"THE HOURS" (2002) (Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore) (PG-13) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons *None Minor Moderate Mild None Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Mild None None None Heavy Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Mild Moderate Moderate Heavy Mild QUICK TAKE: Drama: Three women, who are all connected by one's earlier work, try to cope with depression and unhappiness in their lives. PLOT: It's Richmond, England, 1923, and English author Virginia Woolf (NICOLE KIDMAN) is trying to write her latest novel, "Mrs. Dalloway." Her move, along with husband Leonard (STEPHEN DILLANE), to the countryside has done nothing to improve her troubled state of mind, and not even a visit by her sister, Vanessa Bell (MIRANDA RICHARDSON), can get lift her out of her deep depression. It's Los Angeles in 1951 and Laura Brown (JULIANNE MOORE) is a depressed housewife. Despite having a loving husband, Dan (JOHN C. REILLY), and young son, Richie (JACK ROVELLO), Laura feels that nothing about her and the choices she's made is right. A visit by an ailing neighbor, Kitty (TONI COLLETTE), doesn't help matters. It's New York City, 2001, and Clarissa Vaughan (MERYL STREEP) is a book editor who's busy planning a party for her former lover, Richard (ED HARRIS), who's in the last stages of dying from AIDS. He's dubbed her "Mrs. Dalloway" due to her need to throw parties and look after others, but she's not particularly happy with herself. As her live-in lover, Sally (ALLISON JANNEY), looks on, and as daughter, Julia (CLAIRE DANES), and old friend, Louis (JEFF DANIELS), show up for the festivities, Clarissa finds her world unraveling. As the three stories crisscross each other, the three women in them try to come to grips with themselves, they choices they've made, and how things have turned out for them. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Older teens and fans of someone in the cast might be interested in it, but it doesn't seem likely that this offering will be enticing to most other kids. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13 For mature thematic elements, some disturbing images and brief language. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: MERYL STREEP plays an unhappy book editor and lesbian who once had a fling with Richard for whom she tries to care and is planning a party. JULIANNE MOORE plays a 1950s era housewife who isn't happy with her life and nearly commits suicide despite having a family (and a baby on the way). She briefly kisses Kitty. NICOLE KIDMAN plays novelist Virginia Woolf who battles depression and mental illness while trying to write her latest novel. She smokes and eventually takes her life. ED HARRIS plays a writer with AIDS who briefly uses strong profanity and has given up the will to live. JEFF DANIELS plays Richard's former boyfriend who now teaches drama and has arrived for Richard's party. STEPHEN DILLANE plays Virginia's husband who's trying to help his wife through her tough times. He briefly smokes. JOHN C. REILLY plays Laura's husband who's oblivious to her unhappiness. JACK ROVELLO plays their young son who's extremely close to his mother. TONI COLLETTE plays their neighbor who's discovered that she has some sort of uterine growth. She briefly shares a kiss with Laura. CLAIRE DANES plays Clarissa's daughter who's arrived for Richard's party. ALLISON JANNEY plays Clarissa's live-in lover who briefly uses profanity. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: Here's a quick look at the content found in this drama that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of at least 1 "f" word, while a handful of other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Several scenes feature women briefly kissing other women (2 are noted as lesbians, the others are heterosexual or possibly bi, while 2 men are gay but aren't seen together). Overall, the film is rather gloomy and depressing, and thematic elements include suicide (2 characters commit it and one nearly does), depression and mental illness, and AIDS (1 character is dying from it and looks very sick). Some of that material could be disturbing or unsettling for some viewers. Meanwhile, some tense family material is present and several characters smoke. If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE None, but Kitty mentions her husband being at the country club and drinking martinis. BLOOD/GORE We see some AIDS related sores on Richard's chest. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE A woman drops off her son at another woman's house and then sets off to commit suicide (but she doesn't). Various other characters have bad attitudes about themselves and others. FRIGHTENING SCENES For those sensitive to suicide (via drowning, a fall and an overdose), cancerous growths and depression, material regarding that is present and could be upsetting. A person positions themselves on a windowsill (with us knowing they're suicidal) and then lets themselves fall out the window (we don't see the fatal impact). GUNS/WEAPONS None. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "Shut up," "Nuts" (crazy) and "What the hell is going on?" A woman commits suicide by putting rocks into her dress and then wading out into a river/stream (we don't see the actual death but do see her being carried away underwater by the flow). Another lets himself fall out a window to his death and a third contemplates suicide via an overdose. JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) None. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least 1 "f" word, 1 "s" word, 1 damn, 1 hell, 4 uses each of "Jesus" and "Oh God," 3 uses of "Oh my God" and 1 use of "My God" as exclamations. SEX/NUDITY We see Sally in some boxers as she gets into bed with Clarissa (they're lovers). Kitty shows cleavage. Kitty mentions that she's going in for surgery regarding a growth in her uterus and mentions that it's probably why she can't get pregnant. Laura and Kitty end up briefly kissing in a sensual fashion and Laura wonders if Kitty minded that. Virginia kisses another woman on the mouth. Clarissa briefly kisses Sally. SMOKING Virginia smokes around 5 times, while Leonard smokes several times (pipe), Dan smoke once and some miscellaneous characters smoke. TENSE FAMILY SCENES Virginia's depression puts a strain on her marriage to Leonard. A woman commits suicide by putting rocks into her dress and then wading out into a river/stream. Her husband finds her suicide note and races out of the house, but can't do anything. We hear that Richard's father died when the boy was young and that his sister is dead. Laura admits to abandoning her kids (although it's not clear if that's physically as well as mentally). We realize that a mother has no family left. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT The real Virginia Woolf. Mental illness and depression. Suicide: Several characters take their lives here and one nearly does. AIDS. Being gay or lesbian. Kitty saying that females can't call themselves women until they're mothers. The notion that you can't find peace or happiness by avoiding life. That life doesn't always turn out how people wanted, expected or hoped it would. VIOLENCE A woman commits suicide by putting rocks into her dress and then wading out into a river/stream (we don't see the actual death but do see her being carried away underwater by the flow). Clarissa finds Richard tearing up his place. A person positions themselves on a windowsill (with us knowing they're suicidal) and then lets themselves fall out the window (we don't see the fatal impact). Reviewed December 11, 2002 / Posted January 10, 2003

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