 | 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. |
Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star
- Review Date: September 9, 2011
- R
- Genre: Comedy
- 2011
Common Sense Media says
Lots of sexual content and language, not enough humor.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this crude porn-industry comedy was co-written by Adam Sandler, who has cast star Nick Swardson in supporting roles in many of his movies. Given the setting, the fact that it's filled with crass sexual innuendo and strong language (including "f--k" and "s--t"), as well as partial nudity (including topless women and a brief shot of a man's "equipment") isn't surprising. But the main character is actually fairly chaste and innocent, and so is his romantic interest. There's a little drinking and drugs, as well as a few violent threats, but the main issues here are sexual content and language.
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.
What families can talk 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?
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Kid, 10 years old
November 22, 2011
AGE
the worst movie ever for adults!!!!!
my 19 year old babysitter went home and saw this movie and was so mad at who made it she never came back!! :(
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AGE
Bucky Larson
some humar but alot of sexual content with drinking.
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Kid, 12 years old
January 19, 2012
AGE
Doghter really enjoyed it, laughed alot
Really funny premice with the porn stars. I took my doghter Vanessa for her birthday and we missed about 20 minutes of the beginning but I think she understood most of it. There r about 10 big belly laughs and about 20 little smart jokes. Recemended
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AGE
gozgf
it was a sexual content movie but still had humor, i would say this movie had 64% sexual content, 35% humor.
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AGE
Bucky Larson: Born To Be a Star Movie Review
Hularious but weird and dumb comedy is Full of sex and more.
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| Studio: | Columbia Pictures |
| Director: | Tom Brady |
| Cast: | Christina Ricci, Don Johnson, Nick Swardson |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Run time: | 96 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | September 9, 2011 |
| DVD release date: | January 16, 2012 |
| MPAA rating: | R |
| MPAA explanation: | pervasive crude sexual content, language and some nudity |
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