The Choice – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

The Choice

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2016

32%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A tragically formulaic Nicholas Sparks weepie that critics demolished and even romance fans found forgettable.

11%

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The Choice

movie

PG-13, 2016

32%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A tragically formulaic Nicholas Sparks weepie that critics demolished and even romance fans found forgettable.

11%

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11%

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Screenwise Verdict

Look, I'll be straight with you: this movie is not good. An 11% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 26 on Metacritic tell you everything you need to know. It's Nicholas Sparks at his most formulaic—cute meet, passionate romance, then BAM, tragic car crash and coma drama designed to wring tears from you whether you want to cry or not.

The content itself is fine for teens 13+: mild sexual stuff (some kissing, a foreplay scene, bedroom moments), a bit of language, and a car crash. But the real issue is the emotional weight of watching someone in a coma while her husband agonizes over whether to end life support. That's heavy, and the film doesn't handle it with enough nuance to make it truly enriching—it's just manipulative melodrama.

If your teen is a die-hard Nicholas Sparks fan and knows exactly what they're signing up for, fine. But honestly? There are so many better movies to watch together, even in the romance genre. This one is skippable.

Age Fit

Best for ages 13-17 who can handle heavy themes of grief, coma, and end-of-life decisions. Common Sense Media and Australian reviewers agree on 13+ with strong parental guidance for 12-14. Adults will likely find it too melodramatic and critically panned to enjoy.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

A Nicholas Sparks romance that leans heavily on formula: meet-cute, passionate romance, marriage, then a devastating car crash that leaves the wife in a coma. The emotional beats are manipulative rather than earned, and the life-support dilemma feels more like melodrama than meaningful exploration of grief. Sexual content (foreplay scene, bikini shots, bedroom scenes) and alcohol use are present but mild. The relationship models some kindness but mostly exists to set up the tragic third act.

Imaginative

This is paint-by-numbers Nicholas Sparks territory—small coastal town, attractive neighbors, flirtatious banter, inevitable tragedy. There's zero originality here. The 11% Rotten Tomatoes critic score and 26 Metacritic rating reflect just how formulaic and uninspired the execution is. It doesn't invite any creative thinking or exploration; it just asks you to cry on cue.

Safe

Rated PG-13 with mild sexual content (kitchen foreplay, bedroom scenes, bikini tops), occasional profanity ('ass,' 's-t,' 'knocked up'), and a slow-motion car crash. The real safety concern is the emotional intensity: a prolonged coma storyline and the moral weight of deciding to end life support. This isn't graphic or violent, but it's heavy and could be genuinely distressing for younger teens who aren't ready for end-of-life themes. Not shocking or inappropriate, but requires emotional maturity.

Enriching

There's potential here for conversations about grief, tough medical decisions, and consent in relationships—but the film doesn't earn it. The melodrama overwhelms any genuine insight. It might spark a discussion about life support or loss, but you'd be better off having that conversation with literally any other, more thoughtful piece of media. The 61% audience score suggests some viewers found it emotionally satisfying, but critics universally panned it as shallow and manipulative.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

If your teen loves Nicholas Sparks and wants the full small-town-romance-turned-tragedy experience, this delivers exactly that formula
Could open conversations about grief, coma care, and the ethics of life-support decisions—though the film handles these themes with a heavy hand
Mild enough in content (PG-13) that older teens won't encounter graphic violence or explicit sex
The 61% audience score suggests some viewers connected with the emotional beats, even if critics didn't

⚠

What to Watch For

The coma/life-support storyline is emotionally intense and could be genuinely distressing for younger or more sensitive teens
Sexual content includes a kitchen foreplay scene, bedroom scenes, and bikini shots—mild but present
The slow-motion car crash and its aftermath dominate the second half; this isn't a light watch
Critics savaged it (11% on RT) for being manipulative and shallow—if your teen is a discerning viewer, they'll likely find it boring or eye-roll-inducing

Conversation Starters

"What would you do if you had to make a decision like Travis did? How do you think people should talk about their wishes for medical care?"
"Do you think the movie earned its emotional moments, or did it feel like it was just trying to make you cry?"
"How do you think Gabby would have wanted Travis to handle her situation? What clues did the movie give us?"
"What makes a romance feel real versus formulaic to you?"

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