Why We Rated This Appropriate for Ages 10 and UP

What to watch out for

• Drugs:

  Beer and hard liquor are served at bars and restaurants and champagne appears at a wedding, where Fish has a little too much; Fish and his future father-in-law smoke "Cubans."

• Messages

• Sex:

  An engaged couple paw each other and make out (sex later is implied). Another pair kisses nearly every time they're onscreen together (quick pecks and some long smooches, but nothing in close-up). An engaged man flirts with a woman who's no... More

  An engaged couple paw each other and make out (sex later is implied). Another pair kisses nearly every time they're onscreen together (quick pecks and some long smooches, but nothing in close-up). An engaged man flirts with a woman who's not his fiancée; later, he kisses her and she eagerly reciprocates. Close

• Violence:

  Two men brawl clumsily, shoving each other, rolling around on the floor, and even removing one shoe each as if to swat at each other. One character talks about "hurting" another through martial arts, but nothing happens; the same person als... More

  Two men brawl clumsily, shoving each other, rolling around on the floor, and even removing one shoe each as if to swat at each other. One character talks about "hurting" another through martial arts, but nothing happens; the same person also breaks a board with a punch (it's a deliberate stunt, so no one gets hurt). Two women scream at each other briefly over a man's affections. Close

• Language:

  "Hell" is about as bad as it gets. In fact, it's so clean there's even a joke about the word "frig" (as in "frigging") being too colorful for a character who's somewhat uptight.

• Consumerism:

  Little to speak of except for vintage products (like rotary phones and mics, which are prominently placed in the radio station).

What Parents Need to Know

About I'm Reed Fish

Parents need to know that there's very little to worry about in this earnest romantic comedy. The characters are all well-intentioned, and even when they behave badly, it's only because they're human, not because they want to hurt anyone (this is made very clear). Teens who know star Jay Baruchel from Judd Apatow's Knocked Up may be surprised that there's no foul-mouthed guy humor here. Instead, it has themes about finding yourself and making authentic choices. Some drinking, but only by those of legal age, and one heavy make-out session.

Families Can Talk About

Families can talk about expectations and how they're set. How does a young person decide who he or she becomes? Do parents wield the most influence? What about neighbors and friends? Also, what role does the media play in creating and setting expectations? In TV shows and movies, does it seem like there's one fork in the road leading to a specific choice that determines what happens in the future? Is that how it is in real life?