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Deck the Halls

(2006, Rated PG, Comedy, Starring Matthew Broderick, Danny DeVito, Kristin Davis)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 8, age appropriate for kids over 10; suggested age 8.
  • Is it any good?

    2.0
  • Common Sense says

    Makes us miss those Home Alone days...

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 8–10

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Rivalry between neighbors completely negates the spirit of the season. A dad enlists his son's help to sabotage the neighbors' display; a teenage daughter is rebellious.
  • Violence & scariness:

    Rife with mean-spirited slapstick humor: an older woman gets hit with a snowball, knocking her over; a rocket backfires, setting a Christmas tree on fire in a living room; a gas can tips over and sets a Christmas tree lot on fire; a sleigh crashes through an ice-covered pond.
  • Sexy stuff:

    Women dressed in skimpy elf costumes shake their booties (one ends up being Steve's daughter -- which he finds out after he yells a sexually tinged remark at her); a 10-year-old boy ogles his sexy teen neighbors; two naked men end up in a sleeping bag together.
  • Language:

    Pretty mild: "Ass," "damn."
  • Consumerism:

    Chrysler, Troy-Bilt chain saw.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Deck the Halls

Parents need to know that kids may actually be the only ones interested in seeing this predictable, mean-spirited, slapstick-heavy Christmas movie. It's filled with sexual innuendo, bad behavior, and grown-ups acting like kids (worse than kids, actually). With so many other, better options out there, don't bother.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about what's important during the holidays -- spending time with friends and family, or trying to outdo the neighbors. If Buddy felt "invisible," what could Steve have done to make him feel better? Likewise, what better choice could Buddy have made to be "somebody"? Who are the real grown-ups in this movie? Why do so many Christmas movies focus on themes like competition and materialism? Does that accurately reflect society's perspective on the holiday?

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Our Members Say

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See all 24 member reviews

Most Recent Reviews

  1. I rate this title off for age 15 and give it 1.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Negative role models

    Not worth a penny

    Terrible movie do not have your kids watch it

  2. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    Lives in Pennsylvania
    I rate this title on for age 10 and give it 5.0

    I love it!

    This is in my top 5 for holiday movies. I have only seen it once, but remember every bit of it because of how great it was.

  3. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Virginia
    I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it 4.0

    should be rated PG-13

    The movie itself is pretty entertaining, but there are certain contents may not be appropriate for young children. It should have been rated PG-13 or edited.

  4. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in California
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 0.0

    Not a kids movie

    Started out OK but after 15 minutes it became full of sexual imagery, violence and language. It doesn't matter what age your kids are, exposing them to films like this does affect them and their images of women. I too found myself checking the rating because I didn't have to enter my parental code to watch it. It went off 1/2 way through because the plot was so ridiculous and I didn't like how women were being portrayed.

  5. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in Massachusetts
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 2.0

    not very good

    This movie did not have many funny parts and was rather boring at some parts. ok for 7+

  6. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Virginia
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 2.0

    Not what I want the kids to see

    One of my biggest issues with this movie was the treatment of the women. I'm bringing up a teeenage boy and trying to teach him that women are not objects. This movie did not help. Cleavage is shown frequently and at one point the dad's are cat-calling towards 3 of Santa's dancing helpers, who are swinging their backsides to the crowd. Imagine the surprise when the girls turn around and see their Dads! So you have men in the movie making sexual comments towards under age girls, despite being married. This alone should make you stop and reconsider this movie.

  7. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in California
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 2.0

  8. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Alabama
    I rate this title off for age 17 and give it 0.0

    Not a family movie.

    This was degrading at worst and pure drivel at best. Many sexual references, most not easily overlooked. Some examples are the kid ogling the neighbor's older daughters in skimpy clothing, while they have a pillow fight, etc... A show at a type of Christmas fair with girls in skimpy costumes and fishnets dancing provocatively, and the two main characters shouting out at them. A man saying the sheriff is a cross dresser, then later actually seeing the bra and thong when he squats. A couple of things that would probably be over a small kids head, but not a teenagers are the reference to a pol in the bedroom, and the neighbor's wife grabbing her boobs and asking "Is it me?" after they hear a loud pop. Not things I want my children exposed it. As for the below rating that simply tells people not to let there children see it- not to "whine about it"- that the POINT of this site, so parents can get the facts and decide if they think things are appropriate for their family or not.

  9. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Washington
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0

    super funny

    it was so so so good. it was a classic it was so so so so so so so so so so so funny. i mean it was just so funny, not scary at all not gross or anything like that at all> I love it so much

  10. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Ohio
    I rate this title off for age 13 and give it 0.0

    TERRIBLE MOVIE!!

    This movie was an absolute waste of time! The worst Christmas movies I have ever seen! Two GIANT thumbs DOWN!!!

  11. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in California
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 0.0

  12. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Massachusetts
    I rate this title iffy for age 8 and give it 3.0

    Pretty good

  13. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Minnesota
    I rate this title off for age 17 and give it 0.0

    Very degrading image of women.

    Not a family movie at all! Very degrading image of women. If the sexual things were ommitted it could have been good a good family movie. NOT a PG movie at all- BAD rating. I did like how they included the parts of the real meaning of Christmas, however it didn't really fit with the rest of the movie.

  14. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in Missouri
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0

    I was to young 4 it

    This was a very funny and clever. I did not think it was appropriet. My sister and I at first thought it was PG-13. For 11 and up.

  15. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Ohio
    I rate this title off for age 2 and give it 1.0

    stupid beyond belief

    very sexual. much sexual humor. very corny, not realistic at all. OK for a very vulgar 6-year old. My dad loved it. I fell asleep, literally. really gross and sick humor. web review is accurate, i do not recommend this movie. do not go see it. one more thing: i think 12 year olds should wait to see "we are marshall".

  16. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in California
    I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it 3.0

    funny movie but kinda lame

    i honestley thought this movie was OK but its defintly not the best ive seen the cus words were mild such as ass damn and stuf like that

  17. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Connecticut
    I rate this title iffy for age 11 and give it 0.0

    Why make such crass movies about Christmas

    If this is a kid's movie, why the sexualization of the daughters and the mom.

  18. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Virginia
    I rate this title off for age 11 and give it 0.0

    Cynical and trashy

    It is appalling that the MPAA would permit the crude and ugly humor in this film to get a PG rating. Do we really need "jokes" about a cross-dressing cop (with lacy pink underwear showing under his uniform), a man inadvertantly exposing himself and fathers splashing holy water in their eyes after ogling girls they did not recognize as their daughters?

  19. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Illinois
    I rate this title on for age 5 and give it 3.0

    Enjoyable movie for whole family

    Despite the bad reviews by the critics, my husband, myself, my 5yrold and my 7 yr old all laughed and enjoyed ourselves.Several scenes had me laughing harder than I have in a long time! There was a smallamount of sexual humor/innuendo but it all just flew over my kids heads so that wasn't a big problem. Both my kids get scared pretty easily (Polar Express terrified my son) and it was nice to have a show withough any scary, dramatic scenes that even kids movies have today. I would recommend it for 5 yr olds on up.

  20. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Utah
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 4.0

    fun christmas movie for the family

    funny! I love Matthew and Danny in any movie. This was a very funny movie with them together. Would recommend this movie.

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