
Running with Scissors
Young Augusten Burroughs absorbs experiences that could make for a shocking memoir: the son of an alcoholic father and an unstable mother, he's handed off to his mother's therapist, Dr. Finch, and spends his adolescent years as a member of Finch's bizarre extended family.
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Search on JustWatchBetter for ages 16+: heavy sexual content, moderate language
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Is "Running with Scissors" appropriate for children?
ValorScore's Content Advisory for "Running with Scissors" is "Heavy" (48/100), measuring sex, violence, language, and drug use. One example of the evidence behind this reading: “learning about love with an older man and making major decisions at 15 years old” (The text explicitly mentions the minor's relationship with an older man.). See the full per-axis breakdown below to decide if it fits your family.
See the per-axis breakdownDoes "Running with Scissors" have woke/ideological content?
In ValorScore's editorial reading, "Running with Scissors" has ideological presence rated "Heavy". This is opinion backed by evidence, not a verdict: one cited example is “Abandoned by his parents and adopted by the Finch family” (The text describes family abandonment and the collapse of the parents' marriage.). The overall ValorScore (cleanliness + value + audience rating) is 34/100. See every axis and its evidence in the breakdown below.
See the per-axis breakdownScores reflect community and AI analysis as opinion with evidence — not a factual verdict.
Per-axis score breakdown
Axes on a 0–10 scale (the score at the top of the page runs 0 to 100).
AI analysis · reviewed by the community · How we calculate the scores
Ideological reading (editorial opinion)
This is ValorScore’s editorial reading + community reactions — not a claim that the work objectively is X% woke.
- Anti-Family7.0AI Analysis
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