Veronica Mars parents guide

Veronica Mars Parent Guide

When it comes to cleaning up the community Veronica Mars' thoroughness might be a good thing. Yet exposing youth to the corruption she intends to eliminate may not be.

Overall C

When Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell) was eighteen, she worked with her Dad (Enrico Colantoni) as a private eye. But all that was years ago, or so she thinks. That all changes when she finds herself being drawn into a new mystery with an old friend (Jason Dohring).

Release date March 14, 2014

Violence C-
Sexual Content C-
Profanity D+
Substance Use D+

Why is Veronica Mars rated PG-13? The MPAA rated Veronica Mars PG-13 for sexuality including references, drug content, violence and some strong language.

Run Time: 108 minutes

Official Movie Site

Parent Movie Review

Also Known As: Veronica Mars: The Movie

Veronica Mars fans have spoken. It’s one thing to put money down at the box office, but devotees of the television program went one step further. When Rob Thomas, creator of the series, asked viewers to donate to a film adaptation, they contributed in droves. By the time the collection plate was passed around 91,585 fans had handed over $5.7 million to see their favorite sleuth on the big screen.

The story picks up nearly ten years after Veronica (Kristen Bell) graduated from high school. She escaped the pull of Neptune, California and has since made a name for herself in New York City. As a recent law school graduate, she is in the running for a position at a prestigious law firm. Her dad Keith Mars (Enrico Colantoni), a former sheriff turned private investigator, admires his daughter’s resolve to leave the snubs of high school behind her. Veronica is also involved in a comfortable relationship with Stosh “Piz” Piznarski (Chris Lowell) and he is anxious for her to meet his parents.

Unfortunately tranquility is not something Veronica craves. She is, by her own admission, an adrenaline junkie. She also carries a huge chip on her shoulder. So when she gets a call from her old boyfriend Logan Echolls (Jason Dohring), she is on the first plane out of town. Logan has been accused of murdering his girlfriend Carrie Bishop. With a social media maelstrom swirling around the story, Logan wants Veronica to help clear his name. But it doesn’t take long before romantic feelings begin resurfacing between the two old classmates.

It’s no surprise that fans of the television program will appreciate this movie more than newcomers to the story. There are definitely lines aimed at the well initiated. However there’s more to this neo noir detective script than just insider jokes. Veronica is like a dog after a bone. She refuses to walk away until she’s dug out every last dirty detail.

That content won’t be anything new for those familiar with the series. But for parents with young teens and kids, those sordid particulars might be enough reason to forgo viewing Veronica Mars. The script includes a strong sexual expletive (along with several modifications) and a host of other profanities. There are murders, corrupt cops, fistfights, shootings and a graphic car accident. Some illegal drug use and drinking are also depicted. As well, audiences are exposed to brief scenes from sex tapes, passionate kissing and morning after scenes, frequent crude comments, sexual innuendo and crass terms for body parts and functions.

When it comes to cleaning up the community Veronica Mars’ thoroughness might be a good thing. Yet exposing youth to the corruption she intends to eliminate may not be something to which parents want to donate.

Directed by Rob Thomas. Starring Kristen Bell, Christine Lakin, Gaby Hoffmann. Running time: 108 minutes. Theatrical release March 14, 2014. Updated

Veronica Mars
Rating & Content Info

Why is Veronica Mars rated PG-13? Veronica Mars is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for sexuality including references, drug content, violence and some strong language.

Violence: A girl who has been electrocuted it seen in a bathtub. Corrupt policemen taser a man. A character uses blackmail. A group of thugs attempt to scare a woman and a man is shot when he tries to help her. Characters engage in a bar fight. A truck repeatedly smashes into a car in an attempt to kill the occupants. A character lies in order to obtain information. A character is shot in the stomach. A man, who attempts to shoot another character, is tasered and sprayed in the eyes with pepper spray.

Sexual Content: Characters talk about sex tapes and later one of the tapes is shown at an event. Characters made crude and suggestive hand gestures. A man offers to share his dirty pictures. Frequent crude sexual comments are made about homosexuals, pedophiles and body parts. Characters make crass and sexually suggestive comments. A couple kisses passionately and begins to undress. There are several scenes of implied sexual activity.

Language: The script contains frequent crude language, profanities, slurs and scatological slang along with a strong sexual expletive and several modifications of it. Frequent crude name-calling is used.

Alcohol / Drug Use:Characters drink alcohol on numerous occasions. A man eats a brownie laced with illegal drugs. Characters discuss illegal drug use that led to a death. A character dies of a drug overdose.

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Veronica Mars Parents' Guide

Why is Veronica Mars such an appealing character to so many fans? What makes her stand out from other detectives? How does she differ from other teen heroines?

Who is involved in the love triangle in this story? Why are depictions of two men in love with the same woman so attractive to female viewers?

How much influence can one person have on a community? In what ways does Veronica hope to improve the town she lives in? Is this movie ripe for a sequel?

This movie is based on the Veronica Mars TV series. Rob Thomas, the director and writer of the movie solicited donations from fans of the show (through Kick Starter) in order to get the production money they needed. Most of the cast in the film also starred in the TV franchise.

Home Video

The most recent home video release of Veronica Mars movie is May 6, 2014. Here are some details…

Veronica Mars will releases to home video (Blu-ray + UltraViolet) on May 6, 2014.

Related home video titles:

Nancy Drew is another famous, fictitious teen sleuth, whose character has been adapted for the big screen. Other detective TV shows to get turned into movies include: The A-Team, Charlie’s Angels, Get Smart, Inspector Gadget and Mission Impossible.

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