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Movie · Documentary · 2022 · R

Navalny: parents' guide

14+our pick

Best for ages 14 and up. Rated R for some language.

A tense, real-life political thriller for older teens who follow the news, best watched with a parent. The Oscar-winning documentary follows Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny after he was poisoned with a nerve agent in 2020, as he recovers in Germany, helps investigators identify the agents behind the plot, and then returns to Moscow, where he is arrested. The R rating is for language, including f-words. Violence is limited to his agony on the plane, police clashing with protesters and his arrest. We suggest 14 for the swearing and the unsettling reality of a government trying to kill its critics.

What's in it

Violence

Moderate

Navalny is heard screaming in pain on the plane after the poisoning. Police make forceful arrests and clash physically with protesters, and someone throws green liquid in a man's face. A teen plays a shooting video game. Nothing gory.

Language

Strong

F-words, including 'f---ing,' recur in English and in subtitles, along with 'assholes' and 'Jesus Christ' as an exclamation. Not constant, but enough to earn the R rating.

Sex and nudity

Mild

No sex or nudity. Navalny and his wife share some romantic kisses, and Russian talk-show hosts are shown brushing off the poisoning with crude talk of homosexuality and orgies.

Drinking, drugs and smoking

Mild

Adults toast a victory with champagne. The nerve agent Novichok and how it was used on Navalny are discussed at length, but there is no recreational drug use.

Scary or intense scenes

Moderate

The poisoning, his coma and the ongoing threat of assassination create real dread, and the closing scenes of his return to Russia and arrest are tense. Knowing the danger was real may unsettle teens.

Worth talking about

Navalny chose to return to Russia knowing he would likely be jailed, and he died in a Russian prison in 2024, after this film was made. What makes someone willing to take that kind of risk?

Where to stream →

On our lists

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Checked October 13th, 2026 against Common Sense Media, the MPA, Wikipedia, Rotten Tomatoes. 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.