Won’t You Be My Neighbor? parents guide

Won’t You Be My Neighbor? Parent Guide

The legacy of Fred Rogers.

Overall A

This documentary looks at the life and achievements of Fred Rogers, the host of the long running, children's TV show, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.

Release date June 25, 2018

Violence A
Sexual Content B
Profanity B
Substance Use A

Why is Won’t You Be My Neighbor? rated PG-13? The MPAA rated Won’t You Be My Neighbor? PG-13 for some thematic elements and language.

Run Time: 95 minutes

Official Movie Site

Parent Movie Review

“The space between the television screen and whoever happens to be seeing it,” explains Fred Rogers, “I consider that holy ground.”

The documentary Won’t You Be My Neighbor? delves into the life and career of Fred Rogers as he communicates to generations of kids through a medium more often crass than holy. A Presbyterian minister, ordained to evangelize through television, Mr. Rogers uses Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood to share his theology of “love your neighbor and yourself.”

Key to Mr. Rogers’ success is his powerful ability to empathize with the young, to put himself in their shoes, to truly listen as they speak. Seeing himself as an advocate for children, he demands television programs that respect and provide safe places for them.

This film is very sedate and is composed of interviews, clips from Mr. Rogers’ television programs, and some animation exploring his youth and inner life. One of its most exciting moments occurs when Fred Rogers testifies before a Senate hearing into PBS funding. With a passionate plea for the emotional needs of children, he manages to secure the network’s budget.

But the mood becomes increasingly melancholy as Mr. Rogers begins to doubt his ability to have a positive influence on the media and society. Despite his discouragement and persistent self-doubt, Mr. Rogers continues to write scripts and songs, to encourage and comfort his little viewers, to remind them that they are loved for who they are. “Those who would try to make you feel like you’re less than who you are – that’s the greatest evil,” he warns.

This documentary is about reaching out to children but it is not a movie for children. Although there are no real content concerns (there is minimal crude language and a photo of a man’s bare buttocks), from a kid’s perspective, the film moves very slowly and the interviews lack excitement. Parents, on the other hand, will appreciate Mr. Rogers’ insights into the emotional lives of the very young and his dedication to providing positive media experiences for them. Adults who grew up watching Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood will also enjoy this heartwarming retrospective.

Perhaps the best known of Mr. Rogers’ lyrics are, “I’ve always wanted to have a neighbor just like you! I’ve always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you. So let’s make the most of this beautiful day. Since we’re together we might as well say, Would you be mine? Could you be mine? Won’t you be my neighbor?” This poignant little film gives us all the chance to spend some quiet, thoughtful time with a remarkable man and the gentle neighborhood he sought to build.

Directed by Morgan Neville. Starring Joanne Rogers, McColm Cephas Jr., François Scarborough Clemmons . Running time: 95 minutes. Theatrical release June 25, 2018. Updated

Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
Rating & Content Info

Why is Won’t You Be My Neighbor? rated PG-13? Won’t You Be My Neighbor? is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for some thematic elements and language.

Violence: The documentary includes newsreel clips from the assassination of Robert Kennedy and from 9/11, but none of it contains explicitly violent material.

Sexual Content: There is a photo of a man (not Mr Rogers) who put on a King Friday mask, dropped his trousers and took a picture of his buttocks. One interviewee discusses Mr Rogers’ evolving attitudes towards homosexuality. There is no explicit sexual content in the conversation.

Profanity: One interview subject uses occasional terms of deity, mild profanities and some crude language.

Alcohol / Drug Use: There is no alcohol or drug use in this movie.

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Won’t You Be My Neighbor? Parents' Guide

Fred Rogers was devoted to providing and advocating for quality children’s television programming. What kind of shows do you think children should watch? Do you think television networks should be required to provide educational programming? Do you think they should be restricted in advertising to children?
US network requirements for children’s educational programing.
US legislation around children’s programming
Is educational tv good for children?
Advertising to children on tv.
Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood contribution to children’s television.

When Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood began airing on television, tv and radio were the only mass broadcasting media. In our internet age, anyone can produce and/or distribute content. Do you feel a sense of responsibility for what you distribute on social media? Does the media you consume and share have an impact on you and people around you?
The internet changes content distribution.
Does social media on smartphones damage mental health?
Does media content affect the way teenagers see themselves?
Influence of media on children’s development.

News About "Won’t You Be My Neighbor?"

Won't You Be My Neighbor?" opens in limited release on June 8, 2018.

Learn more about Fred Rogers and his television show, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.

Home Video

The most recent home video release of Won’t You Be My Neighbor? movie is September 4, 2018. Here are some details…

Related home video titles:

The Muppet Show used puppets in a children's television series too. Winnie the Pooh also offers gentle entertainment to its young audience.