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What parents need to know about 'First Man'
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'First Man' is the beautifully told story of Neil Armstrong as he navigates the physical and emotional perils of being the first man on the moon. - photo by Courtesy: YouTube

THE FINAL FRONTIER — Maybe once or twice every couple of years I see a movie where within the first five minutes I get a feeling in my gut that says “sit up, this is going to be a great film."

This year that film is “First Man,” starring Ryan Gosling and directed by Damien Chazelle. “First Man” is a very convincing portrayal of Neil Armstrong and the journey he took to become the first man on the moon.

This article will tell you what to expect as a parent if you decide to take your kids to see this movie, or if you go by yourself and just want to know what you're getting into.

Violence

There is no violence in this film to speak of. We do see several intense scenes involving the physical demands and perils of manned space flight as well as test piloting that results in some minor injuries.

There is one scene where a fire breaks out during a test resulting in the deaths of several men but we do not see anything beyond the fire breaking out.

Sexuality

There is no sexuality in this film, nor is there anything approaching sexual. The subject matter of “First Man” didn’t allow room for sexuality, and the filmmakers did not find it necessary to portray anything sexual.

Language

The dialogue in this film is rather sparse, making what each character says that much more important. Through the course of the film, we do hear a couple mid-tier swear words.

There is one scene, however where we hear a character say the “f” word in a moment of anger and frustration.

Blood and gore

There is no gore or blood in this film aside from a scraped up face of Armstrong after he crashes a test vehicle in the desert.

Intensity

For everything this film lacks in blood, violence, language and sex it makes up for in emotional intensity.

This film is heavy and filled with a lot of emotional themes that make it difficult and beautiful to watch as we see the events unfold in the Armstrongs' lives that made them who they were.

There is a death of a child that we do not see but feel the burden of throughout the film.

Conclusion

“First Man” is an amazing movie and should not be missed if you are willing to hear one R-rated swear word and possibly cry through about half of the film.

The only drawback I can see this film would have for a teenager is that it gets a little slow and heavy at times but not without its reasons. In the end, “First Man” tells an amazing story beautifully.

"First Man" is rated PG-13 for some thematic content involving peril, and brief strong language.

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