A song is performed in the film's intro credits, with lyrics making usage of the word "sexual" and further lyrics making crude references to having sex.

Jeliza-Rose and Dickens become close, and they kiss one another several times during the film. They call each other "silly kissers". At one point, Dickens crawls on top of Jeliza-Rose, and they both wiggle their tongues at one another.

Dickens tells Jeliza-Rose that her grandmother used to French kiss him when he was just a little boy (implying some amount of abuse).

Dell has sex with the delivery boy, and Jeliza-Rose spies on her. Dell performs oral sex on the delivery boy, and her head bobs up and down. Jeliza-Rose, talking to a doll's head, says, "She's sucking his peanut." Soon after that, Dell has sex on top of the delivery boy, with tell-tale movement, but no nudity. Jeliza-Rose sees it all.

Jeliza-Rose mentions Dickens' "thingie", referring to his penis.

In Jeliza Rose's grandmother's house, white paint splattered with 'cum stain' written above it is on a wall.

A little girl is chased by a woman until she faints.

Both Dell and Jeliza-Rose's mother are seen slapping and shoving Jeliza-Rose in various scenes.

A woman is said to have gone blind in one eye after being stung by a bee; her milky, bloodshot eye in seen, and she also reveals that her mother was stung to death by bees (an old woman is seen with red welts on her face, lying dead on the floor).

Dickens has a large scar on his head, which he attributes to some sort of operation related to his epilepsy. He refers to brain surgery and how he wants a "shiny new brain".

Some blood.

An old woman's preserved corpse is seen. Jeliza-Rose accidentally kicks it, breaking its face, and an eye pops out.

There is a serious train accident. It's not violent, but some people are badly injured, and many are bloody.

Some scatological humour, including fart noises, a middle-aged man passing gas on purpose to annoy bus passengers (while blaming it on his daughter), usage of the phrases "cutting muffins" and "put a plug in it!", and a girl telling her father to "poo in the yard". A girl is also told that she "reeks like the Devil".

Some of the wall graffiti in the background scenes of the abandoned house uses explicit language and sexual phrases, including "fuck house", "cunt" and "fucker".

Some sexual terminology and innuendo is used, often by a young child, including "boy-thing", "thingy", "peanut", "diddlehopper" and "silly kisser" (referring to French kissing, which she mimes at an adult man (see 'Sex & Nudity')).

Several F-bombs and a few mild profanities are sprinkled throughout the film. Curse words are written on the walls.

It is said that the film's main character was born addicted, irritable and always fussing; she is referred to as "mama's bouncing junkie baby", whom, to be kept quiet, had cigarette smoke blown in her face by her father.

Several intro scenes feature alcoholic beverages and bottles, as well as heroin needles and other drug paraphernalia (burnt spoons, a rubber strap for holding one's vein in place to inject a needle).

Graffiti is written on a wall over a kitchen island during one scene, which reads "beer here".

Several scenes show graphic heroin use.

A child prepares heroin in a syringe for a parent.

Both parents overdose on heroin, in separate scenes.

Some of the film's themes are quite dark and complicated (mental disabilities, incest, child abuse, death, drug addiction, sexuality and decomposition). All of these subjects are portrayed through the eyes of a mentally deteriorating child, which may be particularly upsetting to some viewers.

A girl plays with and has bizarre fantasies involving four Barbie doll heads, the only toys that she owns. Their appearance is creepy and may upset younger viewers; the dolls have no bodies, they are said to smell bad, their hair is dirty and the eyes on one head are missing. In some dream sequence scenes, the heads fly around onscreen and speak.

Tideland is a very morbid and harsh film that deals with some very dark subjects such as child abuse, drug addiction, pedophilia, grief and loss, loneliness and abandonment. Not recommended for anyone under the age of 18.

Several strange situations involving death may be frightening for certain people, especially children.

Dickens's epileptic seizure at the end of the film may be a little intense.

Dell is a creepy woman.

The movie has bizarre, dark, and emotional scenes throughout.