Dickens & Rumi
Cover of Down with Love

film

Down with Love

2003

In 1962 New York City, love blossoms between a playboy journalist and a feminist advice author.

Ages 13+Source checked

Why this age? PG-13 romantic comedy with persistent sexual themes, innuendo, implied sexual situations, deception, and mature relationship discussions; treatment is comic rather than graphic. This is guidance, not a safety guarantee; reading level and family context may differ.

Quick view

At a glance

Recommended age13+

Strongest cautions

  • Romance5/5
  • Sexual content & nudity4/5
  • Alcohol or drugs2/5

Strongest positives

  • Creativity & curiosity3/5
  • Positive messages3/5
  • Courage & resilience2/5

What’s in it?

Products & advertising1/5
Why this rating?

The film emphasizes brand-like aesthetics for its 60s satire, but it does not promote real-world products.

Strong language2/5
Why this rating?

Mild language is used, consistent with a PG-13 rating.

Romance5/5
Why this rating?

Romance is the central focus, involving dating, pursuit, deception, and love confessions.

Sexual content & nudity4/5
Why this rating?

The film relies heavily on sexual innuendo, discussion of sex lives, and comedic tropes regarding sexual conquest.

Alcohol or drugs2/5
Why this rating?

Characters are shown drinking alcohol frequently, reflecting the era's social norms.

What’s good in it?

Courage & resilience2/5
Why this rating?

Barbara publicly challenges restrictive gender expectations and pursues professional independence, while other characters eventually confront insecurity and dishonesty.

Creativity & curiosity3/5
Why this rating?

Its colorful period pastiche, inventive disguises, media satire, and playful reversal of romantic-comedy conventions encourage imaginative engagement.

Diverse representation1/5
Why this rating?

Limited racial diversity; the focus is on the gender politics of the 1960s.

Educational value1/5
Why this rating?

The film offers incidental commentary on 1960s gender roles, publishing, media, and changing social attitudes rather than formal instruction.

Kindness & empathy2/5
Why this rating?

Affection and eventual emotional growth appear, but much of the plot relies on manipulation, rivalry, and treating relationships as experiments.

Positive messages3/5
Why this rating?

It explores independence, gender expectations, honesty, commitment, and finding a balance between autonomy and partnership.

Good role models2/5
Why this rating?

Characters show ambition and independence, but manipulation, womanizing, deception, and recording a romantic encounter complicate their example.

Family discussion

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Conversation starters based on this title’s published content notes.

  1. What was the most imaginative idea in the story, and what would you add to it?
  2. How did relationships or romance affect the characters’ choices?
  3. Which choice in Down with Love would you have made differently, and why?
  4. Who changed the most in Down with Love, and what caused that change?
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