The Official Story – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

The Official Story

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie1985

52%

WISE Score

100

Avg. Tomatometer

A haunting Argentine drama about a woman discovering her adopted daughter may be the child of a 'disappeared' political prisoner.

7.7/10

100%

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The Official Story

movie

NR, 1985

52%

WISE Score

100

Avg. Tomatometer

A haunting Argentine drama about a woman discovering her adopted daughter may be the child of a 'disappeared' political prisoner.

7.7

100%

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Screenwise Verdict

The Official Story is a masterpiece—there's no question about that. It won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, holds a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Roger Ebert called it 'powerfully moving.' It's a searing exploration of complicity, courage, and the human cost of dictatorship.

But let's be real: this is a tough watch. It's a 1985 Argentine film, subtitled, slow-paced, and emotionally devastating. The subject matter—stolen babies, torture, disappearances—is heavy and triggering. For a history-minded 17-year-old or an adult interested in human rights, it's profoundly enriching. For a 13-year-old or anyone looking for entertainment? Absolutely not.

This belongs on a high school curriculum or a college syllabus, not a Friday night movie list. If you're watching with an older teen, be prepared for hard conversations. It's important, it's brilliant, but it's also brutal.

Age Fit

This is for older teens (16-17+) and adults. The subject matter—Argentina's Dirty War, stolen babies, and state-sponsored disappearances—is emotionally and psychologically intense. It's an important film for mature viewers interested in human rights and political history, but it's not appropriate for younger teens or anyone not ready for heavy, triggering content.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

This is a wrenching drama about Argentina's Dirty War, stolen babies, and state terror. It models courage and truth-seeking, but the emotional weight is crushing—torture, disappearances, and a family torn apart by political horror. Not emotionally healthy for young viewers, though deeply humane in its treatment of impossible moral questions.

Imaginative

A thoughtful, intelligent political drama that invites viewers to grapple with complicity, willful ignorance, and the cost of confronting uncomfortable truths. The narrative structure—a slow awakening to horror—is compelling, but this isn't imaginative in the playful sense. It's cerebral and morally complex, asking hard questions rather than sparking creative exploration.

Safe

IMDb parents guide notes moderate violence and frightening scenes. This film depicts the aftermath of torture, references kidnapping and murder of political prisoners, and centers on the theft of babies from disappeared mothers. No graphic gore, but the psychological terror and implied violence are intense. Common Sense Media pegs it at 15+, which feels right—this is heavy, triggering content about state-sponsored atrocities.

Enriching

Roger Ebert and critics universally praise this as a 'proudly intelligent, powerfully moving drama.' It's a masterclass in political and personal awakening, exploring complicity, moral courage, and the human cost of dictatorship. The film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and holds a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. For mature teens and adults, it's profoundly enriching—a window into Argentina's dark history and a meditation on truth versus comfort.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Academy Award winner with 100% on Rotten Tomatoes—this is a critically revered masterpiece of political cinema
A deeply humane exploration of complicity, willful ignorance, and the courage it takes to face uncomfortable truths
Offers a window into Argentina's Dirty War and the stolen babies scandal—essential history that's rarely taught in U.S. schools
For older teens studying human rights, authoritarianism, or Latin American history, this is profoundly enriching
The moral dilemma at its core—a mother's love versus justice for the disappeared—is heartbreaking and thought-provoking

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What to Watch For

Heavy themes: torture, disappearances, kidnapping, and state terror are central to the plot—this is not light viewing
Emotionally intense and psychologically draining; the film is designed to make you uncomfortable
Subtitled, slow-paced 1985 filmmaking—modern teens may struggle to stay engaged despite the powerful story
Common Sense Media recommends 15+, but honestly 16-17+ feels more appropriate given the weight of the subject matter

Conversation Starters

"What would you do if you discovered a truth that could destroy your family?"
"Why do you think Alicia chose to ignore the signs for so long? Have you ever avoided something because it was too hard to face?"
"What responsibility do ordinary citizens have when their government does terrible things?"
"How do you think the grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo felt, searching for their stolen grandchildren for decades?"

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