Knives Out: parents' guide
Best for ages 13 and up. Rated PG-13 for thematic elements including brief violence, some strong language, sexual references, and drug material.
A sharp, funny whodunit that teens and parents can enjoy together, about a detective untangling a wealthy family's lies after their patriarch is found dead. Know going in that he takes his own life with a knife to the throat, shown briefly in an early flashback along with his bloody body, and that medication overdoses drive the plot. Profanity is frequent, with nearly 30 s-words and two f-words. A young adult smokes a joint, others smoke cigars, a guest gets drunk at a party, and sexual content is limited to crude talk. Good for 13 and up who can handle the suicide theme.
What's in it
Violence
ModerateBrief but pointed: the patriarch's body with a slit throat and blood, a flashback to him drawing the knife (the blade entering skin isn't shown), a knife attack, slapping and punching, a short car chase and a building set on fire.
Language
ModerateFrequent: by one count nearly 30 s-words and two f-words, plus "asshole," "bitch," "bastard," "prick" and many uses of God's name. A couple of obscene hand gestures.
Sex and nudity
MildNo sex or nudity. An affair is revealed through photos of a kiss, relatives crudely suggest a young woman slept with her elderly employer, and one crude remark implies a teen boy was masturbating.
Drinking, drugs and smoking
StrongA young adult smokes a joint from the housekeeper's stash and offers it to a friend. A nurse injects her patient's medication, including morphine, overdoses drive the plot, one guest is drunk, and cigars and cigarettes appear.
Scary or intense scenes
ModerateMurder-mystery suspense with a bloody body, a flashback to the death, a character found barely alive, and a tense confrontation with a knife. More suspense and comedy than scares.
Sensitive topics
- Suicide
- Overdose
- Racism
Worth talking about
The family says Marta is like one of them, yet treats her as a servant and argues about immigrants in front of her. How do people show what they really think when money is at stake?
On our lists
Similar picks around 13+
Checked October 13th, 2026 against Common Sense Media, Plugged In, moviemom.com, movieguide.org. 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.