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Is Yesterday Kid Friendly? Should You Take Teens?

Yesterday is a fantasy drama that gets a bit complicated but is still a sweet story mixed in with some great music from The Beatles. I took my almost 13-year-old daughter with me, and I’m not still sure how that worked out for her. Is Yesterday kid friendly? Here are the details on the language and mature content for teens.

Is Yesterday Kid Friendly? A Parent Review for Teens.

Is Yesterday Kid Friendly?

Usually I like to screen movies before taking my kids to PG-13 movies, but I asked a friend about the content before I left. I probably should have left her at home, and here was one indication.

Me: Hey, daughter, do you want to come with me to see Yesterday?

Her: YES!!

Me: Do you know who The Beatles are? 

Her: Yes, but I don’t like them. Their songs are old.

Well knowing what the premise was for this movie, I was curious whether Yesterday could turn a non-Beatles fan into a believer. 

Language in Yesterday Movie

The first half of the movie, the language wasn’t too bad, and then insert Jack’s manager (Kate McKinnon). In Yesterday, I counted at least 3 uses of s–t in some form, 5 uses of damn, 2 uses of a–, 1 bi-ch, and 1 motherf–er.

There are a lot of references to the Lord’s name in vain. I counted at least 6 uses of Christ, 4 OMGs, 4 other uses of g-d, and  1 g-ddamn. There were also at least 8 uses of ‘bloody’ which is British slang.

Mature and Sexual Content in Yesterday

Here’s where I would be more concerned for kids and tweens/teens. There are some drug references, alcohol, and talk of cigarettes. There are also several sexual references to shagging, sleeping with someone, sex, and one night stands.

You won’t find nudity, but there are a couple of scenes where the main character is shirtless. Also, you’ll see some passionate kissing with a couple of characters going to a bed and falling down on it with the implication of sex. You don’t see much more than that. 

Is Yesterday Movie Appropriate For Kids Under 13?

Yesterday is rated PG-13 for language and suggestive content. I would recommend Yesterday for ages 13 and up if they’re Beatles fans or even Ed Sheeran fans. Some parts of the film were slow moving, and the premise seems bizarre at first. Maybe not just at first.

Teens will want to see Yesterday movie because of Ed Sheeran.

Jack Malik (Himesh Patel) is a struggling singer-songwriter in a tiny English seaside town whose dreams of fame are rapidly fading, despite the fierce devotion and support of his childhood best friend, Ellie (Lily James). Then, after a freak bus accident during a mysterious global blackout, Jack wakes up to discover that The Beatles have never existed… and he finds himself with a very complicated problem.

As the movie goes on, I was left with many questions – why did Jack do this, why didn’t he do this? The leads are funny, but not in a traditional in-your-face type funny, and they are very likable.

Will Yesterday hold your teen’s interest? It’s debatable. If you’re looking for a Bohemian Rhapsody type movie, this isn’t it. I wouldn’t describe Yesterday as upbeat or charismatic, but it was reverent and pure. And that’s why I liked it. It was different, yet powerful. The music in it is wonderful, and Patel has an amazing voice!

I’m not a die-hard Beatles fan. I enjoy their music and the lyrics are some of the best ever. However, music is a big part of my life. And Yesterday causes us to think, what would the world be like without some of our favorite artists? Music, for me, is life-changing. 

There is a divisive scene that may leave some wondering why, but I felt like it was respectful and imaginative. Why can’t we live in a world where we wonder what we would say to our heroes? 

So while Yesterday didn’t quite leave my daughter with a change of heart, she said the movie was ok. But she’s still salty One Direction was always compared to the Beatles. Don’t worry, Harry Styles, she’s got your back.

Perhaps the film accomplished one of its goals – to introduce the Beatles’ music to those who aren’t familiar with it – a 12-year-old girl whose mother hasn’t done her job.

Rhoda

Wednesday 6th of November 2019

Thank you so much for writing this! I think it’s awesome that you check movies before watching them with your daughter.:) More parents should do that! I also appreciated your review of the movie and agree 100%. Am not a huge beatle fan either but do like some if their songs. Plus the actor was definitely a great singer...

tanialamb

Wednesday 6th of November 2019

Thank you for reading! I hope that I can provide a good resource for parents :) Glad you enjoyed the movie!