Signs
Acceptable with guidance. Age: 14+. A Catholic review of this movie for parents.
Our review
Graham used to be a minister, but he stopped praying after his wife died. Then strange circles show up in his cornfield and scary visitors come from space. He has to protect his two kids and learn to trust God again. It is a scary movie for teens and grown-ups. This is a rare thriller whose real subject is a father's lost faith and its return. It ends with him believing again that nothing in his family's life was wasted. The weak point is the reason. His faith comes back because events line up, so talk about what faith rests on. Expect strong suspense, some violence and a fair amount of crude language.
For parents
For teens and up. Common Sense Media says 14+ and Greydanus says Teens & Up. It is too frightening for younger children. Things to frame: Graham is an Episcopal minister, which is why he has a wife and children. He is not a Catholic priest. In his grief he tells God he hates Him. The film treats this as a wound, and his faith is restored by the end. It returns when he sees how things that looked like misfortunes, such as his son's asthma, saved the family. That is true as far as it goes. CCC 313 teaches that in everything God works for good for those who love Him. But ask: would God still be good if the boy had died? Faith trusts God in the dark, not only when the pieces fit. Also name the crude words, including one from the young son.