Iffy for 16+
Raunchy buddy comedy is all about getting wasted.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that 21 and Over was written and directed by the same team that wrote The Hangover and features the same type of raunchy humor, if perhaps at not quite the same level of excess (though it's plenty over the top!). The comedy follows three friends through a single night of debauchery as they celebrate a 21st birthday, a momentous event that they believe should be celebrated by getting as wasted as possible. They drink at parties, they drink at bars, they even drink in a taxi. Then they drink some more, until one of them is completely passed out. There's a string of misadventures, a few fights, and some sexual harassment -- plus near-nonstop profanity ("f--k," "s--t" and much more), people smoking pot at a party, and a few brief glimpses of topless women and almost-nude men seen from behind. Men make out in one scene.
- Families can talk about how the movie portrays drinking. Is it glamorized? Are any of the consequences realistic? What message does that send?
- Parents may also want to put an over-the-top comedy like this in perspective. The movie's antics come at you fast and furiously, making some of the laughs mostly about the shock value. What other movies and TV shows have a similar comedy style? What's the appeal of this kind of humor?
- Talk about the friendships at the heart of the movie. Do they feel real? Do these guys actually care for each other?
The good stuff
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Messages: In the process of reuniting to celebrate a 21st birthday, three formerly close friends rekindle their friendship. Though their antics are juvenile -- and many of their actions, especially when it comes to excessive drinking, flat-out irresponsible -- their feelings are heartfelt. Jokes rely on sexism and stereotypes for laughs.
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Role models: Miller and Casey are devoted to Jeff and struggle to get him safely home after a wild night. But they're also poor influences who induce Jeff to go out drinking the night before an important medical school interview. They also glorify drinking to excess, insisting that it's their duty to get as wasted as possible when one of their number turns 21.
What to watch for
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Violence: Several people get into a barroom brawl, throwing both punches and stools. They later go at it again, with one man using a baseball bat to destroy several household objects. A woman uses self-defense techniques, including a knee to the groin, to subdue a man. Two almost-nude men are subjected to ritual violence, including being spanked with a paddle. They later wrestle each other, still almost completely naked. A buffalo charges through a crowd, butting several people.
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Sex: Many, many crude sexual references, though little actual physical contact. A guy and a girl flirt with each other all through the film and eventually kiss. A guy drinks shots that are tucked between breasts and placed on navels. A few brief flashes of topless women, and several longer scenes feature almost-nude men seen from behind. Two men walk around wearing nothing but socks on their penises; they also make out. A stuffed animal is shown glued to a man's genitals.
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Language: Near-constant swearing includes just about every crude word imaginable. "F--k," "s--t," "p---y," "ass," "bitch," "t-ts," "d--kwad," "c--klicker," "goddamn," "oh my God," "douche-bag," and many more. Almost every sentence involves profanity.
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Consumerism: Some characters drink Pabst Blue Ribbon beer. Other labels/brands seen include Budweiser, Bud Light, and Soundgarden.
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Drinking, drugs and smoking: The characters spend an entire debauched night getting more and more wasted, with many sequences of people drinking beer, shots, more beer, playing drinking games, slurping liquor off of women's bodies, sucking straight from a keg tap, and drinking some more. A few scenes feature people smoking pot, and one character mentions that he spent an entire night dancing after taking LSD.
Fan Reviews provided by
1
stupid movie by RICH.PHAM9
I think this movie is not suitable to kids to watch. The acting is stupid and nothing else just school kids who like party and get drunk.....Not recommended..
4
Funny! by dayda7
I was expecting Project X all over again but it actually had more of a story with it! Loved it! Hilarious! & I totally want to do the "Tower of Power"
5
My stomach hurt from laughing by alixer
Loved it! Loved it! Loved it! So rare for a movie to be as good as the trailer. I can tell you right now, it's going down as one of my favourite films of the year. I was laughing so hard my stomach hurt!
3
It was alright. by wgowie
If you've seen Harold and Kumar Go To White Castles then you've basically seen this movie. Movie wasn't as funny as Harold and Kumar, but it does give you a chuckle here and there. I wouldn't recommend seeing it in theaters. Just wait until it's on DVD and/or Netflix.
1
Save your money it is not funny! by Jenflowers55
I expected so much more from this movie. Please save your self the money and skip this movie. It is not funny. I felt it was just repulsive, dumb and as i mentioned before NOT FUNNY!!! I hate the stereotypes they have going on in the movie from the Asian and Hispanic jokes. I didn't find it funny.
5
One of the funniest movies I've ever seen by MOTORCYCLISTENGINEER
Movie is a combination of The Hangover and Animal House. If you have no sense of humor or are expecting a sophisticated comedy, look elsewhere, but if you enjoy unabashed humor and don't care about wetting your pants or laughing your head off and loved movies like the Hangover and Bernie don't miss this very very funny movie.
A lot of drugs, gross humor, some nudity and very bad examples of how not to act. so definitely not for teens under 16 or adults over 35.
5
Over 21 by ladylavpurple
For those people who gave this movie a bad review, clearly you have no sense of humor!! What were you expecting??????? Hellooooooo! The title tells you pretty much all you need to know! One person wrote, "This movie is not for kids". No S*** Sherlock! This is a very funny movie about friendship, coming of age and rights of passage. It has an unexpected plot line about the pressures of college students. Maybe the people who gave this movie a bad review just weren't smart enough to get into college, therefor, leaving them incapable of understanding and appreciating a little dark humor. Something the rest of us learned in English Lit 101. ;-)
4
College comedy for the hipster age by LisaGilkison
I knew going in what kind of movie to expect. A typical movie about the escapades of college age friends. I knew I would find it funny, but I had no idea how funny. I was crying I was laughing so hard. Not just the physical comedy, but the dialog was great too. I would say this is going to be one of those movies which will be quoted for years to come!
5
Review om 21 & Over by trejor92
21 & Over is a very funny movie!!! It's very much worth watching. It literally makes you laugh out loud! Not only is 21 & Over a comedy, but it has a lot of heart to it to.It has a great story line behind all of the comedy. Justin Chon, Skylar Astin, Miles Teller, and Sarah Wright did a great job in this movie. They couldn't have picked better actors to play the roles. It was great. It's a movie worth watching more than once! I'd have to say it's one of my favorite movies of all time.This movie is rated R, so obviously it isn't suitable for younger kids. Not only does the rating make it obvious, but the title of the movie, and just by watching the previews and movie trailers you know not to take children to this.
4
Funny by FLASH1465
I rate it a B+. I saw it a couple of weeks ago at a preview screening and saw it again with friends. Typical type college comedy with a couple of really funny laugh out loud scenes.
Go and enjoy.