While "Elizabethtown" has its share of laughs, it also has a few major disappointments. The attraction between the two characters is refreshingly held at bay until late in the film, but once the two characters kiss, they quickly end up in bed together. Also, the subjects of God and eternal destiny – obvious themes for a film suffused with death and mortality – are hardly broached. These are no small failures.

Still, a film that dwells on the importance of parental influence and suggests that worldly pursuits can be empty has something to say, especially to a generation that has inherited an ethic of materialism and career “fulfillment” that can leave us empty and take our eyes off more worthy pursuits, both spiritual and personal. "Elizabethtown" could have used much more of the spiritual, but its good-natured look at characters coping with grief and loss results in enough laughter and memorable moments to compensate for its narrative shortcomings.

AUDIENCE:  Older teens and up
OBJECTIONABLE CONTENT: 

• Language/Profanity: “S---”; “hell”; Lord’s name taken in vain; a singer on the soundtrack sings, “F--- me up/Scr-- all my friends”; Drew refers to another character as a “f---in’ jerk”; woman uses crude term to refer to male sex organ
• Drugs/Alcohol: Drew and Claire drink while talking on the phone; wedding guests at Drew’s hotel drink heavily and engage in debauchery
• Sex/Nudity: Claire takes a bubble bath, but only bare arms and legs are exposed; characters kiss, then are shown waking up in bed next to each other
• Violence: Drew prepares to commit suicide but doesn’t follow through; a young boy vomits on an adult; a kid-vid tape grabs children’s attention by depicting the destruction of a home
• Crime: Drew steals beer from a wedding party
• Religion: Discussion of God is nearly absent – surprising and disappointing for a film dealing with death and mortality – although Claire mentions that she believes in a “Higher Spirit,” and the Baylor family says grace before mealtime. Drew says the world serves the “god” of success. Discussion of cremation and burial is dealt with strictly on a cultural level, but the final destination of the father’s body may be perceived as irreverent; a character says cooking and tap-dancing will be her “salvation”; Drew’s sister tells him to call her, saying “Just dial ‘hell’ – I’ll answer’”