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Bringing Down the House
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Martin and Latifah rule in boundary-pushing PG-13.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 13–15
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 Bringing Down the House was written by Nell Minow
Parents need to know that this movie has some very strong material for a PG-13, including explicit sexual references and a graphic apparent sexual situation, very strong language, a lot of drinking, and drug humor (it's supposed to be very funny that a very dignified elderly lady gets stoned on marijuana). A young teenage girl sneaks out with a boy and finds it more than she can handle when he takes her to a party where people are drinking and doing drugs and he tries to force her to have sex. It is supposed to be funny that Peter's son reads a dirty magazine (that belongs to Peter) and that Peter's sister-in-law is essentially a paid girlfriend for very elderly rich men. Some people may be offended by some of the racist language and stereotypes, but the movie is clear that it is offensive and stupid to be bigoted and cowardly and foolish to be silent when those views are expressed.
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 Charlene's advice to Peter on how to communicate with his teenage daughter. They should also talk about how the adults in their family try to maintain a balance between work and family and how to best communicate to family members that they are the top priority.
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More on Bringing Down the House
What’s the Story?
In BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE, Steve Martin plays Peter, a lawyer who works too hard. He is separated from his wife and cancels a long-planned vacation with his children because he is under a lot of pressure to land a wealthy and very proper new client (Joan Plowright). He meets a woman on the internet and makes a date with her, thinking she is a pretty blonde lawyer. But it turns out to be Charlene (Queen Latifah), a convicted felon who wants him to help her clear her record. She not only knows how to torture him into helping her -- she enjoys it. And while he is fuming on the outside, it is clear that at some level, he is enjoying it, too.
Is It Any Good?
This movie falls squarely in what I call the "Cat in the Hat" genre, in which a straight-laced person (A) who plays by the rules has his or her life turned upside down by someone (B) who represents uncertainty, vitality, and taking risks. After A complains about how B is irresponsible and how B is messing everything up, there is always a scene in which A tells B, "I learned/got so much more from you than you ever did from me! This is the best day of my life!"
This is Steve Martin's best film in years. The character and situations are made for him. Queen Latifah is sensational -- warm, funny, and sexy and utterly charming. The script loses its way several times, particularly with a tasteless plot line about Peter's racist society party girl of a sister-in-law. But that doesn't matter much since most of the plot makes no sense at all. But this is still a better-than-average comedy that works very well much of the time. Queen Latifah's wonderfully radiant star quality, Steve Martin's comic grace and Eugene Levy's masterful turn as Peter's besotted partner do bring down the house.
Movie Details
Studio: Touchstone Pictures, Director: Adam Shankman
Run time: 105 minutes
Theatrical release: 3/7/2003, DVD release: 8/5/2003
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for language, sexual humor and drug material
Run time: 105 minutes
Theatrical release: 3/7/2003, DVD release: 8/5/2003
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for language, sexual humor and drug material
Our Members Say
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Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
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I rate this title on and give it
This movie was awesome! Personally, I don't think it was quite as naughty and full of bad material as the reviews said..it definatly deserved a pg-13 rating, and nothing higher.
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I rate this title on and give it
I laughed
I love this movie even know that it is kinda inappropiate for me but who cares.Not to be saying it in that way. But sometimes it's just your business.Hey my parents make me turn my head on some parts and that's good and that's why I love the movie.
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