What we flagged
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Our take
The first Fast and the Furious sells the thrill of street racing and loyalty to a crew. Truck hijackings, a drive-by shooting, crashes and fights bring real danger, while swearing, beer and some sexual content fill the gaps. We would start at 14, and talk about how exciting the risky driving looks.
Uplifting themes
Loyalty, family, and being true to your friends run through the plot. Law-breaking is treated as cool, so it needs a talk with older kids and teens The hero chooses friends over duty, and the crew's loyalty feels warm. Their crimes and reckless driving make them risky examples for teens to follow
Story (may spoil tone)
Dominic Toretto is a Los Angeles street racer suspected of masterminding a series of big-rig hijackings. When undercover cop Brian O'Conner infiltrates Toretto's iconoclastic crew, he falls for Toretto's sister and must choose a side: the gang or the LAPD.
What we flagged
Details
Violence Hijackers beat truck drivers during robberies, a shotgun drive-by turns…
Hijackers beat truck drivers during robberies, a shotgun drive-by turns tense, and a fistfight breaks out among racers. Gunfire and a standoff come in the last act. Most of the film is cars racing, not fighting
Language The s-word and a-word insults come up regularly, with the b-word and a…
The s-word and a-word insults come up regularly, with the b-word and a few f-words in arguments. Racers swear in garages, at races, and during tense scenes, but not in every line
Sex / nudity Women in tight outfits flirt around the races, and a few crude lines hi…
Women in tight outfits flirt around the races, and a few crude lines hint at sex. A romance leads to an implied night together, with kissing and no explicit scenes
Drugs / alcohol Beer is passed around at barbecues and in garages, and a character begs…
Beer is passed around at barbecues and in garages, and a character begs for a cigarette. Nobody is shown stumbling drunk, but drinking is treated as a normal part of hanging out
Frightening Crashes, a truck hijacking, and a shotgun attack are loud and fast. A f…
Crashes, a truck hijacking, and a shotgun attack are loud and fast. A few shocking moments could startle younger viewers, though the film stays more thrilling than scary
Gore / death / weapons Gunshot wounds draw some blood, and an injured driver and bruised faces…
Gunshot wounds draw some blood, and an injured driver and bruised faces are visible. Truck crashes look dramatic and loud without lingering on gore or bodies
Dangerous behaviour Street racing, nitrous boosts, and weaving through traffic are filmed a…
Street racing, nitrous boosts, and weaving through traffic are filmed as exciting and cool. Teens might want to copy the speed, and the heroes mostly get away with it
Gambling Drivers race for cash and car titles on the line, and bets are part of…
Drivers race for cash and car titles on the line, and bets are part of the street-race culture. Money changes hands in several scenes and no one faces real fallout for it
Grief / bereavement The lead racer speaks bitterly about his father's death in a racing cra…
The lead racer speaks bitterly about his father's death in a racing crash. It gives the crew some backstory and a sense of why he is guarded
Flashing lights We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
Family watch notes
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Talk after watching
- Brian is torn between his job and the crew he starts to like. How should he decide whose side to be on?
- The film makes street racing look thrilling. What are the real risks, and why do races like this get people hurt?
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The Fast and the Furious
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