Charming 1950s-set comedy drama has drinking, smoking.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Language
some
Occasional language includes "bloody," "arse," "bloomin'," "balls," and "t-ts." "Christ" and "God" are used as exclamations. The British phrase "Gordon Bennett" is used to express surprise and frustration.
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Christian Dior mentioned repeatedly, scenes set at the House of Dior. Discussion of £500 dress and expensive wedding. Some gambling is shown, including placing a bet at a horse race.
Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
some
Characters drink alcohol on a number of occasions in bars, at events, and with dinner. A character drinks alcohol from a stranger's bottle in a public space. One scene involves a character missing a meeting because of a hangover. Characters smoke cigarettes.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.
Mention of war and a plane crash. Death of partners discussed. Brief dangerous driving in the street. Two characters accidentally knock heads but are uninjured.
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Kindness can be rewarding, and selfishness doesn't pay. Friendship is important, as is self-respect and perseverance. Follow your dreams.
Positive Role Models
a lot
Mrs. Harris is kind, smart, capable. She often puts others first, but proves able to stand up for what she believes in. Her best friend is supportive, encouraging, self-assured. Some strangers in Paris show kindness and an open mind; those who do not get their comeuppance.
Diverse Representations
some
While many gender roles are in keeping with the wartime setting, women are shown as strong and capable. Comment from an older single woman about not cleaning up after a man. Mention of older women feeling invisible. But Mrs. Harris and her friend make themselves visible by making an impact on those around them. Some racial diversity in cast, with Mrs. Harris' best friend, Vi, played by a Black actor, and further racial diversity in smaller roles. Some class snobbery is shown, but Mrs. Harris -- a cleaner -- is shown to hold her own in the Paris fashion environment.
Parents need to know that Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris is a charming 1950s-set comedy drama, adapted from a novel of the same name, with plenty of positive messages. It follows a cleaner, Mrs. Harris (Lesley Manville), who sets her sights on owning a couture dress. Using her savings, along with her newly discovered war widow's pension, she travels to Paris to make her dream come true. There is some smoking, befitting the time period. Characters are also seen drinking. In one instance, a character misses work due to a hangover. The brand Dior is mentioned frequently, and there is occasional language, including "bloody," "arse," and "t-ts." The movie is generally mild and well meaning, as well as smart and funny, and will likely be enjoyed by families with older kids. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
This is my first review, which I felt I needed to write because this movie surprised me. I am disappointed Common Sense Media didn't refer to the unusual sexual content for a PG movie in its expert review. This is what is stated, though, under the specific "Sex, Romance, and Nudity" section: "Provocative cabaret shown, with performers wearing sexy costumes and making suggestive moves." For perspective, Finding Dory and Paddington are rated PG. In general, I've been quite aligned with Common Sense Media reviews for years, but I wish the summary review would have mentioned this cabaret. If that had been the case, I would have previewed the movie first. In the future, I'll read the details of each separate section as well as the summary to be more thorough! I have two boys ages 10 and 13, and I felt saddened that a PG movie would include a sensual cabaret show. The cabaret section would likely seem relatively mild to any adult, but it was simply surprising, inappropriate, and unnecessary in this film, especially a film for families. Fortunately this scene could be easily skipped without missing any of the plot. The rest of the movie had lovely, empowering themes about going after your dreams, being inclusive, and valuing individuals for who they are. Although the message might be too subtle for children under fourteen, the movie also made the effort to show that women specifically should be seen for who they are rather than their value being placed in their beauty. I would still support the 10+ rating Common Sense Media gave this movie, but only if the cabaret scene is skipped.
This movie is one of the very few movies in the last 5 years that has no sexuality in it. So if someone find a cabaret scene troubling... They must be living in another reality if they find that dangerous for a 10yr old.
It has smoking and social drinking but that's it. Nonetheless this is not a movie for children simply because the subject is not for children.
What's the Story?
In MRS. HARRIS GOES TO PARIS, widowed cleaner Mrs. Harris (Lesley Manville) falls in love with her client's Dior dress and dreams of affording one of her own. But saving the money to travel to Paris is just the start of an adventure that will open her eyes to a whole new world.
There's a strong fairytale aspect to this charming comedy drama about a kind, put-upon cleaner who works her way into the world of high fashion. And, in this case, the titular character in Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris will go to the ball -- albeit a tea dance in a local hall. Manville (Oscar-nominated for her role in the 2017 dressmaking drama Phantom Thread) makes for a sympathetic, likable character whose inner resolve shines through her subservient position in a way that will resonate with many.
Pessimists (and even realists) may need to suspend disbelief, as the plot quickly unveils a cascade of unlikely events -- particularly once Mrs. Harris hits Paris, and her worldly outlook is blinded by shiny things. Realistic, it's not. At heart it's an uplifting underdog story, where characters learn about what's important and people get their comeuppance. But it's also smart, funny, and beautiful to look at. Sets and costumes really capture the era, from Mrs. Harris' dimly lit terraced home to the glittering Paris theaters. It's a Cinderella story about kindness, courage, and being seen. About believing in a little magic -- no matter how unlikely it seems.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can discuss the representation of women in Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris. How did it compare to other films set in the 1950s? Would you describe Mrs. Harris as a positive female role model? What makes a good role model?
How are drinking and smoking depicted in the film? Are they glamorized? Do you think our behavior has changed when it comes to drinking and smoking, from when the movie was set until now?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Kat Halstead
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
