Sweeping Scottish drama has sexual assault, suicide.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
a lot
Mention of death at war, and families seen mourning. Reference to death of father to cancer. Rape shown on-screen, in low lighting, with victim's head hit against a rock, resulting in bloody face -- bloodied underwear is later shown. Universal conscription means teenage boys go to war on the Western Front -- scenes of shooting and explosions, including injury and death. Punch in the face. Painful binding of stomach to hide pregnancy. Baby delivered on-screen, with screaming, cutting of chord, and blood. A dead baby is shown in a blanket. A character attempts to take their own life, jumping off a cliff. Suicide heard off-screen via gunshot.
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Characters drink whiskey, calling it "God's medicine," and a number of people are seen visibly drunk at a celebration. Doctor gives teenager whiskey to dull pain. Wine is consumed with meals.
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Strength can be found in women supporting women. People in positions of trust and power can't always be trusted. Don't judge on first appearances. Hope is a powerful force. Courage, integrity, and perseverance are important character strengths.
Positive Role Models
some
Kirsty is intelligent, reading regularly and dreaming of a better life. She shows a level of self-assurance that means she makes her own choices in a society where they are limited, and shows the courage, integrity, and perseverance to maintain her identity alongside her survival. Her boyfriend, Murdo, is also studious and reads regularly despite being teased by locals. He shows a strong moral foundation, puts his friends' safety ahead of his own at war, and is caring and respectful toward Kirsty. Kirsty's mother is protective of her girls. She wants them to fit into society, but is also understanding and proves she'll do anything for them in a crisis -- despite the potential fallout. Some others in the village are seen to be judgmental and to abuse their positions of power and trust.
Diverse Representations
a little
Strong gender roles in keeping with the 1910s era and remote location. Men drink whiskey together, women expected to stay "pure" and marry a man of enough means to support them. The female characters within the central family are strong, supportive, and resourceful, and express an anger about the injustice of the community. Main female character is clever, reads, dreams, and doesn't want to settle -- showing autonomy in choosing her own boyfriend. Even the pious older woman of the village shows a level of support following a rape, saying the constable has a choice in the investigation, while the girl who was raped did not. Characters are exclusively White.
Parents need to know that The Road Dance is a captivating Scottish drama -- based on a bestselling book -- that deals with mature themes, including rape, suicide, and the aftermath of World War I. The central character, Kirsty (Hermione Corfield), shows courage, integrity, and perseverance within a stifling community. Religion features prominently, with scenes in church, praying, and sermons about sin and Hell. The rape itself is shown on-screen, in low lighting, and there are war scenes involving shooting and explosions, as well as death and injury. The death of a baby is also shown and there are several attempts at suicide, one of which is successful, though this occurs off-screen. Characters drink whiskey and wine, with some seen drunk at a celebration. Sweeping Scottish landscapes, strong acting and a theme of survival in the face of adversity make it an engaging watch, though younger teens and children will likely find it slow and serious, and may be troubled by the mature content. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
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What's the Story?
In THE ROAD DANCE, teenager Kirsty (Hermione Corfield) lives in a small, religious community in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland in the early 20th century. She and her boyfriend, Murdo (Will Fletcher), have dreams of escaping the humdrum for an exciting new start in the United States. But, when he and the other young men of the village are conscripted to war, a celebration to mark their leaving leads to violence, secrets, and tragedy.
Introduced by pipe music and sweeping, rugged landscapes, and focusing in on a remote religious community, this drama "inspired by true events" threatens to be a generic and decidedly earnest affair. However, what unfolds in The Road Dance is an engaging, beautifully filmed, and intimately acted tale of trauma, grief, resilience, and hope. In the central role, Corfield is one to watch, giving a quietly powerful performance as Kirsty, while Mark Gatiss as the village doctor, Fletcher as Murdo, and Morven Christie as Kirsty's mother also deserve a mention. It's a subtle but impactful film, showing the power of women to gather round in crisis amid the shaky foundations of a religious, patriarchal community, which will likely satisfy fans of John MacKay's bestselling novel.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how gender was portrayed in The Road Dance. What did it say about its small community, and the wider beliefs and expectations of society in the early 20th century?
The movie was based on a book. Have you read the novel and, if so, how do the two compare? What do you think are some of the challenges in adaptation? Can you think of any successful or unsuccessful adaptations, and how do they compare?
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
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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 Kat Halstead
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
