Glass (2019) – Is it OK for kids? Age 13+ | SkyMe

Movie details

Genres: Thriller, Drama, Science Fiction
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Main cast: James McAvoy, Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, Sarah Paulson, Anya Taylor-Joy
Country / region: United States of America
Original language: en
Premiere: 2019-01-16

Story overview

Glass is a 2019 psychological thriller that concludes M. Night Shyamalan's superhero trilogy. The film follows David Dunn, a man with superhuman strength and invulnerability, as he tracks Kevin Wendell Crumb, a man with dissociative identity disorder who manifests 24 distinct personalities, some of which are violent. They are both captured and placed in a psychiatric institution where Dr. Ellie Staple attempts to convince them that their extraordinary abilities are delusions. Meanwhile, the mastermind Elijah Price (Mr. Glass) orchestrates events to prove that superhumans exist. The film explores themes of identity, reality, and the nature of heroism and villainy through tense psychological drama and supernatural elements.

Parent Guide

Glass is a complex psychological thriller with mature themes that requires viewer discretion. The film contains moderate violence, intense psychological situations, and disturbing content related to mental illness. While rated PG-13, it pushes the boundaries of that rating with its dark themes and emotional intensity. Best suited for mature teens who can handle psychological thrillers and discussions about identity and reality.

Content breakdown

Violence & peril

Moderate

Several fight scenes with physical confrontations, though not excessively graphic. Characters are shown in peril, including being restrained, threatened, and attacked. Some scenes show characters breaking bones (heard, not shown graphically) and being injured. There's a climactic confrontation with physical violence and destruction.

Scary / disturbing

Moderate

Psychological tension throughout as characters question their sanity. Disturbing portrayal of dissociative identity disorder with sudden personality shifts. Some jump scares and intense moments. The institutional setting and treatment of patients may be unsettling. Themes of manipulation and psychological control.

Language

Mild

Some mild profanity including 'hell,' 'damn,' and 'ass.' Occasional stronger language but within PG-13 limits. No excessive or aggressive cursing.

Sexual content & nudity

None

No sexual content or nudity. Some brief romantic references but no sexual situations.

Substance use

None

No substance use shown. Characters are in a medical setting where medications might be referenced but not shown being used recreationally.

Emotional intensity

Strong

High emotional intensity throughout as characters grapple with identity, reality, and purpose. Themes of institutionalization, mental health struggles, and existential questions create sustained tension. Characters experience fear, confusion, anger, and desperation. The psychological manipulation creates emotional distress for both characters and viewers.

Parent tips

Glass contains intense psychological themes, violence, and disturbing content that may be challenging for younger viewers. The film deals with mental illness, particularly dissociative identity disorder, in a dramatic and sometimes frightening context. There are scenes of peril, physical confrontations, and emotional intensity. The PG-13 rating reflects moderate violence, scary moments, and some strong language. Parents should consider their child's sensitivity to psychological thrillers and themes of identity before viewing.

Parent chat guide

After watching Glass, discuss with your child: How did the movie portray mental health conditions like dissociative identity disorder? What makes someone a hero or a villain in the story? Talk about the difference between believing in yourself versus having delusions. Explore the theme of identity - how do we know who we really are? For older teens, you might discuss the ethical questions about institutionalization and treatment of people with extraordinary abilities.

Parent follow-up questions

—

What parts of the movie felt scary to you?
How did you feel when the characters were in danger?
Can you tell me what was happening in the hospital scenes?

What did you think about how the movie showed someone with multiple personalities?
Why do you think Dr. Staple wanted to convince them they weren't special?
How did the ending make you feel about the characters' choices?

How does the film comment on society's treatment of people who are different?
What philosophical questions about identity and reality does the movie raise?
Do you think the portrayal of mental illness was respectful or sensationalized? Why?

⚠️ Deep Film Analysis (Contains Spoilers) · Click to Expand

“ M. Night Shyamalan's superhero deconstruction is a glass half-empty of missed potential.

🎭 Story Kernel

At its core, 'Glass' is about the tyranny of narratives—how institutions weaponize stories to control those who don't fit their worldview. The characters are driven by their need to either prove or disprove their own mythologies: David Dunn seeks validation of his purpose, Kevin Crumb's alters fight for survival, and Elijah Glass desperately wants his comic-book theory of superhumans to be real. The film's central conflict isn't hero versus villain, but individual identity versus institutional categorization. The psychiatric facility becomes a metaphor for society's need to pathologize difference, with Dr. Staple representing the medical establishment's desire to explain away the extraordinary as mental illness.

🎬 Visual Aesthetics

Shyamalan employs a deliberate visual language that mirrors the film's themes of fragility and perception. The color palette shifts from the muted blues and greens of Dunn's rainy Philadelphia to the sterile, clinical whites of the psychiatric facility, finally exploding into the vibrant primary colors of the comic-book-inspired finale. Camera work is notably restrained—tight close-ups emphasize characters' isolation, while wide shots of the institution's hallways create a sense of institutional oppression. The action sequences feel intentionally grounded and clumsy compared to typical superhero fare, visually reinforcing the film's thesis that these are broken people, not gods.

🔍 Details & Easter Eggs

1

The recurring water motif—Dunn's weakness—is visually foreshadowed in early scenes where he's constantly shown near sprinklers, leaking pipes, and rain, establishing vulnerability before the climactic drowning.

2

In the psychiatric facility, the color of each character's clothing subtly corresponds to their comic-book archetype: Dunn wears blue (the hero), Crumb wears purple (the villain), and Glass wears green (the mastermind).

3

The security camera footage shown throughout the film uses different aspect ratios and film grains, visually distinguishing between 'institutional observation' and 'character perspective' narratives.

💡 Behind the Scenes

James McAvoy prepared for his role as Kevin Crumb by working with a dissociative identity disorder specialist and creating distinct physicality for each alter—The Beast's movements were inspired by big cats, while Hedwig's childlike posture came from observing children's gait. The psychiatric facility scenes were filmed at the former Allentown State Hospital in Pennsylvania, a real decommissioned mental institution that provided authentic atmospheric decay. Samuel L. Jackson spent most of his filming time in a wheelchair and minimal makeup, relying entirely on vocal delivery and eye movements to portray Glass's calculated menace.

Trailer

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