Rumor Has It Parent Guide
Parent Movie Review
In 1967 The Graduate released in movie theaters and sparked the careers of actors Dustin Hoffman and Richard Dreyfuss. The story recounts the unsanctioned, intimate relationships a graduate student engages in with a girl and her mother.
For years, rumors abounded about the source of the story. But for Sarah Huttinger (Jennifer Aniston), it is only part of a colorful, Californian history until she goes home to Pasadena for her younger sister’s (Mena Suvari) wedding.
There, over vodka, her Grandma (Shirley MacLaine) hints at the identity of the infamous family, suggesting that she herself is Mrs. Robinson. Suddenly for Sarah, her feelings of being an oddity in the family start to make sense. She believes she may be the offspring of the illicit coupling, especially when she learns her mother made an unscheduled trip to meet an old boyfriend only days before her own marriage.
Leaving her fiance, Jeff (Mark Ruffalo), in the airport, she takes a detour to San Francisco where the man in question is speaking to a group of Internet entrepreneurs. Finally getting a moment alone, she presents her paternity query to the multi-millionaire, Beau Burroughs (Kevin Costner).
However, the answer isn’t quite what she expects. Distraught, Sarah allows herself to be comforted by the businessman. Meanwhile, Jeff is alone in New York waiting for word from his errant girlfriend.
Matrimony and commitment appear to be unnerving concepts for the women in this film. Convinced that her mother lived a loveless existence before passing away, Sarah struggles with the idea of settling down with Jeff. And the side trip to uncover her past ends up looking more like an avoidance tactic than a fatherhood inquiry. Fortunately, the men in this mess are blessed with an abundance of mercy and patience. (Maybe a little too much.)
For those familiar with the 1960s film, Rumor Has It… is a creative stretch of the original script, taking the tale of lustful interactions to a whole new generation of graduates. However for family audiences, the movie is plagued by profanities and sexual dialogue. The intimation of incest and other unsavory affairs also presents a storyline inappropriate for younger viewers.
Uncovering the truth behind the gossip proves to be an important endeavor for Sarah. But tossing aside all the good things in life in pursuit of a rumor can also be a dangerous enterprise.
Starring Jennifer Aniston, Shirley Mclean, Ken Costner. Theatrical release December 24, 2005. Updated April 3, 2009
Rumor Has It
Rating & Content Info
Why is Rumor Has It rated PG-13? Rumor Has It is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for mature thematic material, sexual content, crude humor and a drug reference.
During a flight, a couple attempts to get intimate in a restroom. Numerous characters have candid sexual discussions including a conversation about condom use and there are several sexual solicitations as well. Nudity is limited to a brief shot of a woman taking off her top and the side of her breast is seen. At a wedding celebration and in other locations, drinking to excess is depicted. One woman becomes so drunk she is unable to account for her actions during the previous evening. Another woman repeatedly smokes and a brief comment is made about drug use.
Page last updated April 3, 2009
Rumor Has It Parents' Guide
How does the death of their mother seem to affect Sarah and her sister Annie? What challenges do they appear to face in their adult interactions?
Why does Jeff say that “engagement” involves more than a passing commitment? What does it mean to him? Do you think he makes the right decision in the end?
How important is forgiveness in a successful relationship?
Home Video
The most recent home video release of Rumor Has It movie is May 11, 2006. Here are some details…
There’s not a lot of gossip included on the DVD release of Rumor Has It. Presented in either wide or full screen, both feature the theatrical trailer, audio tracks in English (Dolby Digital 5.1) and French (Dolby Digital 5.1), as well as subtitles in English, Spanish and French.
Related home video titles:
Mark Ruffalo stars as a spurned teenaged friend whose old pal wants to rekindle their relationship as adults in 13 Going on 30. Another young woman desires to discover the truth behind her parentage in the movie What a Girl Wants.