Dove Review

“When the Bough Breaks” is a suspenseful, tension-filled picture. The plot focuses on a couple, John and Laura Taylor (Morris Chestnut and Regina Hall), who are childless and want to become parents. Laura has suffered through three miscarriages, so she and John find a willing surrogate, a young woman named Anna (Jaz Sinclair). Anna seems perfect: so giving, kind, and gentle. However, not all is as it seems. John and Laura invite Anna and her fiancé, a man named Michael (Theo Rossi) over for dinner. The Taylors are concerned, because Michael seems to have a chip on his shoulder — if they only knew how big the chip really is. However, they discover that Anna is actually more concerning than Michael.

Anna falls for John, telling him she has a part of him inside of her, and she makes a move on him when Laura is away on business. She begins sending him naughty videos and dressing scantily when he is around. He truly is in love with his wife, but when Anna’s mind snaps (and she is several months along in the pregnancy), Laura is afraid she will purposely try to lose the baby. She comes up with a suggestion for John that is not only immoral, but a bit shocking. Laura’s only goal is to safely secure the birth of their child. The plot heats up and cruises to a bit of an intense, if not entirely surprising, ending.

Laura’s desire to be a mother is commendable, but the lengths she is willing to go to make that happen are extreme. Due to strong content in the sex, language, violence and nudity categories, we are unable to award the movie our Dove “Family-Approved” Seal.

Dove Rating Details

0

Faith

None

0

Integrity

A lot of violence, including a woman stabbing a man, with blood shown dripping off his face and on his face; a very badly decomposed, bloody body is shown; a woman attacks man with a knife, and they struggle; man abuses woman and hits her a few times and one time bloodies her nose and face; a woman messes up another woman's nursery and cuts things up; a woman finds her cat stabbed, dead, and very bloody; a woman stabs another man, and blood is shown on him; woman knocks another woman on head with object; woman shoots at car; woman driver runs another woman over, killing her.

3

Sex

Husband and wife kiss; husband and wife make love, and although it is not graphic, it is obvious what is happening; a woman sends a married man a video of herself wearing little clothing and then shows her breasts twice, although her breasts are not actually revealed on screen; however, one scene shows a side view of her breast for an instant; married man has sex with woman against his will; a comment about sex with men.

4

Language

GD-2; J-2; G/OMG-10; Da*mit-2; H-4; A-1; A**holes-1; S-1; Frickin'-1; Slang for testicles-1; Man is called D*ck head.

4

Violence

A lot of violence, including a woman stabbing a man, with blood shown dripping off his face and on his face; a very badly decomposed, bloody body is shown; a woman attacks man with a knife, and they struggle; man abuses woman and hits her a few times and one time bloodies her nose and face; a woman messes up another woman's nursery and cuts things up; a woman finds her cat stabbed, dead, and very bloody; a woman stabs another man, and blood is shown on him; woman knocks another woman on head with object; woman shoots at car; woman driver runs another woman over, killing her.

2

Drugs

Man smokes cigarette; woman looks in medicine cabinet and sees several prescription drug bottles; statement that a man used marijuana; drinking and toasts in several scenes, including the drinking of wine and champagne; a woman tells a man he is drunk; bar scenes featuring drinking.

3

Nudity

Cleavage in several scenes; a woman wears a night shirt, and cleavage is visible; a shirtless man; the side of a woman's breast is shown for an instant; a woman wears lingerie and a thong, and her thigh and rear cheeks are visible; a woman dresses scantily several times; a woman's pregnant stomach is shown a few times; woman's bare back is visible.

2