Greyhound: parents' guide
Best for ages 13 and up. Rated PG-13 for war-related action/violence and brief strong language.
A tense, clean World War II naval thriller that suits most young teens who can handle combat. Tom Hanks plays a first-time captain guarding a supply convoy across the Atlantic from German submarines over several sleepless days. Ships burn and sink and many men die, but the film dwells on the crew's fear and the captain's burden rather than wounds; one injured sailor is shown bloodied, and three crewmen are buried at sea. There is a single f-word, followed by an apology, and nothing sexual. Age 13 reflects that one f-word plus steady wartime peril and death, not graphic content.
What's in it
Violence
ModerateNear-constant naval combat with torpedoes, depth charges, deck guns and burning, sinking ships. Hundreds die, mostly off-screen or at a distance. A sailor is hit in the face and shown bloody and in pain, and three men killed by a shell are buried at sea.
Language
ModerateOne f-word, quickly followed by an apology to the captain. Otherwise mild: a 'damn,' a 'hell,' a 'bloody,' a few uses of 'son of a bitch,' and the period slur 'kraut' for Germans.
Sex and nudity
NoneNo sexual content. The captain hopes to propose to the woman he loves, and one scene shows him in his undershirt and shorts.
Drinking, drugs and smoking
ModerateSome sailors smoke cigarettes now and then, true to the period, and the captain mentions rum in passing. No one drinks or uses drugs on screen.
Scary or intense scenes
ModerateLong stretches of suspense as unseen submarines stalk the convoy, with torpedo near-misses, explosions, and a German commander taunting the crew over the radio. The captain's grief over lost men and the burial at sea add emotional weight.
Worth talking about
The captain leads with quiet faith, humility and care for his men. Talk about what kind of leadership earns loyalty under pressure, and about the segregated roles Black sailors held in the 1940s Navy, which the film shows in passing.
On our lists
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Checked October 13th, 2026 against Common Sense Media, Plugged In, the MPA, movieguide.org, bbfc.co.uk. The age is our judgment, not an official rating, and every family draws its lines differently: read the notes, not just the number. Spotted something we missed? Tell us. How we rate.