• Skip to content
  • Skip to navigation
Raising Children Network
  • Pregnancy
  • Newborns
  • Babies
  • Toddlers
  • Preschoolers
  • School age
  • Pre-teens
  • Teens
  • Grown-ups
  • Autism
  • Disability

Story

Nim’s Island tells the story of 11-year-old Nim (Abigail Breslin), who has lived on a secret island with her scientist father, Jack (Gerard Butler), since the death of her mother when she was a baby. Nim is left alone on the island for a few days when Jack leaves on a scientific voyage to find rare algae. Nim enjoys her time alone on the island reading her favourite Alex Rover adventure novels until all hours and hanging out with her animal friends.

Things change when a bad storm hits and leaves Jack stranded at sea. Nim now has to fend for herself against several natural and some not-so-natural threats. Despite her resilience and courage, Nim is frightened at being alone and worried for her father’s safety. When she receives a chance email from her favourite adventure novelist, Alex Rover, Nim decides to ask for help, believing that Alex is the male hero described in the books.

On the other side of the globe, Alex Rover (Jodie Foster) is the complete opposite of her alter-ego hero (also played by Gerard Butler). The real Alex struggles with agoraphobia that has kept her housebound for several months. When she receives an SOS from Nim, a little girl alone and afraid, she decides to confront her fears and find the courage of her book character to help her.

There is adventure, action and courage aplenty as Nim, her father and Alex Rover fight their fears to find their way to one another.

Themes

Death of a parent; a child separated from a parent and left to deal perilous situations alone

Violence

There is some violence in this movie including:

  • enactments of the Alex Rover novels include a number of Indiana Jones style scenes; a man captured by a number of attackers; a fight scene including knives; a man seen to have been killed in the fight; a man tied to a pole and thrown into a volcano
  • cartoon depiction of Nim’s mother’s death which shows her being eaten by a whale

Sexual references

None

Alcohol, drugs and other substances

There is minimal use of substances throughout this movie. There is one scene where adults are drinking cocktails on the beach.

Nudity and sexual activity

Women are shown wearing brief swimwear and revealing cleavage.

Product placement

The following products are displayed or used in this movie: Purcell hand sanitiser, Coca-Cola, Apple computers, National Geographic, Progresso soup (American brand) and Avanti.

Coarse language

This movie contains infrequent, very mild coarse language.

Ideas to discuss with your children

Nim’s Island is an adventure film with a strong female role model based on the book of the same name by Wendy Orwell. The main messages from this movie are that courage is a choice we make and that you can be the hero of your own life story.

You could talk about these messages as well the values of resilience, determination and independence, individuality, family connection, and love of science, books and learning. You might also find it interesting to talk about how you would deal in real life with situations that force you to confront your own fears and how you would cope living without technology.

Supported By

  • Department of Social Services

Raising Children Network is supported by the Australian Government. Member organisations are the Parenting Research Centre and the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute with The Royal Children’s Hospital Centre for Community Child Health.

Member Organisations

  • Parenting Research Centre
  • The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne
  • Murdoch Children's Research Institute

Follow us on social media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Twitter
Join 60,000 subscribers who receive free parenting news. Sign up now
Aboriginal flag (c) WAM Clothing
Torres Strait Islands flag
At raisingchildren.net.au we acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we live, gather and work. We recognise their continuing connection to land, water and community. We pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging.
  • Privacy statement
  • Terms of use

© 2006-2023 Raising Children Network (Australia) Limited. All rights reserved.

Warning: This website and the information it contains is not intended as a substitute for professional consultation with a qualified practitioner.

This website is certified by Health On the Net Foundation (HON) and complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information.