Common Sense Media Review
By Kat Halstead , based on child development research. How do we rate?
age 14+
Father-daughter road trip drama has mature themes, language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
-
Language
a lot
Language includes "f--k," "f---ing," and "s--t."
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.
Get started
-
Violence & Scariness
some
References to the Holocaust and concentration camps. Mention of a city being razed to the ground by German troops. Excerpts from books read in voiceover that call for Jewish people to be exterminated. Reference to gas chambers, starving, shootings, beatings, and murder. Death of wife and mother mentioned, as well as multiple family members during the Holocaust. A person tattoos themselves with a needle, which is shown in close-up. Reference to a person waking up screaming every night following traumatic events. Characters visit Auschwitz and a survivor recounts arriving there, with shouting heard in his memory.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
Get started
-
Sex, Romance & Nudity
some
Kiss on the lips at an airport. Sexual references. Implication sex has taken place when someone spends the night in another's room after dancing together. Character seen in underwear, with nipples slightly visible through top, and later seen naked in the bath with breasts showing -- both in a non-sexual context.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.
Get started
-
Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
some
Characters smoke cigarettes. Alcohol is seen in a minibar. Characters drink out of a hip flask, in a hotel bar, and drink shots of vodka outside.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.
Get started
-
Products & Purchases
a little
Mention of McDonald's, Mercedes, Sony Walkman, and Adidas clothing.
-
Positive Messages
some
Openness and connection can be healing. Have faith in the strength of others. People deal with things in different ways. Suppressing emotion can lead to feeling distant and frustrated. Money earns respect.
-
Positive Role Models
a little
Ruth wants to be closer to her father, Edek, and gain a greater understanding of his past, but isn't always mindful of the traumas he's suffered and how they stay with him. Edek is protective, accompanying his daughter because he's worried about her safety, but avoids too much talk of emotion, leaving her frustrated.
-
Diverse Representations
a little
Lena Dunham and Stephen Fry both have Jewish ancestry, but neither have Polish roots. Fry's grandparents were Hungarian Jews, and his great grandparents were sent to a concentration camp. Fry learned some Polish for the role, which he speaks with a heavy accent. Supporting actors are of Polish origin. Dunham's character Ruth is overweight and it's implied she has an eating disorder -- she eats carefully and little, and sucks chocolate and spits it out. Passing mention of an old coat making a man look like "a street person."
Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.
-
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Treasure is a drama about a journalist, Ruth (Lena Dunham), who travels to Poland with her father, Edek (Stephen Fry), to explore the places of his past and understand more about her heritage. There are some lighthearted scenes, but also mature themes. Edek is a Holocaust survivor who was imprisoned at Auschwitz, and there are frequent references to the Holocaust, concentration camps, and murder throughout. There are also references to self-harm, with a character tattooing themselves, and implication of an eating disorder. The dialogue is mostly in English, with Polish spoken accompanied by English subtitles. There are sexual references, the implication sex has taken place when a person emerges from another's room wearing a robe after dancing together, and a woman's breasts are seen in the bath in a non-sexual context. Strong language includes "s--t" and "f--k," and characters drink and smoke on occasion. Ruth and Edek struggle to communicate at times but show curiosity and empathy in ultimately coming to understand each other better. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Treasure
Parent and Kid Reviews
See all
- Parents say
- Kids say
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
Rate movie
What's the Story?
In TREASURE, American journalist Ruth (Lena Dunham) travels to Poland with her father Edek (Stephen Fry) in 1991, shortly after the lifting of the Iron Curtain. Keen to explore her heritage and better understand her family's past, Ruth plans a busy itinerary of historical landmarks and her father's childhood haunts. But Edek, a Holocaust survivor, starts to sabotage her plans and divert her attention, believing some things are better left in the past.
Is It Any Good?
Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated Rate movie
Kids say: Not yet rated Rate movie
This understated but touching drama is based on an award-winning novel, which was inspired by the true story of a Holocaust survivor and his daughter returning to Poland to visit places from his past. With Dunham and Fry in the lead roles, Treasure is adapted (from Lily Brett's book Too Many Men) for the screen as a sweet, occasionally funny, father-daughter road trip that touches on issues that are important but deserve a deeper exploration. The shadow of the Holocaust hangs over most scenes, and though the material is handled with sensitivity for the most part, it feels a little skirted over in others. Fry's jovial but avoidant father is the perfect match for Dunham's gloomy, put upon daughter, and their relationship feels pretty realistic at the heart, even if neither character is particularly likable. Similarly to the characters themselves, the movie never quite settles into its place or tone. But the journey still has poignant moments and opens up a wider conversation to explore.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the subject of the Holocaust was treated in Treasure. What part did Edek's experience play in the narrative as a whole? Do you think the subject was sensitively handled? How did it compare to other films that feature Holocaust survivors as characters?
The movie is based on a book that's, in turn, based on a real-life story of a father and daughter who went on a similar road trip. Does knowing it's based on a true story affect the impact of the film and how you experienced it?
Ruth showed curiosity in wanting to find out about her father Edek's past, and both she and Edek showed empathy toward each other as they gradually opened up. Why are these important character strengths? Can you think of times when you've shown curiosity or empathy in your own life?
Discuss the strong language used. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it add to the story?
Movie Details
- In theaters: June 14, 2024
- On DVD or streaming: July 30, 2024
- Cast: Lena Dunham, Stephen Fry, Zbigniew Zamachowski
- Director: Julia von Heinz
- Inclusion Information: Female directors, Female actors, Female writers
- Studio: Bleecker Street
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Book Characters, History
- Character Strengths: Curiosity, Empathy
- Run time: 112 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: some language
- Last updated: August 5, 2024
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Treasure
Suggest an Update
Your privacy is important to us. We won't share this comment without your permission. If you chose to provide an email address, it will only be used to contact you about your comment. See our privacy policy.
