Tools for this page
Print

Better Off Dead

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

    (Flash is loading. If this text does not disappear you need to install the latest flash version)

    Not age appropriate for kids under 11, age appropriate for kids over 14; suggested age 11.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Uneven, occasionally hilarious '80s teen comedy.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 11–14

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Nobody here is very deep, and the hero's repeated attempts at suicide, though (half-heartedly) discouraged, are basically joke setups. "True" love, that is romance not based on who is the better, more popular guy/girl in homeroom, does win out at the end. Characterizations lean towards stereotypes (nerds, jocks, fatties, car-crazy Asians), but there's one girl who goes against the grain by being an ace mechanic and baseball fan, not a shallow blonde -- but she's emphatically not American, so go figure.

  • Violence:

    Reckless driving and car collisions, spills on the ski slopes, and one character beaten up (offscreen) by school athletes.

  • Sex:

    Brief talk/flashback about Lane losing his virginity to Beth (it's never clear whether or not it happened successfully) and condom use. Off-color confusion of words "testicles" for "tentacles" and "sex" for "sax" (as in saxophone). Visual joke in which a girl suddenly gets her clothes torn off down to bra and panties.

  • Language:

    Some use of "s--t," "ass," and "damn."

  • Consumerism:

    Coca-Cola and Perrier labels rather obnoxiously thrust into foregrounds. Car models and the names of several winter-sports-gear product lines are evident.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Smoking for gag effect (it causes an explosion). One character talks enthusiastically about drugs, at one point pretending that a snow-covered mountain is pure cocaine (snorting the snow to make his point). Reference to drinking and moonshine whiskey.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Better Off Dead

Parents need to know that some releases of this movie carry the PG-13 rating, others a PG. It's pretty mild for its type nonetheless. There is drug humor and a few sexual references and modest swearing. Reckless behavior -- on the ski slopes and drag racing in streets -- is glorified. Queasiest factor for most viewers might be the repeated depiction of (unsuccessful) teen suicide as gag pratfalls.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the heartbreaks that come along with school crushes and first loves. Do you think this feature treats the topic sympathetically or just milks it for yocks? FYI, the writer-director claimed his own painful breakup as a youth inspired the comedy. What do kids think about the slapsticky teen-suicide angle, especially compared to achingly serious dramas on the subject such as Permanent Record and The Virgin Suicides? Is suicide no laughing matter, or is joking it away a good approach?
Tools and tips that can help

Want more? Get Common Sense recommendations delivered to your inbox.

Our Members Say

Have you seen it? Review It!

  • What did you think about Better Off Dead?

  •  I think this movie is

    for ages

  •  I also give it

  •  Any concerns?

  •  Any highlights?

  •  Love it? Hate it?

  • or to post a review

Most Recent Reviews

  1. Adult Reviewer
    FamilyConcern
    I rate this title off for age 17 and give it 1.0

    I hated it

    This move disgusted me, It was Sexually explicit, Crude in every aspect of the word, and the language was completely uncalled for. The sex jokes/language misuse was abound. Frequent uses of s**t and d**m along with h**l and t*******s mistaken for Tentacles, describing a lusty "nerd-character" who saught to own one of the characters. The fact that one of the characters was stripped down into their undergarments was another uncalled for scene, and the blunt statement that Lane lost his virginity to Beth put this over the top. The meaning of overcoming challenges was a plus, but the ONLY plus. I give this move a 1/20

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate

More Great Stuff For Your Kids

  • Now Playing

    Age 9+
    Where the Wild Things Are

    Where the Wild Things Are

    Sometimes-dark adaptation focuses on friendship, loneliness.

  • Tech Tip

    How to help them think more ... and want less.Making the Sale

    How to help them think more ... and want less.

  • Book of the Week

    Age 10+
    Million-Dollar Throw

    Million-Dollar Throw

    Another Lupica sensitive dad/son sports story.

  • Member Buzz

    Sending Mom a TXT

    Sending Mom a TXT

    Is it easier for parents to communicate with their kids via text?

  • Download This

    Age 10+
    The Twilight Saga: New Moon Soundtrack

    The Twilight Saga: New Moon Soundtrack

    Dark, cool tunes OK for kids too young for the movie.

Give Us a Minute, Get a Lot of Common Sense!
  • Age-appropriate best bets for your kids
  • Weekly email alert with the latest picks, reviews & advice
  • Post your own reviews and share them with friends
This will never be displayed to others.
Your email will never be displayed to others.
Your password should be 6-10 characters long.
A screen name protects your privacy
(It's free!)

Already a member? Log in
Your family's privacy is our highest priority.
See our privacy policy, community guidelines, and terms of use.
To post a review or comment you must become a Common Sense Member. It's easy!
Set-up your account
This will never be displayed to others.
Your email will never be displayed to others.
Your password should be 6-10 characters long.
Choose a screen name
It will appear when you post your own reviews and recommendations.
A screen name protects your privacy
Tell us your children's ages
You'll see the movies, games, books, shows, music, and sites our editors select just for them. As your children get older, our picks will grow with them!Why we ask for this
We never display your children's names, (or nicknames) to anyone, but you. Providing your children's ages allows us to personalize information on our site, so you get better information, faster.
is
until
(optional)
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
Add another child

Already a member? Log in
Your family's privacy is our highest priority.
See our privacy policy, community guidelines, and terms of use.
We can make Common Sense just right for you. With a little info about you and your family, you'll get the most out of our site.
Set-up your account
This will never be displayed to others.
Your email will never be displayed to others.
Your password should be 6-10 characters long.
Tell us your children's ages
You'll see the movies, games, books, shows, music, and sites our editors select just for them. As your children get older, our picks will grow with them!
Why we ask for this
We never display your children's names, (or nicknames) to anyone, but you. Providing your children's ages allows us to personalize information on our site, so you get better information, faster.
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
Add another child
Choose a screen name
It will appear when you post your own reviews and recommendations
A screen name protects your privacy
Already a member? Log in
Your family's privacy is our highest priority.
See our privacy policy, community guidelines, and terms of use.
Register to add this school to your profile. You'll be able to see and share reviews from parents, teachers, and kids at your child's school.
I'm already a Common Sense member.
Kids under 13 must use a screen name
Your family's privacy is our highest priority.
See our privacy policy, community guidelines, and terms of use.