Girl in the Basement 2021

Movie · 1h 28m

13+ Ages 12-14

Editor

Excellent

PG-13

Director: Elisabeth Röhm

Cast: Judd Nelson, Stefanie Scott, Joely Fisher, Braxton Bjerken, Kim Rosen, Emily Topper, Emma Myers, Jake Nuttall, Liam Pileggi, Jake Etheridge, Sydney Kowalske

Thriller TV Movie Crime

What's the Story?

Sara is a teen girl who is looking forward to her 18th birthday to move away from her controlling father Don. But before she could even blow out the candles, Don imprisons her in the basement of their home.

Content Ratings

What's in the title & why it matters

Language Mild

1/5

almost zero cussing. very light.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking Mild

2/5

minimal substance use. The primary distress comes entirely from the dark human themes.

Violence & Scariness Moderate

3/5

Features intense domestic abuse, physical assaults, kidnapping, and the forced confinement of a teenager in a locked bunker. The movie also depicts a traumatic childbirth and a tragic newborn death/miscarriage inside the basement.

Sex, Romance & Nudity Heavy

4/5

The core plot details a father repeatedly assaulting, raping, and impregnating his own daughter over a span of 20 years. While the physical acts of sexual violence are largely implied or kept off-camera, the psychological reality of incest and sexual slavery is central to the movie.

Diverse Representations Mild

2/5

Flow & Focus Mild

2/5

Positive Role Models Mild

2/5

Products & Purchases Mild

1/5

Where to Watch

DirecTV

Photos & Videos

1 / 4

The Review

Written by Parent Guide Plus Editors

The movie follows Sara Cody (Stefanie Scott), a vibrant teenager eagerly anticipating her 18th birthday to move away from her domineering, narcissistic father, Don (Judd Nelson). Before she can escape, Don tricks her into entering the soundproof basement bunker he built under their home.