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The Brady Bunch Movie

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 10, age appropriate for kids over 12; suggested age 12.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0

  • Common Sense says

    Campy, affectionate send-up of a classic TV show.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 12 and Up

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Lots of humor about people doing bad things to the innocent Bradys who are so naïve and oblivious that nothing bad results. Greg and Marcia almost get carjacked, and the Dittmeyers scheme to sabotage the Bradys' attempt to keep their house. Middle child syndrome is taken to the next level when Jan hears menacing voices, runs away, and hitchhikes.

  • Violence:

    Peter faints repeatedly. Larry Dittmeyer is electrocuted and drops a toilet on his foot. Noreen punches Doug. Doug tries to sexually assault Marcia. Jan hears voices that tell her to kill people.

  • Sex:

    Lots of sexual innuendo, like Dina offering to "wrap" Mr. Brady's "package" and later telling Greg and Peter to come into her house to help her "make a sandwich." Carol and Mike kiss. Marcia and Doug kiss. Noreen has a crush on Marica. Holly kisses Peter.

  • Language:

    Some swearing, including "hell," "slut," "damn," and "ass."

  • Consumerism:

    Several products are mentioned or visible, including Scooby-Doo, Swiss Miss hot chocolate, Astroturf, Sears, U-Haul and various bands, including Pearl Jam and the Monkees.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Dina Dittmeyer is an alcoholic and constantly hungover or drunk. She drinks bloody Marys and is seen with lots of bottles of alcohol. A teenager drinks from a flask. Sam smokes a cigar.

What Parents Need to Know

This review of The Brady Bunch Movie was written by Heather Boerner

Parents need to know that this send-up of the wholesome 1970s TV show isn't quite as wholesome -- there's swearing, sibling rivalry, and sexual innuendo. There are jokes about sex, condoms, and the alcoholic Mrs. Dittmeyer is constantly hitting on the Brady men. Doug talks about Marcia like she's an object and calls her a "slut" when she refuses to have sex with him on the first date. One teen drinks. Another steals cars. Several swear. A girl in Marcia's class has a crush on her.

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 parodies. Why do you think a show like The Brady Bunch was an easy target? Kids who are behind on their reruns can have parents explain some of the in-jokes. Do you think life in the early '70s was as innocent and tame as the TV show made it out to be, or was the Brady attitude an escapist one even back then? What other movies or even Youtube clips have you seen parody mainstream entertainment?
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More on The Brady Bunch Movie

What’s the Story?

THE BRADY BUNCH MOVIE takes the classic storylines from the TV show and twists them, making them bawdier, lewder, and freakish -- basically, it turns the perfect, happy Brady family into freaks. The whole gang is back in the film spoof: Carol (Shelley Long), Mike (Gary Cole), Greg (Christopher Daniel Barnes), Marcia (Christine Taylor) and the rest of the gang are still wearing their vintage 1970s fashions. But in the outside world, it's the 1990's. Teens wear grunge flannels and dark colors, the parents are horrible or alcoholic and greed rules the day. When the Bradys discover that they owe $20,000 in property taxes in a week or they'll lose their house, they try to find a way to avoid the inevitable. But can they get the money before sleazy neighbor Larry Dittmeyer (the perfect Michael McKean) buys their house and turns the neighborhood into a strip mall?
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Is It Any Good?

For those who grew up watching the TV show, The Brady Bunch Movie is deeply satisfying and the best part is its nostalgia. Sure, it's fun to see the Bradys treated as freaks. But the heart of the film is a campy, affectionate interpretation of the TV show.

The film takes all the most iconic moments -- Cindy struggling to get rid of her lisp, Jan's sibling rivalry with Marcia, Peter's (Paul Sutera) cracking voice, Marcia's "Oh my nose!" moment, and Greg's Johnny Bravo delusions -- and inserts the heckling that hipsters have done at the show for years. So instead of Jan just being jealous of Marcia, she's got voices in her head telling her to kill people, and her school counselor, RuPaul, tells her to "work it, girl!" It's good, '90s-specific humor.

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Movie Details

Studio: Paramount Pictures, Director: Betty Thomas
Run time: 88 minutes
Theatrical release: 2/17/1995, DVD release: 6/10/2003
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for racy innuendos.

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