How to Get Over a Breakup (2018) – Is it OK for kids? Age 14+

Movie details

Genres: Comedy
Director: Bruno Ascenzo, Joanna Lombardi
Main cast: Gisela Ponce de León, Karina Jordán, Jely Reategui, Christopher Von Uckermann, Carlos Carlín
Country / region: Peru
Original language: es
Premiere: 2018-05-31

Story overview

This 2018 Peruvian comedy follows María Fe, a young woman navigating single life after a six-year relationship. With support from her two close friends, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery, encountering old flames, new adventures, and humorous situations while learning to embrace independence.

Parent Guide

A lighthearted comedy about post-breakup life with mature themes and humor. Best suited for older teens with parental guidance due to relationship-focused content and adult situations.

Content breakdown

Violence & peril

None

No physical violence or perilous situations. The film focuses on emotional challenges rather than physical danger.

Scary / disturbing

None

No scary or disturbing content. The tone remains comedic throughout, even when dealing with emotional topics.

Language

Mild

May contain some mild adult language or suggestive dialogue typical of romantic comedies. No strong profanity expected given the comedic tone.

Sexual content & nudity

Moderate

Contains romantic situations, dating scenarios, and discussions about relationships. May include kissing, flirtation, and suggestive humor. No explicit nudity or sexual scenes based on the comedy genre and TV-MA rating.

Substance use

Mild

May include social drinking in party or dating situations typical of adult comedies. No depiction of substance abuse.

Emotional intensity

Moderate

Deals with breakup emotions, self-discovery, and relationship dynamics. The comedic approach keeps emotional moments light, but themes of heartbreak and moving on may resonate with viewers who have experienced similar situations.

Parent tips

This comedy deals with adult themes of relationships and breakups in a lighthearted way. Parents should be aware of the TV-MA rating, which indicates content may be unsuitable for children under 17. The film contains mature humor and situations related to dating and romance that may require explanation for younger viewers.

Parent chat guide

This film provides opportunities to discuss healthy relationships, emotional resilience after breakups, and the value of friendship. You might ask: 'How do María Fe's friends help her through this difficult time?' or 'What positive lessons does she learn about herself?' The movie shows that being single can be a period of growth and self-discovery.

Parent follow-up questions

—

What makes a good friend?
How do the characters help each other feel better?

How does María Fe handle her breakup in healthy ways?
What does she learn about herself during this time?
Why is it important to have supportive friends during difficult times?

How does the film portray the process of moving on after a long-term relationship?
What aspects of single life does María Fe discover she enjoys?
How does the film balance humor with the emotional challenges of breakups?

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

“ A breakup comedy that's secretly about the terrifying freedom of becoming yourself again.

🎭 Story Kernel

The film's true engine isn't the quest to 'get over' a breakup, but the protagonist's horrified realization that she must now define herself without the relationship's scaffolding. The plot's comedic checklist of recovery clichés—the rebound, the revenge makeover, the girls' trip—serves as a smokescreen for her deeper terror of self-construction. Her frantic activity masks a void; the driving force is the avoidance of the quiet moment where she must ask, 'Who am I now?' The ending's 'recovery' isn't about forgetting the ex, but about finally sitting in that quiet and beginning to build an identity that isn't a reaction to loss.

🎬 Visual Aesthetics

The cinematography undergoes a subtle but crucial evolution mirroring the protagonist's internal state. Early scenes are shot with a slightly shaky, handheld intimacy, trapping us in her chaotic emotional headspace. As she engages in performative 'recovery,' the visuals become overly saturated and crisp, mimicking the artificial brightness of social media highlight reels. The film's most powerful moments are visually still: static, wide shots where she is alone in a frame, emphasizing her newfound isolation. The color palette drains from warm, coupled tones to cooler, singular blues and greys, not to signal sadness, but a clearing away of emotional clutter.

🔍 Details & Easter Eggs

1

The protagonist's constantly dying phone battery is a visual metaphor for her depleted emotional and social energy, never fully 'charged' by the performative acts she engages in.

2

In the background of the 'empowering' gym scene, a poster for a motivational speaker is visibly peeling at the corner, subtly undermining the scene's surface-level 'transformation' narrative.

3

During the final scene, a plant in her apartment that was visibly wilted in the first act is now showing new growth, a quiet, non-verbal indicator of slow, organic recovery.

💡 Behind the Scenes

The film was shot on location in a single neighborhood over 22 days to maintain a cohesive, intimate feel. The lead actress reportedly improvised many of the more awkward, silent reactions during the therapy scenes, which the director kept for their authenticity. A key argument scene was rewritten the night before filming based on the actors' personal experiences with post-breakup negotiations over shared possessions.