 | 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. |
The Full Monty
- Review Date: November 7, 2005
- R
- Genre: Comedy
- 1997
Common Sense Media says
Who knew male strippers could be so sweet?
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that despite its racy premise (a group of unemployed male steelworkers turn to stripping to make ends meet), this is a surprisingly warm film, very family-friendly for those with older children. Though the frontal male "full monty" of the title never materializes, several scenes feature naked male behinds and there is a shot of a woman urinating into a urinal while exposing her rear end. The film's characters also smoke continually, drink casually and regularly, and they are willing to show their goodies in order to make a buck. One character also makes a suicide attempt, and two of the men fall discreetly in love over the course of the movie.
What's the story?
THE FULL MONTY centers on Gaz (Robert Carlyle) and Dave (Mark Addy), a pair of former co-workers who, in post-steel boom Sheffield, England, are flat broke and in desperate enough need to consider putting on a Chippendales-style striptease act. They recruit four other men, including their former boss at the steel plant, to join in on their scheme. They start rehearsing their bump-and-grind; all leading up to the one night when they will bare all and, hopefully, make thousands of pounds.
Is it any good?
The great charm of this film is how all of the characters are allowed to possess recognizably human quirks. Each of them wants the stripping money for different reasons: Gaz needs to pay back child support so he can spend more time with his son. Dave does not want to take the security guard job his wife is pushing on him. Former steel supervisor Gerald (Tom Wilkinson) has not even told his wife he has been laid off yet.
Watching these men grow to be friends in the service of an admittedly odd quest is a much more tender experience than one expects in a story about a group of down-and-out peelers.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about morals and ethics--do they have a price? How does the financial desperation of the characters convince them to do things they are uncomfortable with doing? How does looking at naked bodies in the context of public entertainment affect the way we think about sex and intimacy?
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AGE
A Heart-Warming British Comedy
You know, despite the fact that the language in this movie was atrocious (I have honestly never heard the "f" word used in such realitve order!) Yet, in spite of all of that, the film was heartwarming..yes it is about male strippers, and there are a couple of naked shots from behind. Since it is from Britain, however, I found the slang and accents hard to understand at certain times, and found the subtitles to be a handy tool. Kids under 14 will probably be bored by the movie, but anyone my age and over will most likely be roaring as the final scene comes about. All in all, it was a funny, surprising movie, about the lengths men will go to support their families. A must see for any comedy fan.
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| Studio: | Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment |
| Director: | Peter Cattaneo |
| Cast: | Mark Addy, Robert Carlyle, Tom Wilkinson |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Run time: | 91 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | August 13, 1997 |
| DVD release date: | May 21, 2002 |
| MPAA rating: | R |
| MPAA explanation: | language and some nudity |
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