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VERSE OF THE DAY “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23
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MOVIE REVIEW

SABRINA

A witty, romantic Cinderella story with a moral heart.

2012PG125 minutesParamount PicturesComedy
Worth the trip — middle school and up.
ENTERTAINMENT QUALITY ★★★ 3 / 4 Delightful, witty, and warmly romantic.
FAMILY CONTENT Discernment −1 on the +4 to −4 scale Discernment advised; generally fine for middle schoolers and up, while parents should decide for younger children.
CONTENT LEVELS NONE → HEAVY
Language Light
Violence Light
Sex Light
Nudity None
BEST FOR Families with middle schoolers and older viewers who enjoy romantic comedies with moral resolution.
NOT FOR Viewers seeking a completely profanity-free romance, or families unwilling to discuss materialism and romantic manipulation.
CONTENT IN ONE LINE Seven exclamatory profanities, one vulgarity, one off-color joke, implied promiscuity, and themes of manipulation and materialistic greed.
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Should You Watch It?

SABRINA offers a refreshing alternative to the more torrid romantic comedies of its era. Its fairy-tale setup is witty and romantic, its characters are colorful and likable, and its dilemmas are resolved within a moral framework.

The film has no sex, nudity, or violence, though promiscuity is implied and the content section notes a kissing scene in bed. The main concerns are exclamatory profanity, materialistic greed, and the way romantic love becomes entangled with manipulation.

If your family can handle some profanity and thoughtful conversation about wealth and love, this is a charming choice for middle schoolers and up. The practical answer: WORTH THE TRIP — MIDDLE SCHOOL AND UP.

The Story

NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISES

Sabrina Fairchild is the chauffeur’s daughter on the wealthy Larrabee estate. She has long been infatuated with David Larrabee, a charming playboy, while standing in awe of his serious, workaholic brother, Linus.

After a year in Paris, Sabrina returns transformed. David notices her immediately, but his family has business interests tied to his pending marriage. Linus steps in to protect the family’s plans, and the romantic complications begin.

Is It Any Good?

Three stars means SABRINA is a solid, appealing romantic comedy rather than an unquestionable classic. The witty screenplay gives fresh energy to an old-fashioned fairy tale, using contemporary observations to add charm to the story.

The characters are colorful and likable, and the film’s romantic and whimsical qualities make it delightful overall. Its moral resolution also gives the story more substance than a simple fairy tale.

The Worldview

SABRINA emphasizes family love, self-sacrifice, and repentance, while also drawing on humanist and romantic ideas. Romantic love is the central focus, but the story does not treat desire as the only moral concern. It also examines manipulation and materialistic greed, especially where wealth and business interests shape personal relationships.

The film’s moral framework aligns with Scripture when it values love, self-sacrifice, and repentance. It departs from a biblical view by making romantic fulfillment the main answer to its characters’ longings rather than directing those longings toward God.

The story’s concern with self-giving love can be considered alongside Scripture’s description: “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude” (1 Corinthians 13:4).

Movieguide® worldview codes: B, C, Ro, H, L, V, S, M — preserved for our database, awards research and the annual Report to the Entertainment Industry. What the codes mean →

The Content Guide

The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.

Content Summary

Moral worldview emphasizing family love, self-sacrifice & repentance with humanist & romantic elements as well as romantic love as the focus; 7 exclamatory profanities, 1 vulgarity & 1 off-color joke; 2 scenes of man being punched; implied promiscuity & kissing scene in bed; and, miscellaneous themes of manipulation and materialistic greed

Talk About It

Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.

01

The story places romantic love alongside family love and self-sacrifice. How should love for another person shape, and be shaped by, love for family?

1 Corinthians 13:4–7 · Philippians 2:3–4
02

Wealth and business interests affect the characters’ relationships. What does Jesus teach about the danger of allowing material possessions to control our hearts?

Matthew 6:19–21 · 1 Timothy 6:9–10
03

The story includes manipulation within romantic relationships. What is the difference between pursuing love honestly and trying to control another person?

Ephesians 4:25 · Philippians 2:3–4
04

The film emphasizes repentance as part of its moral resolution. What does genuine repentance look like, and how is it different from merely feeling sorry?

2 Corinthians 7:10 · Acts 3:19

The Final Word

SABRINA is a witty, romantic, and morally refreshing fairy tale with a few content concerns. For families with middle schoolers and older, it offers charm and worthwhile conversation about love, sacrifice, greed, and repentance. WORTH THE TRIP — MIDDLE SCHOOL AND UP.

THE VERDICT Worth the trip — middle school and up.
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