A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Positive Messages
a little
William defies the class system to compete as a knight. Characters pursue their ambitions and don't let anything stand in their way.
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Positive Role Models
very little
While born a peasant, William remains steadfast in his desire to be a knight and refuses to listen to those who tell him that he cannot be a knight due to his station in life.
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Violence & Scariness
some
Lots of jousting and sword-fighting violence, not too graphic, some blood. In one scene, a man is shown hanging dead from the gallows.
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Sex, Romance & Nudity
some
Male nudity: buttocks. A male character who joins the protagonist's entourage is completely naked as he walks through a field (buttocks shown). Some innuendo: talk of female breasts and of "uncross(ing) her legs."
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Language
some
Frequent use of the word "s--te," the UK pronunciation of "s--t." "Son of a bitch." "Bastard." "Hell." The word "fonging" is repeatedly used by one of the characters -- in some contexts it means beating someone up, and in others, it seems to mean "f---ing." Some sexual insinuation: talk of breasts, of "uncross(ing) her legs."
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Products & Purchases
a little
The blacksmith adds a personal touch to the lead character's armor: She adds two "swooshes" that look a lot like the Nike logo.
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
a little
Drinking in taverns, boisterous behavior.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that A Knight's Tale is a 2001 medieval movie in which a man born a peasant sets out to prove that he's worthy of being a knight. There's frequent jousting and sword-fighting violence: Characters fall off horses, sustain severe bruises, some blood. A man is shown hanging dead from the gallows. As the quest begins, a naked man suddenly appears and walks past the knight-to-be's entourage; brief male nudity (buttocks). There's some sexual innuendo: talk of breasts, a mention of having "uncrossed her legs." Some language occurs: frequent use of "s--te," the UK variant of "s--t." The word "fonging," used frequently by one of the characters, can sometimes mean beating someone up, but in other contexts it has an "F" word connotation. There are some modern nods throughout the movie, primarily in the form of classic rock songs like "We Will Rock You" and "The Boys Are Back in Town," but this nod to modernity takes a turn into product placement territory when the blacksmith of the group, upon giving the knight his newest armor, distinguishes it by carving swooshes that look like the Nike symbol. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
What's the Story?
Heath Ledger plays William Thatcher, a knight's squire who steps into his liege's armor when the knight is killed in a jousting match. All he is thinking of is winning the match so that he can get some food for himself and the other two squires (Mark Addy as Roland and Alan Tudyk as Wat). But once the armor is on and the lance is in his hand, his childhood dream of being a knight is awakened, and he persuades Roland and Wat to help him pretend to be a nobleman so that he can continue to compete.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the music. Does it distract or add to the story?
How does this story compare to other medieval quest movies?
How was Geoffrey Chaucer, the author of the immortal work The Canterbury Tales, presented in this movie? To what extent do you think this was an adequate representation, and where do you think the movie exaggerated or took liberties?
