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Eagle vs. Shark

(2007, Rated R, Comedy, Starring Jemaine Clement, Loren Horsley, Rachel House)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 16, age appropriate for kids over 17; suggested age 16.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Geek-love rom-com from New Zealand has bite.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 16–17

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Jarrod's a self-described "loser," and he proves himself right. He talks mostly about himself, shows little concern for those around him, prank calls people and threatens them, stands up and then dumps a woman who's only been nice to him, name-calls his sister, exhibits violent tendencies (he punches things out of nowhere), ignores his child, and even beats up a paraplegic. By contrast, Lily is warm and kind and giving, which somewhat mitigates Jarrod's awfulness.

  • Violence:

    Jarrod stalks a former childhood nemesis by phone and threatens him; later he beats him up while he's in a wheelchair. Guests gleefully beat each other via video games at a party, and then throw shoes at one of the hosts, who volunteers to play target.

  • Sex:

    Glimpses of porn (showing full intercourse) pop up on a computer. Lily and Jarrod have sex, but with little emotion (at least the first time) -- no body parts are visible except for Lily's bare shoulders, though there's an audible sound of a condom being put on. Also some discussion of sex in frank terms ("That was some good sex last night"). Lily tears off her top after a party and runs into the night (only her bare back is visible).

  • Language:

    Very colorful, including various slang for male genitalia ("c--k," etc.), "bitch" (and its alternate version, "beeyatch"), and a few uses of "f--k."

  • Consumerism:

    Signage for Meaty Boy, the fictional fast food restaurant where Lily works; mention of the Ford Laser (a real car).

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Some smoking and drinking, mostly at parties; at one particular bash, Lily gets completely drunk.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Eagle vs. Shark

Parents need to know that this quirky New Zealand film has a following on YouTube, so teens may already have seen clips of it there. Quirky and a bit dark, it's far from your typical romantic comedy. The main character, Jarrod, is off-putting, callous, and rude, and at times his relationship with the female lead feels masochistic. There are plenty of dark moments (including glimpses at a family torn apart by suicide), as well as lots of strong language ("f--k", variations on slang for male genitalia, and more). There's also a definite undercurrent of violence: Jarrod is a champ at beating opponents in an aggression-filled video game, and he trains to beat up a childhood bully. Still, older teens may be able to see beyond Jarrod's unappealing exterior -- especially since his sweet-though-gawky girlfriend seems to be able to find some good in him.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about how this cinematic romance bucks the Hollywood trend. Is it believable? Does the "there's someone for everyone" message come off as hopeful or sad (i.e. some people have to settle for "losers")? Then again, is the typical Hollywood romantic comedy any more believable? Families can also discuss how video and computer games are presented in the movie -- and read more about the link between video games and violence.
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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Adult Reviewer
    Grady508
    Lives in Texas
    I rate this title off for age 17 and give it 1.0

    Pretty much the worst filom of the history

    sucks.

    This review...

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

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