Poster for I Know What You Did Last Summer

I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) Parents Guide: Is the movie OK for kids?

Name: I Know What You Did Last Summer
Director: Jim Gillespie
Released: 1997
Duration: 102 min
Rating: 6.0

Age Rating, Sex, Violence & Language

After an accident on a winding road, four teens make the fatal mistake of dumping their victim's body into the sea. Exactly one year later, the deadly secret resurfaces as they're stalked by a hook-handed figure.

Rated R • 1997 • 1h 42m

Directed by Jim Gillespie

6.0

2K+

Average rating by Bontent members

Age

13+

I Know What You Did Last Summer is rated R primarily for slasher-style violence and repeated strong language. Parents should be aware of several bloody attacks by a hook-wielding killer (including on-screen impalement, a slashing murder, and a severed hand), frequent profanity, and brief sexual content (kissing, revealing swimwear, a towel/shower moment). The story follows Julie James and her friends in a small North Carolina town as a… Sign up for the full guide

Cast

Jennifer Love Hewitt

Freddie Prinze Jr.

Sarah Michelle Gellar

Ryan Phillippe

Bridgette Wilson

Johnny Galecki

Muse Watson

Anne Heche

Stuart Greer

Dan Albright

Rasool J'Han

J. Don Ferguson

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Is I Know What You Did Last Summer appropriate for kids?

Content severity in I Know What You Did Last Summer

Sex Moderate 3/10

Violence Intense 8/10

Language Strong 7/10

Substances Mild 2/10

Themes Strong 7/10

What happens in I Know What You Did Last Summer, moment by moment

0:08 ♥ Sex & Nudity 2/10
0:09 🍷 Substances 2/10
0:12 ⚔ Violence & Gore 6/10

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Sex and nudity in I Know What You Did Last Summer

Mild, brief and non-graphic. Examples: two couples kiss on the beach early on, several female characters in revealing bathing suits and cleavage onstage at a beauty pageant, and Julie is shown wrapped in a towel after a shower for a short time. No explicit sex or nudity is shown.

Violence and gore in I Know What You Did Last Summer

Strong slasher violence and several on-screen murders: a hit-and-run that sparks the plot, multiple hook attacks with visible blood, and bodies revealed in disturbing ways (a corpse in a trunk covered in crabs, victims stashed in an icebox). Specific moments include an impalement under the chin, a woman slashed and later carried on a hook, and the climactic severing of the attacker's hand; the film contains bloody, suspenseful set pieces throughout.

Language in I Know What You Did Last Summer

Frequent strong profanity throughout the teens' dialogue. Numerous uses of 'fuck' and other coarse words occur in arguments and tense scenes, with one character (Barry) using many of the strongest expletives. Expect heavy teen-slashers' language.

Drugs, alcohol, and smoking in I Know What You Did Last Summer

Mild teen substance use. Brief scenes show drinking at a July 4th celebration and one character smoking a cigarette; these are casual, not glamorized, and not central to the plot.

Mature themes in I Know What You Did Last Summer

Strong themes of guilt, cover-up, revenge and trauma run through the film: the central hit-and-run and the group's pact to hide it drive the stalking and the killer's retaliation. The movie explores the long-term fallout of the teens' secret (strained futures, paranoia) and includes multiple on-screen deaths and grief as consequences.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is I Know What You Did Last Summer appropriate for kids?

Bontent's parent guide suggests I Know What You Did Last Summer is best for ages 13+. It's rated R. I Know What You Did Last Summer is rated R primarily for slasher-style violence and repeated strong language. Parents should be aware of several bloody attacks by a hook-wielding killer (including on-screen impalement…

What age rating does I Know What You Did Last Summer have?

I Know What You Did Last Summer is officially rated R. Bontent's independent parent guide recommends it for ages 13+.

What is I Know What You Did Last Summer about?

Is there sex or nudity in I Know What You Did Last Summer?

How violent is I Know What You Did Last Summer?

Is the language in I Know What You Did Last Summer appropriate for kids?

Are drugs, alcohol, or smoking shown in I Know What You Did Last Summer?

Mild teen substance use. Brief scenes show drinking at a July 4th celebration and one character smoking a cigarette; these are casual, not glamorized, and not central to the plot.

What mature themes appear in I Know What You Did Last Summer?

How long is I Know What You Did Last Summer?

I Know What You Did Last Summer runs 102 minutes, directed by Jim Gillespie, released in 1997.

Where can I read the full I Know What You Did Last Summer parent guide?

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