Anyone seen The Nativity Story ?

[frenchleave]

Is it suitable for a rather young-for-her-age 9-year old and her 7-year-old sister?

Their (catholic) school are proposing to take their two classes but I'd like to know if there are any "sensitive" bits in it that might upset them.

Thanks.

yes

VERY
isnt it a 12

i htinink tis shite anwyay tbh

The Nativity Story is a strange gamble for a director who made her name with two tough, independent movies about American teenagers, Lords of Dogtown and Thirteen. Catherine Hardwicke has genuine flair and a healthy taste for controversy. But the wisdom of shooting a warts-and-all version of this biblical tale is deeply suspect.

Mel Gibson?s visceral account of the Crucifixion is still a fresh and livid memory. This clumsy attempt to apply the same level of period intensity to the conception and birth of Jesus carries the ugly stench of opportunism. There?s a rough and brutal honesty about Herod?s political grip over Nazareth, but the film is earnest to the point of monolithic.

The actors struggle to impose themselves on their cardboard parts. Ciaran Hinds?s paranoid king drifts up and down his castle ramparts like Bela Lugosi. Mary?s extended family is insufferably pious. Oscar Isaac?s gloomy Joseph looks indecently mature to be fishing for the hand of Keisha Castle-Hughes?s teenage Mary. And the three squabbling Magi are as comically obsessed as Patrick Moore about the conjunction of Venus and Jupiter.

The contentious drama hinges on the sacred sex, but Hardwicke limply defers to scripture and the dreamy words of the Angel Gabriel. The director denies CastleHughes the only real opportunity to humanise this surreal and presumably terrifying moment.

Joseph?s disbelief and anger when he discovers that his virgin wife-to-be is big with child is one of the few believable crises that drag the film to spluttering life. In anguished dreams he wants to stone Mary. But these plausible emotions are stifled yet again by Gabriel?s flaky intervention. These serial retreats defeat the entire point of the film.

its a PG

no
why onearhtw odul i want to

Dd (y5) brought a letter home today saying they're off to see it with school on Tuesday (need parental consent as its PG). Don't know much about it so will watch this thread with interest.

So no one's actually seen it then? I did see a short clip on tv, including a bit where Joseph notices that Mary is "with child" and does a runner, and a bit involving the (near) stoning of Mary, which is why I'm wondering if it's really appropriate for their age.

DDs will of course go ballistic if we refuse to sign the consent form so I need a really good reason not to...

havnt seen it but wouldn't be letting ym 5 year old see it

Doesn't Herod have all thre baby boys killed? Wouldn't want my 5 yr old seeing it and am suprised a school is taking them!

Nor my 7 year old if I had one!!

Yes Anniebear, I've read that the film starts with Herod ordering the murder of all baby boys. Not sure my DDs will appreciate this, as we also have a 4-month-old baby boy to whom they are very attached...

DH thinks it'll be fine, but I'd really like the opinion of someone who's actually seen the film!

No one?

I haven't seen it but I would be reluctant to let my dcs view it until they were old enough to discuss some of what they had watched and understand the unreliability (IMO) of the Bible. We're Christians, btw.

Wondercod, may I be so bold as to ask, how did you type your long account of the film without any typing errors/usual alternative spelling? Just curious.

c and p ??

Is this the one that th e Vatican were just about to recommend until they found ou that the girl playing Mary (who's 16) had just announced she was pregnant . Hope she's doing well, but bit ironic surely?