Broken Bird Parents Guide – Is It Too Disturbing for Teens? (2024)

Broken Bird (2024) is a UK psychological horror-thriller directed by Joanne Mitchell. Mitchell co-wrote the screenplay with Dominic Brunt and Tracey Sheals. The film stars Rebecca Calder as Sybil, with James Fleet, Sacharissa Claxton, and Jay Taylor.

The story follows a lonely mortuary assistant whose grief and obsession with the dead lead to increasingly transgressive acts; it premiered at London’s FrightFest and had a limited UK release on August 30, 2024.

Broken Bird Age Rating

Broken Bird is officially rated 18 by the BBFC for its depiction of sexualised violence, graphic injury detail, and strong horror. This classification reflects repeated and explicit scenes involving corpses, strongly disturbing threat and horror, gore, and sexualised acts that many viewers will find deeply upsetting. Parents should treat this as an adult-only film. In regions without a BBFC classification, expect similarly strict adult ratings (for example, the US could apply an R).

Violence & Peril

Broken Bird contains strong, explicit violence and sustained peril. The film shows gory injury details such as exposed viscera and close-up organ imagery and features grotesque interactions with corpses, including dismemberment and the reattachment of limbs. Unnerving set-pieces include a character being locked alive in a coffin, a child abduction, a burning-house sequence, and scenes where corpses are posed as if alive. The cumulative effect is sustained dread and shock rather than occasional jump scares.

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Language

The film uses strong coarse language regularly. Expletives such as the f-word appear alongside milder profanities like “prick,” “bitch,” “bloody,” and “bastard.” Language is used in intense, emotional contexts and contributes to the film’s harsh, unflinching tone.

Mature Themes

Broken Bird tackles very mature, disturbing themes in plain terms. The film addresses sexualised violence, implied necrophilia, suicide and self-harm, child death and abduction, severe mental illness, and trauma rooted in a childhood accident. There are also scenes with animal injury and graphic aftermath of a car crash that kills family members. Nudity appears in the form of a corpse’s exposed genitalia, and sexual violence is strongly implied and described. These elements are central to the film’s work and are presented in a way that aims to shock and unsettle.

Is Broken Bird Suitable for Teens?

Ages 0–12: No. The material is profoundly unsuitable for children. Graphic gore, sexualised violence, and child death make this film inappropriate for this age group.

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Ages 13–16: No. Even older teens should not view this film. The themes are explicit, sexualised, and potentially traumatic. Parents should not allow viewing.

Ages 17–18: With caution but generally not recommended. Mature older teens may understand themes, but the film’s sexualised violence and graphic imagery can be distressing and could cause emotional harm. If viewing is considered, parental presence and a prior content discussion are essential.

Final age recommendation: Intended for adults only. Treat the film as 18+ and restrict access to under-18s.

What Parents Can Do

  • Watch first yourself: Pre-screen the film to judge whether your teen can safely handle the content. Broken Bird is designed to disturb.
  • Prepare and discuss triggers: If an older teen sees the film, explain beforehand that the movie contains sexualised violence, corpse mutilation, child death, and suicide. Discuss how to seek help if they feel distressed.
  • Use the film as a conversation starter: After viewing, talk about grief, mental health, boundaries, and why some films choose shock to explore difficult subjects.
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Official Trailer


FAQs

Q: What is the age rating for Broken Bird?
A: Broken Bird is rated 18 by the BBFC for sexualised violence, gore, and disturbing images.

Q: Is Broken Bird appropriate for teens?
A: No. The film contains sexualised violence, necrophilic implication, and graphic injury that make it inappropriate for teens.

Q: Are there graphic scenes or gore?
A: Yes. The film shows exposed organs, dismemberment, and close-up gore, which are graphic and explicit.

Q: Is there sexual content or sexual violence?
A: Yes. Sexualised violence is implied and described; there are scenes implying sex with a corpse, and a gruesome sexualised act is heard off-screen.

Q: Does the film include suicide, child death, or animal harm?
A: Yes. The film features scenes of suicide, a child’s death or disappearance, and an injured animal shown with internal injuries.

Q: Where can I watch Broken Bird?
A: Broken Bird premiered at FrightFest (August 2024) and had a limited UK theatrical release on August 30, 2024. Check local listings or festival distributors for regional release plans.

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