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The Kissing Booth poster

Is The Kissing Booth OK for Kids?

RomanceComedy
14+
PG-13⭐ 5.9 / 102018 · 1h 45m
Vince Marcello

Where to Watch

United States

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Streaming data by JustWatch

What's In It

Based on the actual screenplay
🗡️Violence
Mild▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
0
Cartoon / Comedic
5
Action & Peril
0
Injuries & Death Shown
0
Graphic & Disturbing
  • Noah gets into a physical fight with male students on his first day of school after they make objectifying comments about Elle
  • Lee threatens to fight Noah after learning about his secret relationship with Elle, and the two brothers later physically fight in the garage while Elle tries to separate them
  • At a party, Warren tries to pressure Elle into a hot tub against her wishes, grabs her, and makes crude comments before Noah intervenes and punches him
  • No weapons are used and no one is seriously injured or killed; all fights are fistfights between teenage boys
  • The violence is framed around jealousy and protectiveness rather than malice, and is presented as impulsive teen conflict rather than graphic brutality
💬Language
Moderate▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
0
Mild Words
(damn, hell)
7
Moderate
(ass, b**ch)
27
Strong
(sh*t)
0
Extreme
(f**k)
  • Strong language is frequent: 's**t' (12 times), 'a**hole/a**' (6 times), 'da**/dammit' (4 times), 'b**ch' (3 times), and one use of 'sl*t'
  • One use of 'f**king' occurs in the film
  • Milder language also appears, including 'hell' (3), 'douchebag' (2), and 'sucks' (2)
  • This is not a clean teen comedy — profanity is used casually and repeatedly throughout, more than typical PG-13 fare
👻Scary Scenes
Mild▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
3
Mildly Tense
1
Startling Moments
0
Genuinely Scary
0
Deeply Disturbing
  • Elle's mother's illness and hospital visits are referenced throughout her childhood, creating an emotionally tense backstory rather than a scary scene
  • A tense romantic moment occurs when Noah pulls the car over in the rain, building anticipation before their kiss
  • Lee's discovery of Noah and Elle together in the garage is a startling, sudden confrontation rather than frightening imagery
  • The scene where Warren corners Elle at the party is tense due to the threat of unwanted advances, but Noah's protective intervention quickly resolves it
  • There are no monsters, jump scares, or horror elements — tension comes from interpersonal drama, not fear-based content
💕Romance
Moderate▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
1
Crushes & Holding Hands
4
Kissing & Dating
3
Suggestive
0
Sexual Content
  • Elle realizes she has a long-standing crush on Noah, her best friend's older brother
  • Multiple on-screen kisses occur, including her first kiss with a stranger at the kissing booth, a rain-soaked motorcycle kiss with Noah, and Noah's public prom confession followed by kissing before his departure for Harvard
  • Elle wakes up wearing Noah's shirt after a party, suggesting the possibility of intimacy, though nothing explicit is shown
  • Several scenes show Noah and Elle in physically close, compromising positions (in a garage, a closet)
  • There are verbal references to Noah's past sexual conquests with multiple girls, though these are not depicted on screen
🍺Substances
Moderate▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
1
Mentioned in Passing
2
Shown Casually
1
Featured Prominently
0
Glorified or Abused
  • The OMG Girls give Elle flavored alcoholic shots at a party, played casually
  • Elle becomes visibly drunk at a party, to the point of nearly stripping and planning to go skinny dipping — shown as a consequence of peer pressure and poor judgment rather than glamorized
  • Lee mentions ahead of time that there will be drinks at the party
  • Drinking games and beer pong appear at party scenes as background teen activity
  • No hard drug use is depicted; alcohol is the only substance shown
⚡Stimulation
Moderate▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
0
Gently Engaging
2
Exciting
2
Intense
0
Overwhelming
  • The kissing booth carnival scene is lively and exciting, with crowds, competitive energy, and upbeat pacing
  • The prom scene is emotionally intense, featuring elaborate memory wall displays and a public romantic confrontation
  • Car chase and motorcycle ride sequences add bursts of high energy
  • The discovery and confrontation over Elle and Noah's secret relationship is an emotionally charged, high-stakes scene
  • Overall pacing is typical of a teen dramedy — energetic in party and confrontation scenes but not chaotic or sensory-overwhelming
The Kissing Booth — Heads Up for Parents

Despite its light teen-comedy tone, the party scene where Elle gets drunk, nearly strips, and plans to go skinny dipping — combined with Warren later grabbing her and pressuring her into a hot tub before Noah punches him — is more intense than the film's poster and marketing suggest.

About The Kissing Booth

Elle Evans is a bright, sheltered teenager who has always followed a strict set of rules with her best friend Lee, including one forbidding her from dating his older brother Noah. When Elle runs a school kissing booth and unexpectedly kisses Noah, buried feelings surface, setting off a secret romance that threatens her lifelong friendship. It's a teen romantic comedy about first love, loyalty, and growing independence, with some fighting, party drinking, and strong language mixed into the coming-of-age story.

👨‍👧
Best watched together
Younger teens (13-14) will benefit from a parent present to discuss the frequent strong language, the party drinking scene where Elle nearly loses control, and the Warren hot tub incident, all of which carry more weight than the film's breezy tone implies.

Family Takeaways from The Kissing Booth

What it gets right

  • ✓Mrs. Flynn's conversation with Elle about friendship and forgiveness models healthy conflict resolution after the fight with Lee
  • ✓Elle's father's honest talk with Noah about respecting his daughter's autonomy reinforces that romantic relationships should not be controlling

The Kissing Booth Cultural & Values Guide

Cultural & Values Guide

Values & Themes
●Traditional family values

The film centers on Elle's close relationship with her father after her mother's death, emphasizing family communication and support. Her father's protective guidance and their honest conversations about relationships form the emotional backbone of the story.

Cast:Joey KingJoel CourtneyJacob ElordiMolly RingwaldStephen Jennings

Is The Kissing Booth Appropriate for Your Child's Age?

✗Age 5: Not recommended for 5-year-olds
✗Age 8: Not recommended for 8-year-olds
✗Age 10: Not recommended for 10-year-olds
✗Age 12: Not recommended for 12-year-olds
✗Age 13: Not recommended for 13-year-olds
✓Age 15: Generally appropriate for 15-year-olds
✓Age 17: Generally appropriate for 17-year-olds

Individual children may vary — use your judgment.

Parents also ask about The Kissing Booth

  • Is The Kissing Booth appropriate for a 14-year-old?
  • Does The Kissing Booth have violence?
  • Is The Kissing Booth OK for kids?
  • What is the age rating for The Kissing Booth?

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