Why You Should See Bohemian Rhapsody

I've always played good music around my kids because I wanted them to know what it sounds like. So when they were small, I played The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Queen...

When my daughter saw the preview for Bohemian Rhapsody, she was like, "Oh, we have to see that, I love Queen!"

Not many 11-year-olds even know who Queen is. They're too busy listening to auto tune music. But my daughter knows.

I told her I wanted to wait to be sure there wasn't any inappropriate scenes. Freddie Mercury, the lead singer, as many know, had a crazy lifestyle. I did my research and found it would be okay.


So we went. And we loved the movie.

Here are reasons why you need to see it.


1. Freddie Mercury wasn't afraid to be himself. It's a lesson I'm always telling my daughter. Don't be like everyone else. Be different. Stand out. Wear the crown.

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2. The songs are incredible. I mean, duh. My parents listened to them when I was growing up so I learned them from an early age. So did my kids. Obviously many songs are in the film.

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3. You are reminded that being rich doesn't mean all your problems go away. I admit, sometimes I think, man, life would be easier with money, but it's not the case. Freddie became successful but he wasn't exactly happy all the time. When you get famous like that, it's hard to trust people. You wonder if they truly want to be your friend, or if they just want something from you.

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4. Oh yeah, the kid who played Tim in Jurassic Park plays John Deacon, the bass guitar player.  Natalie found that to be neat. Also, yes, that IS Allen Leech from Downton Abbey (he played Tom Branson) as Paul, Freddie Mercury's manager.

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5. There aren't any graphic scenes in the movie. Some people were wondering about sex and drugs and all of that, but there's nothing crazy. You see worse in Grey's Anatomy, honestly. You can feel safe bringing your child or your prudish family member.

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6. It truly is a feel good movie. You'll walk out singing Queen songs and I can almost bet, if you don't already have them all, you'll head to iTunes to download some.

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My daughter has started Middle School, and sometimes she struggles to be who she is. She can be out there. She still loves to dress up. I mean, she went to school dressed like Alexander Hamilton a few weeks ago for Red Ribbon Week.

Not a lot of her peers are like that. They're quiet and want to blend in. Natalie? Well, she doesn't. But I know she's at that age where she worries what people think about her. This movie--FREDDIE--reminded her that she should always be who she is.

Freddie said "The whole point of Queen was to be original."

So I told Natalie, "Be original. Embrace your inner Freddie."

It's a lesson for us all, really.