PG-13

The Next Best Thing

Best friends make the best mistakes

2000 • 108 min • Comedy · Drama · Romance

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Synopsis

A comedy-drama about best friends - one a straight woman, Abbie, the other a gay man, Robert - who decide to have a child together. Five years later, Abbie falls in love with a straight man and wants to move away with her and Robert's little boy Sam, and a nasty custody battle ensues.

Our family guide

Best from age 13

Movie Knight Score

206 reviews

52 Audience · 206 · 100%

Abbie and Robert, best friends, decide to have a child together. Five years later, Abbie falls in love and wants to move away with their son, leading to a custody battle. This comedy-drama explores unconventional family structures and the challenges of co-parenting.

Violence & peril: 1/10
Language: 3/10
Drinking, drugs & smoking: 3/10
Romance & sensuality: 3/10
Scary moments: 0/10

Heads up

Infrequent strong language
Characters drink and smoke socially
Implied sexual situations

What it models well

Unconventional family structures
Love and friendship
Commitment to family
Co-parenting

Talk about it after

Different family types
What makes a family
The meaning of commitment
Custody battles and their impact

Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for The Next Best Thing. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.