Kickin' It Old Skool - PG-13

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Kennedy's lowbrow comedy best for '80s veterans.

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Rating: PG-13 for crude and sexual content and language. Studio: Yari Film Group Directed By: Harvey Glazer Cast: Jamie Kennedy, Michael Rosenbaum, Maria Menounos Running Time: 107 minutes Release Date: 04/27/2007 Genre: Comedy

Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that this Jamie Kennedy comedy has crude humor and language. The "equal opportunity" jokes make light of coma patients, the mentally ill, homosexuals, Jews, African Americans, Latinos, and Asians, but not in an over-the-top way. A few scenes show Kennedy's character (a 30-year-old who miraculously comes out of a 20-year coma) "learning" about sex on the Internet (nothing is shown) and practicing moves on a male buddy who's wearing a wig and a bra. It's not a complete raunchfest like Borat or South Park; most teens are now used to this kind of humor -- as long as they're interested in the '80s, that is.

Families can talk about how no group is considered off-limits when it comes to Kennedy's mild ridicule. What did you think of the various racial jokes -- like the "Jewbiks Cube" or the "Ghetto Grabber" inventions? What's the purpose of jabs like these -- is it just pure mockery, or is there a more subtle message underneath? Parents should discuss how, over time, some words become socially unacceptable ("retard," for example). Is that a sign of extreme political correctness or simply increased sensitivity? Lastly, just for nostalgia's sake, parents can share their favorite '80s pop-culture trends.

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Sandie Angulo Chen

Right from the opening credits sequence -- which is set to one of the 1980s' best soundtrack hits, "Dancing in Heaven" -- KICKIN' IT OLD SKOOL is unexpectedly entertaining ... just probably not for the reasons that writer-producer-star Jamie Kennedy intended.

Like the ubiquitous chain mail that starts with "You know you grew up in the '80s if...," this comedy is a 107-minute tribute to those whose youth was spent trading Garbage Pail Kids cards and memorizing the lines of Ferris Bueller's Day Off (Alan Ruck, aka Cameron Frye, even cameos). So moviegoers of a certain age may find themselves laughing at the stereotypical "wax on, wax off" jokes -- while the teenagers in the audience stay silent.

Plot-wise, the movie's protagonist is Justin, a break dancing-obsessed suburban 10-year-old who falls into a coma during a talent-show breakin' battle in the late '80s. Justin (played by Kennedy as an adult) miraculously wakes up 20 years later, only to discover that parachute pants and cassette tapes are no longer in style and that his elementary-school nemesis Kip (Michael Rosenbaum) is not only still a rich "jerkwad," but also engaged to the girl of Justin's dreams, Jen (Maria Menounos).

Reuniting with his "Funky Fresh Boyz" breakin' crew -- a comedic Rainbow Coalition played by Bobby Lee, Miguel Nunez Jr., and Aris Alvarado -- Justin convinces his out-of-shape pals to pop-and-lock their way into a $100,000 dance contest hosted by Kip. The climactic competition, which features dance crews battling to '80s beats, is the best part of the movie.

But aside from the dance sequence and the in-jokes for the '80s-initiated, Kickin' It Old School would play better on late-night television, when your standards are much lower. Things are always funnier when you're half asleep.

For other films about '80s break dancing, check out Breakin', Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo, and Beat Street. And don't forget The Karate Kid, the chief '80s classic that Kickin' It pays tribute to.

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Content		CS	adults	kids
Content
Sexual Content Two 10-year-olds kiss; another 10-year-old prepares for a kiss by sticking his tongue out. Justin learns about sex by, presumably, watching 12 hours of Internet porn. Justin practices how to touch a woman's "breasteses" on his male friend. Various characters give advice on how to touch a woman. Jen opens her shirt, but there's no nudity. Jen and Justin kiss.
Violence Dancers push and shove each other, and Darnell's girlfriend "bitch slaps" him.
Language Several uses of "s--t" and "bitch," as well as "ass" and one "f--k." Characters (one African American, one Caucasian) say the "N" word to each other. Justin says "retard," not realizing that it's no longer considered acceptable. Other problematic words: "homo," a "Jewbiks cube" (features a menorah, a dollar sign, a star of David and circumcised penises), and referring to Asian and Latino friends as "rice and beans."
Message
	Social Behavior It's debatable whether Justin is a role model for revived coma patients, but his dedication triumphs over his nemesis' selfishness.
	Commercialism Featured '80s brands/products include the show Knight Rider and the car KITT (as well as David Hasselhoff), Hammer pants, Pop Rocks, Garbage Pail Kids, and a ton of decade-symbolic movies and shows -- The Karate Kid, The Smurfs, Sixteen Candles, Transformers, Miami Vice, Diff'rent Strokes, etc.
	Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco Even at a club party, there's no obvious drinking or smoking.