Charlie's Angels

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Edgy girl power fun. You go, girls!
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that in addition to a lot of "action-style" violence (very little blood), the movie has drinking, smoking, and some profanity and innuendo. One of the angels is shown waking up after a one-night-stand, clearly intending never to see the guy again. She later has a sexual encounter that turns out to have been a mistake.

  • Strong female characters (though they get a bit giddy around boyfriends).
  • Lots of peril and action-style fighting (no blood); the angels do not use guns.
  • Innuendo, character wakes up after a one-night stand, has sex with another man.

What's the story?

CHARLIE'S ANGELS are three female detectives who solve cases brought to them by the mysterious Charlie, who communicates with them only by speakerphone. The Angels are fabulously gorgeous women who are as brilliant as they are beautiful, and who can kick-box five guys at a time: Dylan (co-producer Drew Barrymore), Alex (Lucy Liu), and Natalie (Cameron Diaz). They are so technologically adept that they can tug a few wires and make a fast food drive-through speaker sound like an MP3 track. They'll stop in the middle of tracking a suspect to give each other flirting pointers -- and stop in the middle of a life-or-death kickboxing fight to take a phone call from a boyfriend. Charlie's latest client is a software firm whose programming genius, Eric Knox (Sam Rockwell), has been kidnapped. His voice identification program, if combined with global positioning technology, could be used to track anyone, even Charlie. So the Angels are off to the rescue.


Is it any good?

 

Charlie's Angels manages to fulfill the middle-school-age fantasies of both boys and girls and to make it clear that it doesn't take itself too seriously. The result is a lot of silly popcorn fun. This is the kind of movie in which the action sequences may be sped up, but the heroines' hair is always in slow motion, a sort of Josie and the Pussycats crossed with Mission: Impossible. The Angels go undercover as belly dancers, a race car pit crew, corporate consultants, and lederhosen-clad messengers. It also involves placing the Angels in jeopardy every 17 minutes or so. But these Angels don't use guns. They take on bad guys with their wits and their feet.

The Angels have so much fun that it's impossible not to enjoy them. The fight scenes were staged by the same person who did The Matrix, and the Angels get a huge charge out of their suspended-air kicks and chops. A soundtrack of cheesy 1970s music ("Brandy," "You Make Me Feel Like Dancin'," "Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel") and sly digs like an airline passenger disgusted by the prospect of watching T.J. Hooker: The Movie keep things lighthearted. The Angels are all terrific, especially Diaz, whose pure pleasure in doing horrible retro disco dances lights up an entire room. Bill Murray has some good moments as their sidekick, Bosley.


Explore, discuss, enjoy

Families can talk about how Dylan's absent father affected her life, especially her decision to work for a man who would never meet her. Knox, too, was affected by an absent father. Why don't the Angels want the men in their lives to know what they do? What would happen if they told them? Even movies as essentially silly as this one can also provide good lessons in problem-solving and ethics. How do they break down the problem of getting access to the GPS software into solvable pieces? Why won't the angels give Knox access to the GPS software?


This review of Charlie's Angels was written by
Kid, 1 year old
June 29, 2009
 
hi i recomend this movie only for adults 21 and up
What other families should know:

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Adult
April 9, 2008
 
Action packed
Women kicking the bad guys is entertaining if unrealistic. For 15+ audience

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Teen, 13 years old
April 9, 2008
 
Fabulous!
I'm 13 not 11! I loved this movie cameron diaz, drew barrymore and lucy liu were great!

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Parent
June 7, 2011
 
Not for teens
Good movie - but not for 12 year olds as the main review says. There are lots of female body parts being shaken and zoomed in on in this movie, and should be limited to 14+, 17+ for Christian families (such as ours). We don't subject our children to all the sex on TV and cable. If you do, 12 may be suitable. As far as the actual movie is, for adults it is entertaining - but we could also do without the sex. Foul language is not rampant, as is the case with most of the current action movies.

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Adult
October 9, 2010
 
Very fun, action-packed, and entertaining
Despite campy, over-the-top, Matrix-style fights (which are actually very fun to watch), this is a very entertaining, fun movie. The action, the acting, and the story all works together well. Parents: There is a lot of sensuality, stylized violence, some nudity and language. Bottom Line: Great if you want to let your mind go. Sit back, relax, and enjoy! Thanks for reading! - Movie Man
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Kid, 11 years old
July 26, 2010
 
I loved this movie since I was 6 (I know it's hard to believe). It has great action. 8 or 9+

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Kid, 11 years old
April 9, 2008
 
Very Very Good
Very Very Good Luved it keep it rockin luv ya bye

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Teen, 15 years old
November 15, 2010
 
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Kid, 11 years old
April 9, 2008
 
It was awesome
I have seen all of them and there is nothing wrong with this movie although I can see why it's rated PG-12....kids 7- shouldnt watch it

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This review of Charlie's Angels was written by
Studio:Columbia Tristar
Director:McG
Cast:Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu
Genre:Action/Adventure
Run time:98 minutes
Theatrical release date:November 3, 2000
DVD release date:March 27, 2001
MPAA rating:PG-13
MPAA explanation:action violence, innuendo and some sensuality/nudity

This review of Charlie's Angels was written by
 

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