I watched this movie with my parents recently, and it was hilarious. I loved the characters and the plot; Tim Allen was amazing! I think this movie is fine for a 13-year-old kid, although there is a pretty good amount of language and a few sexual parts. Still, I don't think this movie is borderline R, it's correctly rated PG-13. I highly recommend this movie to all teens and adults who love comedies.
Big Trouble
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Sharp, funny movie for high schoolers and up.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 15–16
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Big Trouble was written by Nell Minow
Parents need to know that this movie has comic violence (no one badly hurt), including shooting and scuffles. Characters lie, cheat, steal, smoke, drink, and use bad language. There are comic sexual situations (including a foot fetishist) and brief non-sexual nudity. The scenes involving airport security and a bomb on a plane, the reason the movie's release was delayed after the 9-11 terrorist attacks, may cause more twinges than laughter. The movie is at the upper end of the PG-13 rating, closer to an R.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about the relationship between Matt and Eliot and between Jenny and her mother and step-father. They should also talk about the decision faced by the film-makers following September 11. Should they have changed the story, in addition to delaying the release?
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More on Big Trouble
What’s the Story?
In BIG TROUBLE, Tim Allen plays Eliot Arnold, a once-successful columnist reduced to writing ad copy after an altercation with his boss. He is held in contempt by his teen son Matt (Ben Foster), who is on a quest to "kill" pretty classmate Jenny (Zooey Deschanel) by squirting her with a water gun in a tag-like game. Meanwhile, Jenny's stepfather Arthur (Stanley Tucci) is the target of a less benign hitman for stealing money from some bad guys. A couple of cops (Jeaneanne Garofolo and Patrick Warburton), a Frito-loving, tree-sitting, strong but sweet guy with a Jesus hairdo (Jason Lee), a couple of Russians who deal weapons, a nuclear device that looks like a garbage disposal, a remarkable number of televisions with their screens shot out, and a herd of goats all manage to play a part before things get resolved.
Is It Any Good?
If not quite as sharp as it could be, "Big Trouble" is still a sharp, funny movie. Based on the book by Pulitzer Prize-winning humorist Dave Berry, it has a terrific cast getting caught up in delicious comic chaos seasoned with a couple of howlingly funny wisecracks.
The translation of book to screen is uneven, primarily because the story is all situation and no character. Even with exceptionally strong personalities in the roles and a director with a refreshing combination of a laid-back tone and a brisk pace, the film still asks too much of the audience by wanting us to care about characters we hardly know.
Movie Details
Studio: Touchstone Pictures, Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Run time: 85 minutes
Theatrical release: 04/05/2002, DVD release: 10/08/2002
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for language, sexual references, and violence
Run time: 85 minutes
Theatrical release: 04/05/2002, DVD release: 10/08/2002
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for language, sexual references, and violence
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Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title on for age 13 and give it
An incredibly funny movie~
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