 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
A Thousand Words
- Review Date: March 9, 2012
- PG-13
- Genre: Comedy
- 2012
Common Sense Media says
Disappointing comedy about self-reflection has sexy stuff.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that A Thousand Words is an Eddie Murphy comedy with some adult themes about family and marriage that may not interest or be appropriate for tweens. Language includes frequent uses of "s--t" and "ass," but there are no F-bombs. The nature of a marriage after a baby is discussed several times, and, in one sequence, a wife tries to seduce her husband by donning a dominatrix outfit and demanding that he "talk dirty." Starbucks is featured prominently in the film, and a barista is even a supporting character. On the bright side, there's a positive message about putting family first and finding inner peace and forgiveness.
What's the story?
Jack (Eddie Murphy) is an overly caffeinated, fast-talking literary agent who's used to closing even the most resistant of authors. To land Dr. Sanji (Cliff Curtis), a Deepak Chopra-like spiritual leader, as his client, Jack lies and pretends to believe in Sanji's path toward inner peace. Soon, a mysterious tree shoots up in Jack's backyard, and with every word Jack says, a leaf falls. Desperate for answers, Jack enlists Sanji for help, but the guru only states the obvious -- that he has about 1,000 words left until he, and the tree, die. Unable to speak (or write) words, Jack reverts to outrageous gestures and utterances to communicate with everyone in his life, leaving his wife, boss, assistant, and local barista exasperated.
Is it any good?
It feels trite at this point to state that Murphy is a gifted comedian. He obviously is, but he apparently doesn't mind making every movie offered to him at a certain price. It's not that A THOUSAND WORDS is completely unwatchable -- it's simply forgettable. Murphy does this manic shtick by rote after so many years. He contorts his face and moves his body like all experts at physical comedy, but it's eye-rollingly banal.
Even the movie's concept, with its Zen-like message about forgiveness and family, is basically the same derivative plot line as every single other comedy about a slick, overworked dad who finally realizes that he's sacrificing too much for the sake of his day job. It's always fun to see 30 Rock's Jack McBrayer (who plays Jack's regular barista), but the reliance on Starbucks as not just a product placement but as a repeated setting in the movie is a bit off-putting. Murphy's die-hard fans will be pleased to see him vamp and improvise, but those looking for a worthy new comedy should look elsewhere for their cinematic fulfillment.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Families can talk about A Thousand Words' message of work versus family life. Why do so many movies feature the same basic premise about a workaholic father who finally realizes his family should come first?
Starbucks is shown again and again. How do you feel about a brand being so prominently featured in a film?
What's the message about how people communicate? How does silence change Jack's perspective and attitude?
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Parent
March 21, 2012
AGE
Totally Inappropriate and borderline-R rated
I just walked my 13 and 16 yr old boys out of the movie due to sexual content and every curse word in the book, including a show of "the finger". I have never walked out of a movie before nor have I ever before asked for a refund from the theater. We stayed in the movie for almost 1 1/2 hrs at which point I had had it. There is a TON of swearing and many, many sexual references. Some of these references even went over my kids' heads, but it doesn't take much of an imagination to figure out what they meant by "doing it on the table" or in other places in the house, for example. When we finally did leave, it was at the point where his wife called him up to a hotel room where she was clad in some little black outfit, standing in the bedroom. He takes off his shirt and she gets behind him and there is a closeup of her removing his belt, his pants fall down, and you see his boxers and she begins caressing his stomach (camera remains zoomed in). Of course during all this there is "sexy" music and sex-talk. That was "it" for me. As I walked out I could hear that nothing else happened, but still. I waited too long to escort my kids out. Previously to this the wife's (girl) friend passed her a bag in the store which contained this outfit though you do not see it - all the while asking her if she's giving it to him good or something along those lines - several comments that were inappropriate for kids to hear, though again depending on your kids' ages it might go over their head. So, what is the purpose of this movie being rated PG-13? Only to corrupt your children. I am extremely disappointed in the producers and Eddie Murphy, and the rating agencies. My husband and I used to love going to see him but no more. Too bad. I usually check Commonsensemedia before going to the movies, but it had not been rated yet. The story line is pretty sad too (pointless). There are many more sexual references I have not mentioned and a whole boatload of cussing. You name the word, and it's in there. I would MAYBE rate this ok for a 17 or 18 yr old but not my kids even when they are 17. I saw one mom covering her 10-yr old's eyes but you cannot escape all the cursing and sex talk. You might feel differently but I choose not to allow my kids to see their parent endorse such exposure.
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Teen, 15 years old
March 11, 2012
AGE
yytty
Fast Talking Agent Jack Mccal is put throw a curse and Ok movie
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Kid, 10 years old
March 31, 2012
AGE
Good but way too much sexual behavior!
Well I think it is a great movie and all, but a little too much sexual behavior in it. But everything else is great.
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Parent
March 20, 2012
AGE
This is a true comedy it is worth going to see
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Parent
March 26, 2012
AGE
EXTREMELY SEXUAL CONTENT, NOT CHILD APPROPRIATE!!!
As a parent that just wanted to enjoy a movie with his daughter and one of her friends, the sex scene "One extended scene of humorous foreplay..." is NOT humorous with or without my 10 yo and her 10 yo friend. I told them to cover there eyes and they did so immediately knowing this is something they should not be seeing. Immediately I realized they could still hear what was being said and it was just as bad as what they were seeing if not worse. I told them to go get a drink and they jumped up and went quickly. My daughter (especially with a friend) is not one to jump until I say jump 4-5 times, both times they both knew what they were seeing was bad. I am outraged that this is rated PG-13 I realize she is not 13 but a PG-13 movie does not have this kind of language or sexual content!
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Teen, 16 years old
June 21, 2012
AGE
Entertaining movie, if a little bland
I was taking a look at a few of the other parent's reviews and WOW they made this movie sound 30x worse than it actually is. The word sh-t is used frequently but if you think that's inappropriate for a teen to hear, then maybe you should go to school with them for a day, where students swear left and right.
The only real thing to watch out is the prolonged pre-sex scene, which is what bumped up my rating to 14 years old.
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Adult
March 26, 2012
AGE
Worst movie this year.
I should've taken a closer look at the review. Eddie Murphy is obviously the best thing about this movie. However, the language, blasphemy, sexual content, drinking and implied "tree high" ruined the movie for us. During the hotel scene my 12 yr old son put his head down and covered his ears. My 16 yr old daughter closed her eyes as well. It was very uncomfortable for my husband and I. I have taken them to see several pg-13 movies and never expereinced this. I also think that in the end it shows that successful people must be rude, insensitve and self-centered. All of which are group stereotyping and a false message to send to kids. Especially when most parents are trying to teach a good, strong work ethic with morals and integrity. If you want to experince some crude humor Eddie Murphy style with little to no plot and b-rate acting by the supporting cast...you'll love this movie.
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Kid, 12 years old
June 27, 2012
AGE
A THOUSAND WORDS,A THOUSAND LAUGHS.
This movie is really funny, it has some fairly frequent language but no F-Bombs except for when Eddie Murphy's Character flips off a tree two leaves drop, there is some mild sexual content and it is a little disturbing for young kids toward the end.
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Kid, 12 years old
May 9, 2012
AGE
Great
PG-13 For Language, Sexual Dressing, Violence, And Drunkerness
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Adult
June 26, 2012
AGE
14 and up.
A Thousand Words is a average and a little touching comedy movie stars with Eddie Murphy and all though the movie does play for laughs it does have some sexual situations and some other family themes that maybe a little too much for your young kids and parents you need to know that a thousand words has some sexual situations like in one scene Caroline is in a dominatrix-style outfit trying to impress jack to work out the relationship between them and asking him to talk dirty but unfortunately it doesn't work due to the fact he can't speak otherwise he'll die there's also some mild language used and some drinking used such as hard liquor, cocktails, vodka, martinis, beer however due to the funny jokes the movie does have a message about that people should think before they speak and not spout so many meaningless lies and the role model is that Caroline is a wonderful mother and a generous wife who tries to work at her marriage and communicating with her husband and Jack goes from being a terrible role model to someone who's discovered the importance of self reflection, thinking before he speaks, and making every word count.
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| Studio: | Paramount Pictures |
| Director: | Brian Robbins |
| Cast: | Clark Duke, Eddie Murphy, Kerry Washington |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Run time: | 91 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | March 9, 2012 |
| DVD release date: | June 26, 2012 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | sexual situations including dialogue, language and some drug-related humor |
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