Parents' Guide to

Jules

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Delightful, sweet story about seniors and aliens; language.

Movie PG-13 2023 87 minutes
Jules Movie Poster: Milton (Ben Kingsley, left), Joyce (Jane Curtin, right top), and Sandy (Harriet Sansom Harris, right bottom) peer through the cutout shape of an alien, a crashed spaceship visible behind them

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

  • Jules Movie: Clockwise from bottom left: Jules (Jade Quon), Milton (Ben Kingsley), Sandy (Harriet Sansom Harris), and Joyce (Jane Curtin) are seated around a dinner table, plates of food in front of them
  • Jules Movie: Milton (Ben Kingsley), Joyce (Jane Curtin), and Sandy (Harriet Sansom Harris) are seated on a couch, looking as if they're working out some kind of problem
  • Jules Movie: (Left to right) Joyce (Jane Curtin), Sandy (Harriet Sansom Harris), Milton (Ben Kingsley), and Jules (Jade Quon) stand in front of Milton's house, looking at something in front of them

Community Reviews

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age 13+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Amy R.
Amy R. Parent
November 10, 2023
age 13+

Heartwarming and fun tale about seniors and an alien.

This movie is heartwarming, funny and tearful. If you are sensitive to dementia, warning this is probably not for you. My 12 and 14 y/0 loved it and my husband and I did too. It is so off the wall, but keeps your attention. There are a few F bombs so you need to be okay with that. Definitely recommend watching as a family with teens.
Jason O.
Jason O. Adult
October 27, 2023
age 13+

Jules is a Jewel of a movie!

This movie was a pleasant surprise! My niece had told me about it and I did not think it would be good but I gave it a chance and I am glad I did! It was a somewhat slow pace at first but as the story unfolded, I understood why it was showing the repetitiveness of the protagonists lives and that was necessary to show how Jules arrival changes all of it. The reason for the rating was due the many F-bombs that were dropped. Granted those types of words are to be used to evoke intense emotion, which was appropriate- What would you say if you walked into a friend's house and saw an alien from space sitting on his couch eating apple slices!?!? At the same time, I would think people would have different excited utterances but depending on the language you care to hear, these were minor. The story had some great laughs and great cast! It's good to see that not all movies have mostly people under 30 running about having adventures but that an ADVENTURE can be had at any age!
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In JULES, 78-year-old Milton (Ben Kingsley) lives by himself in the quiet town of Boonton, Pennsylvania. He passes the time attending city council meetings and trying to get the town's slogan changed. His daughter, Denise (Zoë Winters), worries about him and thinks that dementia might be setting in. One day, an alien ship crashes in Milton's backyard. He invites the creature inside, names it Jules (Jade Quon), and feeds it a steady diet of apples. At first, Milton tries to tell people what happened, but no one believes him. Then nosy neighbors Sandy (Harriet Sansom Harris) and Joyce (Jane Curtin) discover Jules' presence and urge Milton to try to keep him a secret. As the trio spend more time with the alien, helping it gather fuel for the ship, they find their friendships deepening.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (2 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

It's feather-light and visually unremarkable, but this fantasy/comedy about friendship and family is nonetheless a pure delight -- sweet, funny, and irresistibly huggable. Directed by Marc Turtletaub, a longtime producer of many excellent indie films (Little Miss Sunshine, Loving, The Farewell, etc.), Jules has an immediately disarming quality, perhaps due to the cozy small-town setting -- or perhaps due to the high-quality performances. Kingsley isn't necessarily known for his comedy chops (at least, outside of his role in the MCU), but he's very funny here, quite deadpan in fact, as he explains why the town slogan -- "a great place to call home" -- is confusing because it sounds like it could be referring to a phone call.

Curtin is also hilarious, perhaps the funniest she's been since her Saturday Night Live days, ruminating about her time in the big city and belting out a version of "Free Bird" for no particular reason. Harris, best known for stage and TV work (but who also thoroughly stole her scene in Licorice Pizza), is wonderfully subtle. And Quon, a 4'11" stuntwoman, is utterly awe-inspiring as Jules. Her movements, full of wonder and curiosity, are practically poetic. The trajectory of Jules -- the characters arguing, sharing adventures, and eventually becoming friends -- isn't particularly surprising, but it gets there with spaced-out ease.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Jules' scenes of violence. How did they make you feel?

  • In what ways does the movie demonstrate and encourage empathy?

  • How does the movie portray people over 60? Why are those in this age group often marginalized in entertainment?

  • What does family look like in this story? Do Milton, Sandy, and Joyce become a family? How is their relationship different from or similar to Milton's relationship with his daughter, Denise?

  • How does the depiction of the alien here compare to other movie aliens?

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