NEWS OF THE WORLD | FAMILY MOVIE REVIEW INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND KIDS

"NEWS OF THE WORLD"
(2020) (Tom Hanks, Helena Zengel) (PG-13)

QUICK TAKE:: Western/Drama: A former soldier turned newsman who travels from town to town reading newspaper stories from around the world ends up having to transport a twice-orphaned young girl, who doesn't speak English and views herself as a Native American, across the dangerous West to relatives she doesn't know.

PLOT:

It's 1870 and with his Civil War days behind him, Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd (TOM HANKS) makes a living traveling from town to town in the West reading newspaper stories from around the world to paying customers. He's a good storyteller, but his livelihood is interrupted when he comes across young Johanna (HELENA ZENGEL) by an overturned carriage and with her black driver hung from a tree.

Learning that her original family was murdered by Native Americans who kidnapped her only to be killed themselves years later, Kidd wants to get her to the authorities and then go on his way. But when he learns that it will be weeks before anyone in the military can deal with her, he decides he'll take it upon himself to deliver her to her relatives who she doesn't know.

The only problem is that she doesn't speak English and views herself as a Native American, and their destination is several hundred miles away, meaning they must travel some potentially dangerous roads to get there. And that comes to light when they encounter a man named Almay (MICHAEL ANGELO COVINO) who'd like to buy the girl from Kidd for child prostitution, and later Farley (THOMAS FRANCIS MURPHY), a powerful businessman who's created his own kingdom in the middle of nowhere and doesn't like trespassers.

While contending with them, Kidd and Johanna end up bonding in ways neither could imagine, all while continuing their quest to deliver her to family.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: They might if they're into Westerns or are fans of Tom Hanks.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13: For violence, disturbing images, thematic material, and some language.

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