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Never Been Kissed poster

Is Never Been Kissed OK for Kids?

RomanceComedyDrama
13+
PG-13⭐ 6.0 / 101999 · 1h 47m
Raja Gosnell

Where to Watch

United States

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Disney Plus

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Streaming data by JustWatch

What's In It

Based on the actual screenplay
🗡️Violence
Very Mild▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
5
Cartoon / Comedic
0
Action & Peril
0
Injuries & Death Shown
0
Graphic & Disturbing
  • Boys pour Sprite into Josie's backpack in the school hallway as a prank
  • Josie's face is smashed into a locker door by bullies, played for comedic/cringe effect
  • Teenage Josie is pelted with eggs thrown from a passing limo
  • Dog food is dumped on a character named Guy during the prom, and Josie tackles another character (Aldys) to try to stop a similar prank
  • All violence is cartoonish, humiliation-based bullying with no real injuries or blood shown
💬Language
Moderate▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
2
Mild Words
(damn, hell)
10
Moderate
(ass, b**ch)
1
Strong
(sh*t)
0
Extreme
(f**k)
  • Characters say 'da**' (2 times), 'hell' (3 times), 'a**' (4 times), 's**t' (2 times), and 'godda**' (1 time)
  • One use of 'f**k/f**king' occurs, pushing the language into stronger territory
  • No slurs or extreme/repeated profanity beyond the single f-word instance
👻Scary Scenes
Mild▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
2
Mildly Tense
1
Startling Moments
0
Genuinely Scary
0
Deeply Disturbing
  • Josie wakes up to discover a 'LOSER' stamp on her forehead, a tense moment of dawning humiliation rather than physical danger
  • Josie startles the audience by crashing into a locker door while running through a crowded hallway
  • A tense five-minute countdown on the pitcher's mound builds anxiety as Josie waits, unsure if anyone will show up to support her
  • All tense moments resolve positively (support arrives, embarrassment is overcome) with no lasting scares
💕Romance
Moderate▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
3
Crushes & Holding Hands
1
Kissing & Dating
4
Suggestive
0
Sexual Content
  • Josie develops crushes, first on popular boy Billy Prince in flashbacks, then on her teacher Sam Coulson in class, and is later asked to prom by a character named Guy
  • Sam and Josie share a passionate kiss on the pitcher's mound at a baseball game, the film's central romantic payoff
  • Sam explicitly acknowledges he was attracted to Josie even while believing she was a 17-year-old student, a teacher-student dynamic parents may want to discuss
  • Suggestive content includes references to Anita and Roger's sexual encounters, 16-year-old Tracy asking Rob to be her 'first,' and a condom demonstration during a sex-ed class scene
  • No sexual content is shown on screen; all intimacy is implied or referenced verbally
🍺Substances
Moderate▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
1
Mentioned in Passing
3
Shown Casually
1
Featured Prominently
0
Glorified or Abused
  • Beer and wine coolers are mentioned as being present at underage parties called 'The Court'
  • At a Jimmy Cliff concert, Josie smokes marijuana with a group of Rastafarians, a more prominently featured drug scene
  • Rob and other adult characters are shown drinking margaritas and alcohol at a house party
  • Marijuana use is referenced multiple times elsewhere in dialogue without being shown
  • Substance use is depicted casually rather than glorified or shown with serious consequences
⚡Stimulation
Moderate▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
0
Gently Engaging
2
Exciting
2
Intense
0
Overwhelming
  • A prom planning montage moves at an exciting, upbeat pace set to music
  • The baseball game featuring an excited crowd and TV news crews creates an energetic, exciting atmosphere
  • The final five-minute countdown sequence builds intensely as crowd energy grows
  • Josie's public prom confession, where she reveals her true age and reporter status, is an intense, high-stakes emotional sequence
  • Overall pacing is generally comedic and upbeat, with intensity concentrated in a few key emotional climaxes rather than constant action
Never Been Kissed — Heads Up for Parents

Parents may be caught off guard by how directly the film addresses Sam's romantic and physical attraction to Josie while he believes she is a 17-year-old student, including their kiss on the pitcher's mound before her true identity as an adult reporter is revealed.

About Never Been Kissed

A 25-year-old newspaper copy editor goes undercover as a high school student to write a story about teen life, only to relive the humiliation of her own awkward teenage years while falling for one of her teachers. It's a romantic comedy about second chances, self-acceptance, and the pain of high school social hierarchies, played mostly for laughs but with real emotional stakes around bullying and identity.

👨‍👧
Best watched together
The teacher-student romantic tension between Sam and Josie, along with references to teen sexuality (Tracy asking Rob to be her first, the condom demonstration), benefits from a parent present to provide context for viewers under 15.

Family Takeaways from Never Been Kissed

What it gets right

  • ✓The film portrays genuine, unconditional friendship through Aldys, who befriends Josie without hesitation and shows kindness throughout
  • ✓Rob's choice not to have sex with 16-year-old Tracy despite her request models thoughtful, age-appropriate restraint

Never Been Kissed Cultural & Values Guide

Cultural & Values Guide

Values & Themes
●Traditional family values

The film's central message revolves around Josie learning the importance of authentic relationships and finding acceptance within her family unit. Her brother's protective love and their reconciliation, along with the emphasis on being true to oneself rather than conforming to peer pressure, embodies core family values messaging.

Cast:Drew BarrymoreDavid ArquetteMolly ShannonMichael VartanJessica Alba

Is Never Been Kissed 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: Generally appropriate 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 Never Been Kissed

  • Is Never Been Kissed appropriate for a 13-year-old?
  • Does Never Been Kissed have violence?
  • Is Never Been Kissed OK for kids?
  • What is the age rating for Never Been Kissed?

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