Parents' Guide to

Shutter Island

By Jeffrey M. Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 18+

Twisty, disturbing Scorsese thriller too intense for most.

Movie R 2010 138 minutes
Shutter Island Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 16+

Based on 35 parent reviews

jcmcdowell
jcmcdowell Adult
June 5, 2021
age 17+

Excellent movie! Very well-made!

I saw this movie last night, and I was absolutely blown away! It takes a few times to see to fully understand it, since it is all about the mind, time, and determining what is real and what isn’t. There are a lot of elements to consider while watching it, and there is a lot of intensity as the audience learns the truth about what is actually happening. In my opinion, it is one of Leonardo DiCaprio’s best performances, and I like how Mark Ruffalo played a part in it besides being in the Avengers. This movie is one of Martin Scorsese’s movies that will never be forgotten, and it will definitely be one of those movies that I will want to watch again and again. It it hard to say if there are any positive messages/role models because each character is different for the first half of the movie, but they are different in the second half, and there is no one who is the same for the entire movie, but besides that, the movie is heavy on violence and language. Besides all of this, it is well-made, well-written, and not a movie to miss!
Jam M.
Jam M. Adult
September 17, 2023
age 14+

Thrilling and brilliant

Very intense thriller masterfully crafted full of twists and visual details that make it a true masterpiece and a forever modern classic
See all 35 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In 1954, federal marshal Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his new partner Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) arrive on Shutter Island, a treatment facility outside of Boston for the criminally insane, to search for an escaped murderess. Haunted by past images from Nazi concentration camps and visions of his dead wife (Michelle Williams), Teddy has another, more personal reason to visit the island. Unfortunately, he soon discovers that there might be far more sinister things going on, and that doctors Cawley (Ben Kingsley) and Naehring (Max von Sydow), may be involved in some kind of hideous experiment. But even if Teddy can find proof, will he ever get off the island?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (35 ):
Kids say (105 ):

SHUTTER ISLAND is a great-looking, highly stylized, very intense thriller in the vein of Martin Scorsese's earlier Cape Fear (1991). The film was directed by the legendary Scorsese and adapted from a novel by Dennis Lehane (Mystic River, Gone Baby Gone). While Scorsese is very good at creating strong images and exploring powerful characters head-on, though, he's not particularly good at sneaking around, planting clues and red herrings, and springing surprise plot twists.

Experienced moviegoers will likely be two jumps ahead of the story, but that doesn't take away from the pure, exciting, physical experience of the movie itself. Individual moments and the performances of an excellent cast can take your breath away, regardless of the whole. As with many of Scorsese's movies, the imagery can be of a highly disturbing -- even nightmarish -- nature, and younger viewers are strongly warned away.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the movie's violent nightmares, visions, and flashbacks. How did they affect you? Did they make you feel angry, edgy, or curious? Why do you think that was? Did you notice your behavior change after the movie?

  • Talk about the methods of Dr. Cawley (Ben Kingsley), which include listening to and empathizing with his patients. How is this better than treating dangerous patients with drugs and locking them up? Is it easier, or more difficult, to listen?

  • According to the movie, the human brain has the capacity to block out memories of horrible or tragic events. What effect would this have? Would it make life easier, or more difficult?

  • The movie is set in 1954 and portrays a lot of era-accurate smoking? What has changed about how people think about smoking since the 1950s?

Movie Details

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