I Am Not Your Negro (2017) Parents Guide: Is the movie OK for kids?
Age Rating, Sex, Violence & Language
Working from the text of James Baldwin’s unfinished final novel, director Raoul Peck creates a meditation on what it means to be Black in the United States.
Rated R • 2017 • 1h 33m
I Am Not Your Negro is a documentary built around James Baldwin’s unfinished manuscript; it received an R-level classification for its intense thematic material and disturbing historical footage. Parents should be aware of repeated archival scenes of police brutality and several stark photographs of lynched Black men, plus frequent historical uses of the racial slur and brief full‑frontal nudity in a film clip. The film also refers to… Sign up for the full guide
Cast
Is I Am Not Your Negro appropriate for kids?
I Am Not Your Negro is a documentary built around James Baldwin’s unfinished manuscript; it received an R-level classification for its intense thematic material and disturbing historical footage. Parents should be aware of repeated archival scenes of police brutality and several… Read more — free account
Content severity in I Am Not Your Negro
What happens in I Am Not Your Negro, moment by moment
- 0:05 💬 Language 5/10
- 0:08 🔥 Mature Themes 6/10
- 0:10 ⚔ Violence & Gore 5/10
Sex and nudity in I Am Not Your Negro
Mild and brief. A single archival clip (from the 1970 film Soldier Blue) includes a quick shot of a Native American woman briefly seen fully nude; it’s not eroticized and lasts only a moment. IMDb’s Parents Guide also flags this one short instance.
Violence and gore in I Am Not Your Negro
Moderate, mostly archival. The film intercuts historical footage of police beating protestors, crowd attacks and other real-world violence; these clips are disturbing but not graphically gory. Several scenes show people being assaulted or dragged by police and there are on-screen images of dead victims; IMDb notes multiple instances of police violence in the footage.
Language in I Am Not Your Negro
Moderate and contextual. Baldwin’s narration and archival clips include repeated uses of the N‑word in historical context; the end credits contain a rap with several uses of the F‑word. Language is used to document period attitudes and contemporary art, not for comic effect.
Drugs, alcohol, and smoking in I Am Not Your Negro
Mild. Occasional archival shots show people smoking or drinking in background footage; there is no focus on drug use or intoxication as a theme.
Mature themes in I Am Not Your Negro
Strong, explicit examination of racial violence and American history. The film names and discusses the assassinations of Medgar Evers, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr., and culminates in a montage of lynched Black men—an emotionally intense, explicit confrontation with racial terror. IMDb notes the film’s disturbing images of lynching and its frank treatment of racism; these sequences are core to the film’s message and can be upsetting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is I Am Not Your Negro appropriate for kids?
Bontent's parent guide suggests I Am Not Your Negro is best for ages 13+. It's rated R. I Am Not Your Negro is a documentary built around James Baldwin’s unfinished manuscript; it received an R-level classification for its intense thematic material and disturbing historical footage. Parents should be aware…
What age rating does I Am Not Your Negro have?
I Am Not Your Negro is officially rated R. Bontent's independent parent guide recommends it for ages 13+.
What is I Am Not Your Negro about?
I Am Not Your Negro is a documentary built around James Baldwin’s unfinished manuscript; it received an R-level classification for its intense thematic material and disturbing historical footage. Parents should be aware of repeated archival scenes of police brutality and several stark photographs of lynched Black men…
Is there sex or nudity in I Am Not Your Negro?
Mild and brief. A single archival clip (from the 1970 film Soldier Blue) includes a quick shot of a Native American woman briefly seen fully nude; it’s not eroticized and lasts only a moment. IMDb’s Parents Guide also flags this one short instance.
How violent is I Am Not Your Negro?
Moderate, mostly archival. The film intercuts historical footage of police beating protestors, crowd attacks and other real-world violence; these clips are disturbing but not graphically gory. Several scenes show people being assaulted or dragged by police…
Is the language in I Am Not Your Negro appropriate for kids?
Moderate and contextual. Baldwin’s narration and archival clips include repeated uses of the N‑word in historical context; the end credits contain a rap with several uses of the F‑word. Language is used to document period attitudes and contemporary art, not…
Are drugs, alcohol, or smoking shown in I Am Not Your Negro?
Mild. Occasional archival shots show people smoking or drinking in background footage; there is no focus on drug use or intoxication as a theme.
What mature themes appear in I Am Not Your Negro?
Strong, explicit examination of racial violence and American history. The film names and discusses the assassinations of Medgar Evers, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr., and culminates in a montage of lynched Black men—an emotionally intense, explicit…
How long is I Am Not Your Negro?
I Am Not Your Negro runs 93 minutes, directed by Raoul Peck, released in 2017.
Where can I read the full I Am Not Your Negro parent guide?
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