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Totally Awesome

(2006, Rated NR, Comedy, Starring Chris Kattan, Mikey Day, Dominique Swain)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    VH1 spoof awesome just for '80s teen film fans.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 13–14

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Since this film makes overt what's covert in other '80s teen movies, it's hard to blame Totally Awesome for its borrowed message that encourages one 35-year-old to have sex with teenage girls. Charlie also learns to be himself and encourages others to be themselves.

  • Violence:

    A lot of comic violence including: a teenage werewolf kills two people graphically, Charlie gets beaten up several times by the cool kids. A girl breaks her leg and you can see the bone sticking out -- the event is watched by a group of people over and over on the VCR. The coach tells his team to kill Charlie.

  • Sex:

    In a dream sequence, Charlie imagines a woman flashing her bare breasts -- within the first three minutes of the movie. There's close, sexual, and silly dancing between teenage Lori and 35-year-old Gabriel, and later Gabriel says he's had sex with her. Yamagashi is gay and is constantly naked in front of Charlie and coming on to him. There's a lot of talk about having sex, but nothing seen.

  • Language:

    Some salty language including "ass", "s--t," and "damn."

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Gabriel says he takes steroids. Charlie gets drunk after being humiliated at a party.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Totally Awesome

Parents need to know that this film sarcastically encourages teens to sleep with 35-year-old men. There's some comic violence when the school's teen werewolf kills the guidance counselor. The film also presents the teen years as a time of predation: both being preyed on by bullies your own age and by lascivious adults. But overall, the film has the same message as every '80s teen movie that it spoofs: Be yourself and you'll be rewarded with the girl and popularity.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about why these themes continue to dominate teen movies. Why are older men always so attractive to teen girls in the movies? Why do teens believe, as Charlie says, "I'm 17. My life sucks"? Is it as dangerous to be a teen as the movie portrays?
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