 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
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 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
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Georgia Rule
- Review Date: September 4, 2007
- R
- Genre: Comedy
- 2007
Common Sense Media says
Lohan acts out in muddled mother-daughter comedy.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that although star Lindsay Lohan is still very popular among kids, this definitely isn't a teen flick (remember, director Garry Marshall is the man behind Pretty Woman as well as The Princess Diaries ...). Lohan's character lies, takes drugs, has sex indiscriminately (she's called a slut several times), and is basically without any inhibitions or common sense. The movie also tackles serious family issues like alcoholism, religion, fractured mother-daughter relationships, promiscuity, and sexual abuse. Teens too young to deal with dysfunctional sexual issues are probably too young to handle the mature themes of this "comedy."
What's the story?
Lindsay Lohan is Rachel, a spoiled, highly sexualized San Francisco 17-year-old who's simply out of control: She lies, drinks, does drugs, and sleeps around without giving it a second thought. Her recovering alcoholic mom, Lilly (Felicity Huffman), realizes that her laissez faire parenting has created a narcissistic, manipulative monster, so she packs Rachel up and sends her to live with grandma Georgia (Jane Fonda) in small-town Idaho. Surrounded by rural Goody Two-shoes and her titular, rule-bound grandmother, Rachel gets her kicks by befriending handsome townie Harlan (Garrett Hedlund) and tempting sweet widower Simon (Dermot Mulroney), who happens to be her mom's high school boyfriend. Sex is a game, and Rachel knows exactly how to win. The movie adds a shocking backstory two-thirds of the way through when Rachel alleges that she's the victim of years of sexual abuse at the hands of her seemingly loving stepfather, Arnold (Cary Elwes).
Is it any good?
Septuagenarian director Garry Marshall has made many a woman-centered film, most of which are perfect for mother-daughter time -- Beaches, The Princess Diaries, etc. But GEORGIA RULE isn't the light-and-fuzzy Mother's Day picture it's being marketed as in TV ads. (Don't forget, Marshall is the man behind the funny-but-prostitute-focused Pretty Woman, too.)
Despite her off-screen reputation, Lohan has real acting chops. And Fonda and Huffman are clearly gifted actresses. But even their dramatic pedigrees can't save this melodramatic mess from devolving into quick-fix sentimentality.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about whether stars' off-screen lives affect how you perceive them on-screen. Did what you know about Lohan's personal life distract you from her performance? Families can also discuss the need for rules and boundaries. How did Lilly's lack of rules affect Rachel?
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AGE
Explicit sexual agenda & language
Wow, where do I begin! Lindsay's first onscreen appearance is to curse at her mother on a mountainous Utah road and ask her to leave her there, which she does gladly! Look out all you serial killers, here comes another easy prey, was my first thought. Then she's found by an unsuspecting gorgeous Mormon Virgin hunk who tries to see if a sleeping Lohan is alive by feeling her "heart" (breast!). It goes down hill from there.
She ends up peeling her panties off on a row boat with same said target Mormom Virgin and asks him to "feel" her. She subsequently demands fair play and ends up screaming later to her grandmother and mother that she ONLY gave him a b*** job! Later to admit to his girlfriend at her college that she's indeed had oral sex with him, but "that was all! And now we're JUST friends!"
Lohan's mouth is a constant canon for profanities, lies, truths??, sex talk detailing her sexual abuse by her stepdad, etc. etc. etc. She walks around this picturesque town dressed like a hooker most of the time and all I could think of was that Lohan sold her soul to the devil for the big bucks! And not far from her real off-screen persona, I'm sure!
Also, very bothersome is her mother's alcohol induced tirades and meltdowns including vomiting, falling, breaking glass and slicing her lip from the fall. Then to picking out an appropriate butcher knife to get even with her husband who abused her daughter (understandably so).
But to hear Jane Fonda angrily tell granddaughter Lohan to go F--- herself was quite a shock and to see her attack the stepdad with a wooden baseball bat was equally surprising.
The only good thing about this film was the "happy ending" when the mother finally figures out the truth about her husband abusing her daughter and leaving him on a similiar mountain pass.
I would have loved to have seen her get back together with her ex (Dermot Mulroney), but they don't take that further, only your imagination does.
Sadly, the gorgeous Mormon Virgin gets poked fun at about his religious beliefs as well as his girlfriend's gal friends who says she'll pray for demon girl Lohan.
No wonder even celebrities with kids have quit attending new movies -- they must have an inside track!
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AGE
ZZZ...
I thought this movie was just OK. Jane Fonda is not very believable to me as a Grandmother. The story line was boring and predictable. The best part of the movie was the funny depiction of the Mormons. It is not one that I would go out of my way to watch again.
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AGE
True to life drama - not fit for kids
My mother and I saw this on Mother's Day. We briefly considered taking my 11-year old daughter with us, but since it was R decided that would be risky. If we did take we would have left within the first ten minutes. Way over the top for kids. The movie had many funny moments, and my mother and I both laughed out loud. However, the promiscuity was deeply disturbing, and we actually found ourselves embarrased for Rachel.
When her abuse was made to light it all made sense. The movie was very realistic in the consequences of the abuse. This is exactly what I have seen with other kids that are abused by adults. They lose their sense of trust, the only way they know to get "love" from a father figure is to offer sex, and they can't tell right from wrong.
The mother and grandmothers reactions were very realistic. The alcholicism of the mother, Lily is also so real, especially when you consider she had "recovered".
In the end we loved the movie. It was funny and shocking, and a bit educational. I did think they portrayed Mormans unfairly, especially the girsl. There is a large population of Mormans in Southern Idaho, but they are much more worldly than the film let on, and much more friendly.
I am from Idaho and was a bit surprised when the films geography was really off. They could have at least done some research on where towns are located.
This movie is okay for kids 17 and older, if they are mature enough to handle the question of abuse.
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AGE
Dan's Review
Georgia Rule has a great cast and was a very enjouyable movie. My wife and I both enjoyed it very much. Fonda, Huffman, and Lohan were all great.
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AGE
lindsey shouldnt be allowed to work.
well what do you expect from a talentless spoiled sleezy brat?
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AGE
Good message, showed in an innapropriate manner...
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AGE
unhappy
I was very upset with this movie.It would have been a very good movie if the sex scenes and the UGLY language was not in it. I would not tell anyone to watch this movie!!!!!!!11
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AGE
I thought it was great!!!
Honestly i think people are to hard on this film i think jane fonda, felicity huffman and yes lindsay lohan all did a good job. just because lohans in it doesnt maen it's a bad film. Give it a chance although it is a little raunchy it comes with a good lesson.
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| Studio: | Universal Pictures |
| Director: | Garry Marshall |
| Cast: | Felicity Huffman, Jane Fonda, Lindsay Lohan |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Run time: | 113 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | May 10, 2007 |
| DVD release date: | September 4, 2007 |
| MPAA rating: | R |
| MPAA explanation: | sexual content and some language. |
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