking for a good watch may not find it in The Fabelmans.
In addition to telling his own story, Spielberg is laying out a primer for film students by making his directorial decisions quite obvious, such as showing when to pan or dolly, when to shoot from above or below, and how to introduce foreshadowing. For those taking notes, it's a gift. For those looking to get lost in the story, it can be challenging at times. The patter of the dialogue and the choreography can feel overly orchestrated, more like the beats of a play with actors precisely hitting their mark or ramping up an argument with deliberate, well-rehearsed effort. Additionally, covering someone's life from childhood through getting that first job takes some time. And Spielberg takes that time. Once the film is past the two-hour mark and Sammy's dad (Dano) says "We've gone too far in our story to actually say 'the end,'" some viewers may groan in acknowledgment that the film still has a ways to go. Still, Spielberg's autobiopic is inpirational, whispering in the ears of young viewers: "Stick to your guns, kid, and you'll go far."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Spielberg uses The Fabelmans to tell his life story, and the origin of his career path and passion. Do you think he wants to encourage others who might want to follow in his footsteps?
How does The Fabelmans incorporate elements of the family's Judaism? How does it compare with other films with Jewish characters? Why is representation important?
How does Sam demonstrate curiosity, leadership, perseverance, and self-control? Why are these important character traits, and how do you think they've benefitted Spielberg through his life?
How does Sam deal with the people who bully him? What should you do if you see someone being bullied or using hate speech?
How is Mitzi trapped in an era that doesn't benefit her? Why is it important for women to be able to pursue professional goals and creative pursuits?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Tara McNamara
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
