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Julianne and Bryce have a…difficult relationship. When Bryce first moves into the neighborhood at age seven Juli -- a quirky, intellectually driven dreamer – is immediately drawn to him, and pursues him relentlessly over the years. Bryce, an average boy dominated by his harsh father, just wants Juli to leave him alone, and his thoughtless behavior gives Juli much pain. By junior high, Juli has had enough of Bryce’s inadvertent cruelty, and moves on…but Bryce finds he can’t get her out of his mind. Has Bryce “flipped” – or is he just beginning to understand how special Juli really is?

Apart from the movie’s language, there is only a small amount of content of concern to parents in Flipped. When Bryce hastily conceals a photo of Juli from his sister, she teases, “Have you got Dad’s Playboy? Give my best to Miss October – or rather, give her your best.” When Bryce dates another girl in order to push Juli away, the other girl learns of the deception and slaps him. More seriously, Bryce’s sister calls her opinionated father an “ass****,” after which he slaps her. “Godd***,” two uses of the s-word and several “hells” are also heard. The family also discusses the chicken coop in Juli’s backyard, speculating that her yard is covered in “chicken turds.” 

Flipped is that rarest of things: a genuinely touching and beautiful “slice-of-life” movie, one which does not wallow in mean-spirited humor or crude sexuality. The sensitive Juli’s love of art and science, and her hard-working spirit, are contrasted with the more “normal” – and hurtful --behavior of Bryce, his friends, and most of all, his frustrated, biased father.  Along the way, both children learn lessons about life: Juli meets and learns to sympathize with her mentally disabled uncle, and her family struggles with the poverty that caring for him brings; while Bryce must cope with his father’s judgmental ways and his own desire to fit in. Both Juli and Bryce are encouraged in their friendship by their mothers and by Bryce’s grandfather, who finds in Juli a reminder of his dead wife. The story unfolds against the backdrop of the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, with many songs of the era on the soundtrack.

Flipped is a charming and delightful movie which captures perfectly the feelings and hidden complexities of young love. The Parents Television Council wishes it could award Flipped with the PTC Seal of Approval^TM, an honor the film would fully deserve …if not for its language. Flipped is a fine picture for adults and older teens; but unfortunately, the PTC cannot recommend this film for children under age 16.

► Read our exclusive interview with Flipped Director Rob Reiner

► Read our exclusive interview with star Madeline Carroll

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