Why We Rated This Appropriate for Ages 15 and UP

What to watch out for

• Language:

  A grown-up explains the meaning of the word "bastard" to a child and (affectionately) calls him that. Other words include several uses of "s--t" and "f--k," as well as "bulls--t," "dumbass," damn," "goddamn," and "oh my God."

• Messages

• Sex:

  A woman is shown trysting with a married man many times; she's usually wearing nothing but her underwear, and they kiss and grope each other. A man is shown grinding on a woman while she lies there, uninterested; he's shirtless, and she is... More

  A woman is shown trysting with a married man many times; she's usually wearing nothing but her underwear, and they kiss and grope each other. A man is shown grinding on a woman while she lies there, uninterested; he's shirtless, and she is, for the most part, clothed. A woman flirts with another by pretending to bite a necklace she's wearing. Close

• Violence:

  Only one scene actually depicts active violence -- a man commits suicide in public by shooting himself with a rifle in the first 15 minutes of the movie. But since the film is about a service for cleaning crime scenes, biohazards, etc., vie... More

  Only one scene actually depicts active violence -- a man commits suicide in public by shooting himself with a rifle in the first 15 minutes of the movie. But since the film is about a service for cleaning crime scenes, biohazards, etc., viewers see lots of the after effects of violence, including blood on mattresses, chairs, and other places; bits of brain and other flesh on the floor; and a severed finger. Another scene shows children discovering a woman who's slit her wrists. There are also a few loud fights. Close

• Drugs:

  A woman smokes pot. Some casual drinking.

• Consumerism:

  Not an issue.

What Parents Need to Know

About Sunshine Cleaning

Parents need to know that this dramedy, in addition to taking on mature themes like suicide and infidelity, is quite gory. The many post-death scenes include disturbing shots of things like pools of blood on ceilings, floors, and walls; human flesh awaiting clean up; and a brief flash of a suicide victim awaiting discovery. There's also lots of talk about death, and the fact that the adult characters are unable to find direction till the end clearly affects the one child in their midst. All of that said, the movie does have a lot of heart and, in the end, a hopeful message. But to get to the uplift, viewers have to endure a pretty grueling journey.

Families Can Talk About

Families can talk about whether the movie's scenes of blood and gore have more impact because it's a comedy rather than a horror movie. Are these scenes scary, disturbing, neither, or both? Families can also discuss the characters' search for a way out of their present condition. What drives them? Though the central family is clearly dysfunctional, what's positive about their relationships? What is it about families that make them drive each other crazy but give each other hope, too?