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The Hottie and the Nottie

(2008, Rated PG-13, Comedy, Starring Paris Hilton, Joel Moore, Christine Lakin)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 13, age appropriate for kids over 15; suggested age 14.

  • Is it any good?

    2.0

  • Common Sense says

    To any beholder, superficial comedy is no beauty.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 14–15

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Nate stalks Cristabel so they can "meet cute" and lies to get close to her and her best friend. A man can barely stop himself from throwing up while dating the "nottie." Overall, the men are quite insulting to women. Though there are messages about the importance of inner beauty, there's also a very strong focus on physical appearance.

  • Violence:

    The movie opens with a woman smashing a guitar into her then-boyfriend's face; a man attacks another out of jealousy; some bickering between couples.

  • Sex:

    Lots of crude sexual jokes (some involving hand gestures); a man licks a woman's face lasciviously during a date; men ogle women's cleavage; many scenes in which Cristabel is barely clothed (and when she is, the camera lingers on her behind, abs, and chest). Two couples are shown in various stages of making out. A woman invites a man to de-virginize her, even if she's not sure he likes her for who she is; a couple is shown in a sexual position (she's clothed, he has his shirt off).

  • Language:

    Language includes "dick," "a--hole," and "bitch."

  • Consumerism:

    A bottle of Jack Daniels is brandished, the logo clearly visible. Signage for restaurants and cafes. Mention of Flashdance and Oprah. And, let's face it, Hilton is a brand all on her own.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Characters drink whisky, beer, and everything in between, though usually at parties. A few allusions to how drinking can loosen inhibitions.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About The Hottie and the Nottie

Parents need to know that this comedy -- which stars tabloid staple Paris Hilton -- models some pretty terrible behavior for teen girls. It takes delight in disparaging women who don't abide by a rigid definition of beauty (i.e. blond, scantily clad and unchallenging). And despite the main character's ultimate epiphany about what's truly attractive, women are, for the most part, objectified. Though there's no outright nudity, there are many scenes that pore over women's bodies, as well as some making out and discussion of losing virginity. Much is made of what a man will do to get sex, and there's plenty of drinking.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the movie's ideas about beauty. Is beauty just what our society decides? How are other societies' notions of beauty similar and different? When the "nottie" becomes a "hottie," why does Nate fall for her? Is it just because she's now prettier, or does he have any other motivations? Why is Hollywood so enamored of ugly-duckling stories? And why did the movie not make much of a deal about how Nate himself looks? Are expected appearance standards different for men and women? Is that fair?
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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    nikky718
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title off for age 2 and give it 3.0

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  2. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    ac7193
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it 4.0

    An ok movie. Had little problems with it.

    I wanted to give this 3 stars..but... I liked the ending. (which for me, covered up most of the bad parts of the movie.) I thought the whole first 20 mins of the movie was pointless and just crude lame joke one after another. Then towards the end, it teaches a moral lesson and gets funnier. I thought it became more romantic as the movie progressed. Anyways, I would recommend this to anyone over the age of 10.

    This review...

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

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