Movie · 2009 · Fantasy, Drama

Is The Lovely Bones OK for kids?

Q: Is The Lovely Bones OK for kids?

Not a fit. Under the Kids preset it goes over the limits: nudity is mild, sexual content is severe, profanity is mild and 4 more.

Q: Is The Lovely Bones OK for teenagers?

Not a fit. Under the Teen-safe preset it goes over the limits: sexual content is severe.

After being brutally murdered, 14-year-old Susie Salmon watches from heaven over her grief-stricken family -- and her killer. As she observes their daily lives, she must balance her thirst for revenge with her desire for her family to heal.

At a glance

Kids preset · gentle limits for younger children

Not a fit

Under the Kids preset it goes over the limits: nudity is mild, sexual content is severe, profanity is mild and 4 more.

Teen-safe preset · room for action and drama, nothing explicit

Not a fit

Under the Teen-safe preset it goes over the limits: sexual content is severe.

Every family draws the line differently. Set your own rules and see whether The Lovely Bones fits yours, topic by topic. Free.

Set your own rules

What's in it, topic by topic

Sexual & romantic

NudityMild
Only a drawing of a nude woman with exposed breasts and a shirtless man; no real nudity shown.
Sources: imdb.com, dove.org, movieguide.org
Sexual contentSevere
The rape and murder of a 14-year-old is implied (sexual violence), plus implied pedophilia and other victims; teen implied sex.
Sources: imdb.com, dove.org, commonsensemedia.org
Sexualised imageryNone
No revealing outfits or fan service listed; only a nude drawing, which is covered under nudity.
Sources: imdb.com, dove.org, movieguide.org
Kissing & romanceMild
Brief kisses between young couples and a married pair, plus a 'supernatural kiss' between Susie and Ray.
Sources: commonsensemedia.org, tvtropes.org, pluggedin.com

Language & behaviour

ProfanityMild
One or two uses of the f-word, plus occasional 'hell', 'crap' and 'piss off'.
Sources: imdb.com
Vulgarity & crude humourNone
Only mild crude phrases are listed; no toilet humor or gross-out jokes are reported.
Sources: commonsensemedia.org
Verbal abuse & bullyingMild
Mostly name-calling like 'moron' and 'stupid', plus a teen boy verbally bullying his girlfriend.
Sources: commonsensemedia.org, pluggedin.com
Discrimination & hateNone
Guides mention no racism, prejudice or hate speech.
Sources: pluggedin.com
Disrespectful behaviour & role modelsMild
Teen sister breaks into the killer's home to find evidence, shown as a successful act; a grandmother smokes and drinks near the children.
Sources: pluggedin.com, commonsensemedia.org
Dangerous imitable actsMild
A child nearly chokes on a twig and a break-in occurs; shown as dangerous, not as stunts to copy.
Sources: looper.com, imdb.com, commonsensemedia.org

Violence & intensity

Violence & goreModerate
Murder is off-screen; a man is beaten with a bat and left bloodied, and there is an offscreen stabbing; not gory.
Sources: imdb.com, commonsensemedia.org
Frightening & intense scenesModerate
Implied rape and child murder, luring a child into a hole, photos of dead victims, a creepy possession and a child choking.
Sources: imdb.com
Self-harm & suicideNone
Guides list no suicide or self-harm content, though that rests on absence of mention.
Sources: imdb.com
Death & griefSevere
A murdered 14-year-old's death and her family's sustained grief are the central theme; sources did not mention animals.
Sources: commonsensemedia.org
Alcohol, drugs & smokingMild
Grandma smokes heavily and drinks around the children; IMDb rates it mild.
Sources: imdb.com, commonsensemedia.org

Topics some families want to know about

LGBTQ+ representationNot present
No LGBTQ+ characters or themes mentioned; the romances listed are heterosexual.
Sources: kids-in-mind.com
Religious contentBackground
A secular, limbo-like afterlife leading to a 'heaven' with no God, Jesus or angels; religion is not a theme.
Sources: americamagazine.org, pluggedin.com
Occult & magicCentral
Premise is a murdered girl's ghost in the 'in-between'; she briefly possesses a classmate. Fantasy afterlife, not occult practice.
Sources: imdb.com, looper.com
Political & ideological themesNo info
We couldn't find enough about this topic yet.
Products & advertisingNo info
We couldn't find enough about this topic yet.
Messages & valuesPositive or neutral
Themes: grief, healing and moving on, family bonds, justice over vengeance, and the danger of trusting strangers.
Sources: commonsensemedia.org, ashleyhajimirsadeghi.com

Rated 1 Nov 2026 by our research.

How we rate

We read parent guides, reviews and official ratings for every title and rate 21 topics, from kissing and profanity to violence, frightening scenes, substance use and the messages a story leaves behind, each with a reason and its sources. Our team verifies what the sources leave out. You set a limit per topic, and every title gets a clear verdict against your rules, not someone else's age label.