Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Lots of sexual content and language, not enough humor.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star
What's the Story?
Bucky Larson (Nick Swardson) is a very naïve Iowa grocery bagger who's totally ignorant in all the ways of sex. After losing his job, his friends show him a porn film from the 1970s, and he discovers that his parents were once porn stars, so he travels to Los Angeles to fulfill his "destiny." There he meets a misfit waitress (Christina Ricci) and a terrible roommate (Kevin Nealon) and prepares for fame. But his miniature "equipment" and lack of experience make him a laughingstock -- until washed-up director Miles Deep (Don Johnson) takes Bucky under his wing and turns him into a sensation, much to the chagrin of established porn star Dick Shadow (Stephen Dorff). Can Bucky keep sight of what's important in life?
Is It Any Good?
The sheer dumb boldness of BUCKY LARSON's humor will probably coax at least a couple of laughs from most viewers, but overall the movie is embarrassingly bad. It looks like a low-budget quickie, with very little effort spent on cinematography or editing. The characters are little more than cartoon characters, with no real personalities or any kind of genuine emotional connection. It's a mystery as to how these people ever evolved.
The crude jokes probably amused the cast and crew behind the scenes, but they don't translate to the finished product; most of them simply fall flat. Moreover, the movie fails to find any reason for or connection with its porn industry setting; it's too dirty to have anything to say but too tame to be truly titillating. If nothing else, Ricci and Johnson manage some moments of warmth and sweetness, even if they're not terribly funny.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the movie's style of humor. Who is it intended to appeal to? Does it succeed? Why do you think sex-based humor is such a frequent go-to for crude/adult comedies?
Does Bucky learn a lesson from his adventure? Is that the point of the movie? Do you think Bucky could be considered a role model? What does it say about him that he's only interested in being intimate with his girlfriend and not any of the porn stars he works with?
Movie Details
- In theaters : September 9, 2011
- On DVD or streaming : January 16, 2012
- Cast : Christina Ricci , Don Johnson , Nick Swardson
- Director : Tom Brady
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Columbia Pictures
- Genre : Comedy
- Run time : 96 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : pervasive crude sexual content, language and some nudity
- Last updated : July 12, 2022
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