Common Sense Note
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.
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.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: S. Jhoanna Robledo
The movie poster for EAGLE VS. SHARK reads: "There's someone for everyone, apparently." From beginning to end, writer-director Taika Waititi is clearly committed to proving this point with his bizarre romantic comedy, and his zeal results in a fairly successful and mostly hilarious -- though not always palatable -- film.
Gawky, frumpy Lily (Loren Horsley, who imbues her character with both pathos and grace), a cashier at fast food restaurant Meaty Boy, has a major crush on an electronics store clerk who comes in around noon every day to buy his lunch. To Lily, Jarrod (Jemaine Clement) is a dreamboat whose grand entrances mirror Tom Cruise's in Top Gun, a hero coming into focus. But he's clearly no hero (or Tom Cruise, for that matter) -- at least not to everybody else.
Instead, he's a clumsy, goofy-looking guy who's so insecure that he thinks nothing of putting others down, even someone like Lily, who sees only the best in him. It's a monumental feat: He really is, as he later describes himself, a "loser." For example, at a costume party where he gets to know her, he says he likes her shark costume and that he'd considered wearing a similar one himself, except an eagle outfit was "cooler." (Their outfits inspired the title.) And the day after they first sleep together, he tells her, "That was some good sex last night, eh?" Then, when she helps him get to his hometown so he can complete what he claims is his "revenge mission" (beating up a bully who made his childhood hell), he repays her by breaking up with her.
Sure, all of that makes the movie pretty funny (though it could've done without the self-consciously whimsical animated interludes involving apple cores and flip-flops). But Clement, who stars in the HBO series Flight of the Conchords, comes across as so despicable that some viewers may find him too pathetic to love. The fun he pokes at geek- and jerk-dom is almost too pointed -- which makes it a challenge to buy Lily's utter devotion. Though awkward, she proves dignified, perhaps because she's so big-hearted and generous in spirit. She literally makes people smile -- well, Jarrod's sad-sack family, anyway, most of whom are still recovering from his golden-boy older brother's suicide.
Still, Waititi's dedication to his vision deserves applause. The movie, after all, is about there being someone for everyone, even bona fide losers -- and Jarrod's a complete dud. Hollywood has told this story before, but the "losers" are never total washouts: They're more like ugly ducklings who only need a makeover to come out a swan. (See She's All That and Clueless.) It would take major plastic surgery and a personality transplant to make Jarrod a swan.
Fans of quirky characters may also enjoy Rushmore and Napoleon Dynamite.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentGlimpses 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). |
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ViolenceJarrod 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. |
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LanguageVery colorful, including various slang for male genitalia ("c--k," etc.), "bitch" (and its alternate version, "beeyatch"), and a few uses of "f--k." |
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Social BehaviorJarrod'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. |
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CommercialismSignage for Meaty Boy, the fictional fast food restaurant where Lily works; mention of the Ford Laser (a real car). |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoSome smoking and drinking, mostly at parties; at one particular bash, Lily gets completely drunk. |
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