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Superbad

(2007, Rated R, Comedy, Starring Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Michael Cera)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 15, age appropriate for kids over 99; suggested age 16.
  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Super bawdy, super profane -- and super funny.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 16–18

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    The underlying message could seem to be that scoring alcohol for a party will grant even the nerdiest kid "cool" status for a night. But by the end of the film, it's clear that the film's real point is that true best friends love each other unconditionally, not selfishly.
  • Violence:

    McLovin gets pistol-whipped in the head by a robber; a fight breaks out at a party, where a few of the men suffer bloody wounds; a hobo kicks, punches, and pounds on various people at a bar; Seth accidentally punches Jules in the eye. In a daydream, Seth envisions a security guard slashing his throat. A woman's menstrual blood ends up on Seth's pants, causing a fight.
  • Sex:

    Sex (and various sex acts), virginity, and pornography are discussed in graphic detail throughout the entire movie. The near-constant conversation about oral sex and genitalia is finally matched by two short scenes of drunk, semi-clothed teenagers about to have sex -- although neither couple finalizes the act. There's also a scene that displays many drawings of penises, supposedly done by an 8-year-old.
  • Language:

    The dialogue is filled with nearly ubiquitous curse words, primarily the "F-bomb" and its derivatives. There are probably two short conversations in the entire film that don't feature constant swearing; otherwise, they're the most commonly used words -- including "s--t," "dick," "p---y," "ass," "tits," "bitch," etc.
  • Consumerism:

    Old Milwaukee beer, plus other liquor brands that sound familiar but aren't real, probably because real alcohol companies didn't give permission to be used in a movie about underage drinking.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    The plot revolves around buying alcohol for a high school party, so there's obviously a great deal of underage drinking. Teens also smoke cigarettes and are present at a party where adults are smoking marijuana and snorting cocaine. The main drug, of course, is alcohol -- from vodka to beer.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Superbad

Parents need to know that this high school comedy has been marketed squarely at teens (the wide online circulation of an R-rated "red band" trailer helped a lot). Heralded as an instant-classic teen comedy on the level of Dazed and Confused or Fast Times at Ridgemont High, it seems destined to be a hit. But parents should know that, like many real teenagers, the characters are obsessed with losing their virginity and talking about sex. Sex and, to a lesser extent, booze fuel every conversation, with very graphic dialogue about genitalia, sex acts, and pornography. "F--k" (and many derivations thereof) is used almost nonstop, and there's also a lot of underage drinking and a scene of adults smoking marijuana and snorting cocaine. American Pie seems PG-rated by comparison.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about what teens think of sex, how many of their friends they think are having sex, and what parents think of teens having sex. Do teens consider it a stigma to graduate from high school a virgin? This is a good opportunity for parents to answer teens' questions about sex, drinking, and the safe, responsible way to handle both. 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. For example, do you think real cops would ever act like the two in the movie? What other movies and TV shows have a similar comedy style? Do you think there's danger here if a viewer doesn't understand the comedy on that level?

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Our Members Say

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See all 84 member reviews

Most Recent Reviews

  1. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in Pennsylvania
    I rate this title on for age 15 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models

    i'm MC.LOVIN this movie!

    wat a nice family movie right? there's beer, cops chasing bad drunks, gun shooting, profanity and breif nudity. NOT. other than that its a pretty decent movie for kids 15+. under aged kids wouldn't get the jokes.

  2. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    I rate this title off for age 14 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models

    Watch it

    Hahaha, this movie is hilarious, omg i died of laughter. really well done comedy movie. watch it

  3. Teen Reviewer Age 17
    Lives in Colorado
    I rate this title on for age 15 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    This movie has very positive messages about friendship and respecting women, and it's one of the funniest things I have seen in quite a while. But don't be fooled: This is an R-rated film, and was never intended for children. The swearing is very strong and near-constant (most of it is sexual), characters drink, smoke, and snort cocaine, and sex jokes are explicit and much more than frequent. (There are no actual sex scenes.) However, this is a great movie for ages 15 and up; it's a very entertaining way to learn some valuable lessons about friendship and respect.

  4. I rate this title iffy for age 14 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use

    McLovin!! Hah this movie is funny! Definitely not for young kids though.

  5. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    I rate this title iffy for age 10 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models

  6. I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use

    Loved It! Very Funny Movie

  7. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it 5.0

    appropriate for anyone in highschool

    you can say this movie is bad and profane but the truth is, this movie is realistic. The movie was about a couple of 17 year old kids trying to get laid. Any guy knows that when he was 17, he was trying to get laid. This movie was about teens who swear every five minutes. I'm a sophmore and we swore that much in sixth grade and still do now. This movie was about kids drinking. Well we drink. So what. It's only "underage" if the law says it is. In some counties the drinking age is 14. Plus, when you were in highschool, atleast 80 percent of you had atleast one drink. Really, condemning teens not to watch this movie is an insult to you because you're naive enough to believe they either A: haven't seen it or B:Haven't seen it and don't do everything in it.

  8. I rate this title on for age 12 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Excessive consumerism
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative role models

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    This is a Very Silly Movie!

    This movie is hilarious for all ages! Even adults, the kids and I both love watching it all the time! it's defenently not SUPERbad, but does contain some sexual situations suchas, looking at pornography (breasts and nipples are visible in this part), oral sex, menstrulation on a leg, sex scenes, a PALOOZA! of detailed drawn penises, condoms and spermicidal lube! and a barrage of F-words! but other than that this film is hilarious!

  9. I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use

  10. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 1.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative role models

    This movie was superbad

    My friends and I rented it, and we didn't even make it halfway through. It was slightly repulsing, and I didn't really find it that funny. A few chuckles, but that's it. Noo younger kids please! VERY inappropriate.

  11. I rate this title off for age 17 and give it 1.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use

    superBAD! HELLOO!

    Adults only

  12. Kid Reviewer Age 9
    I rate this title iffy for age 14 and give it 3.0

    eventhough it had nasty parts to it.....i was laughing i like this movie

  13. I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    Not Bad At All

  14. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in District of Columbia
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 3.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative message

    Not apporiate for tweens

    This was a very inapropriate movie... but crazy funny!

  15. I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use

    Hillarious film! Not appropriate for young kids, there's plenty of profanity, teen drinking and sexual content. Teenagers will love it though!

  16. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Minnesota
    I rate this title iffy for age 16 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models

    16+ minumum.

    The movie is about teenagers buying alcohol to get laid. However, neither of them end up going through with it. One of them doesn't want to because he's drunk. The other doesn't get any because the girl he's trying to get with doesn't actually drink.

  17. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Washington
    I rate this title iffy for age 14 and give it 0.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use

    • My highlights are:
    • Good role models

    for Teens and Adults

    ALOT of language and sexual humor. The penis drawings scene is a little over the top. I loved it though cause it is so clever and hilarious.

  18. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in Oregon
    I rate this title iffy for age 14 and give it 0.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language

    Hilarious, but only for teenagers.

    I watched this with my best friend and it was EXTREMELY funny. We were laughing throught out the whole movie, but it's NOT for younger kids. They said the F-word 233 times (we counted. haha we're nerds like Mclovin) and every single sentence was about sex. The whole movie is 2 guys trying to get alcohol for a party. But it's funny. If you think your kid can handle 233 F-words and constant talk of sex and some nudity and pictures of penises, let them watch it. It's only worth it if they're old enough to get the jokes though.

  19. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in Illinois
    I rate this title on for age 11 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language

    I AM MCLOVIN!!!!!!!

    PERVASIE F WORDS but sexual content.... just STRONG referanses otherwise hahahahahahah

  20. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Pennsylvania
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 5.0

    its an ok movie it is bad but kids no this stuff plus if they want to see it and you dont let them they will find a way to see it

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