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The High Note | 2020 | PG-13 | – 4.2.5
Why is “The High Note” rated PG-13? The MPAA rating has been assigned for “some strong language, and suggestive references.” The Kids-In-Mind.com evaluation includes an implied sex scenes, a couple of kissing scenes, and cleavage revealing outfits, many arguments some with a person being berated, discussions of fame and aging out of an industry, and 2 F-words and other strong language. Read our parents’ guide below for details on sexual content, violence & strong language.”
A woman (Dakota Johnson) who is working as the assistant to a singer (Tracee Ellis Ross) whose celebrity could be nearing its end, decides she wants to try music producing and finds an undiscovered talent (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) at a local venue. Also with Bill Pullman, June Diane Raphael, Ice Cube and Eddie Izzard. Directed by Nisha Ganatra. [Running Time: 1:53]
The High Note SEX/NUDITY 4
– A man and a woman kiss and they wake up in bed together (sex is implied and we see the man wearing underwear; his bare chest and abdomen are seen and the woman is wearing underwear that reveals her bare hip and back). A man and a woman kiss.
► A woman talks about another woman’s affairs. A woman talks about almost getting married, she says she was too young, and tells another woman to make sure “He’s with you for you.” A woman tells another woman to make sure the “sexicology” oil is upstairs in her bathroom before going on a date with a man.
► A woman wears swimsuits that reveal cleavage, bare abdomen, back and legs to the hips in many scenes throughout the movie. Women wear low-cut tops and dresses that reveal cleavage in many scenes throughout the movie. A woman wears short-shorts that reveal her bare legs to the upper thighs. Women wear skimpy outfits that reveal cleavage and bare legs to the hips on a stage during a performance. A woman wears a very short dress that reveals deep cleavage and bare legs to the upper thighs. A woman’s dress reveals her bare side abdomen and cleavage. A man lies shirtless in bed (we see his bare chest and back).
The High Note VIOLENCE/GORE 2
– A man falls off a railing and hits his head (we see him holding an ice pack on his head later and we see a bruise and a scratch). We see a picture of an open-heart surgery (blood and tissue are seen). A woman appears drunk and she stumbles in her high heels.
► A man yells at a woman in many scenes and speaks to her disparagingly in several scenes. A man yells at a woman and tells her to get out of his seat. A woman yells at another woman about being late. A woman yells at another woman. A woman tells another woman to “lose the tone.” Two women argue about eating sugar. A woman throws headphones and earbuds at another woman in a couple of scenes when she makes noise with music and the other woman cannot sleep. A woman asks a man to “fight the urge to get really mad at me,” but he does get mad and storms away. A reference is made to a man almost dying of a stomach ulcer. A man talks about his mother leaving him with his father when he was young. A woman talks about only 5 women over 40 having had a hit record and that only one was black. A woman warns another woman about “blurring the lines.” A woman is asked, “Do you want it more than blood?”
► A woman pours ice into a bathtub on top of another woman. A woman drinks from a glass of champagne and spits it back into the glass when she sees that her boss is watching her. A woman talks about singing in places with “sticky floors.” A woman talks about giving another woman an enema (no more details are given); the other woman says, “You know what clams do to me.”
► A woman spills a drink on another woman’s shirt at a party; we see her trying to blow-dry the shirt later.
The High Note LANGUAGE 5
– About 2 F-words (1 mouthed), 20 scatological terms, 7 anatomical terms, 16 mild obscenities, name-calling (bad girl, disgusting, crazy, Yankee doodle, little girl, sweetheart, demanding, arrogant, deeply sad, dumb, little lady, sellout, blowhards, bored, pathetic, mean, abrasive, insecure, rude, jealous, self-sabotaging, long con), exclamations (stoked, here we go, shut-up, I blew it), 4 religious profanities (GD), 21 religious exclamations (e.g. My God, Oh My God, Oh God, Jesus, Holy [scatological term deleted]). | profanity glossary |
The High Note SUBSTANCE USE
– A woman asks if another woman would like an Ambien to help her sleep (she declines), and a reference is made to heroin. A woman drinks from a glass of champagne at a party where many other people are shown holding glasses, a woman drinks from a glass of champagne, men drink in a bar, and a woman appears drunk and she stumbles in her high heels.
The High Note DISCUSSION TOPICS
– Music industry, the Stockholm Syndrome, aging out of an industry, trust, abandonment, having children young, commitment, estranged families, death of a parent, ambition, manipulation, racism.
The High Note MESSAGE
– Honesty is usually a better way to get what you want.
CAVEATS
Be aware that while we do our best to avoid spoilers it is impossible to disguise all details and some may reveal crucial plot elements.
We've gone through several editorial changes since we started covering films in 1992 and older reviews are not as complete & accurate as recent ones; we plan to revisit and correct older reviews as resources and time permits.
Our ratings and reviews are based on the theatrically-released versions of films; on video there are often Unrated, Special, Director's Cut or Extended versions, (usually accurately labelled but sometimes mislabeled) released that contain additional content, which we did not review.
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