Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Forgettable teen comedy has lots of sex and drinking.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
I Love You, Beth Cooper
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 9 parent reviews
Based on 26 kid reviews
Kids say the movie is a mixed bag, with some praising its humor and underlying messages about choices in high school, while others find it inappropriate due to its sexual content and language. Many reviewers agree it could have been better, expressing disappointment in its execution, yet some still enjoyed it for its comedic elements and recommend it for older teens.
- humor divided opinions
- contains mature content
- missed potential
- inspiring message
- good for teens
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Denis Cooverman (Paul Rust) is your typical geeky high school valedictorian -- except he decides to announce his unrequited love for titular head cheerleader Beth Cooper (Hayden Panettiere) during his graduation speech. Thinking it would be funny, Beth and her mean-girl BFFs pick up Denis and his pop-culture-obsessed best friend Rich (Jack Carpenter) for a wild and crazy graduation night, during which Denis realizes the actual Beth Cooper might not live up to his idealized expectations.
Is It Any Good?
While a few scenes are worthy of a couple of laughs, the only memorable aspect of the movie is the wink-wink fact that Denis' father is Alan Ruck, who once played Ferris Bueller's best friend. Watching Cameron -- he of the Ferrari-driving father -- will remind parents in the audience of their own screen touchstones, which were infinitely better.
Director Chris Columbus is no stranger to teen-friendly fodder. Long before he was the original Harry Potter auteur, he began his directing career with 1987's Adventures in Babysitting, a tween/teen classic. It's a shame that two decades later, he seems to have completely lost the mojo to portray teens as anything but ridiculous stereotypes. Denis is not a high-school Everyman like the freshmen in Dazed and Confused, the cool-but-eccentric seniors of Superbad, or even the brilliantly developed, funny-as-anything outcasts of John Hughes lore. He's a homely, formulaic nerd, and Beth, it seems, is headed to prison for DUI and vehicular manslaughter instead of community college.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about teenage sexuality. How is it portrayed here? Is that realistic? Why would Denis' dad encourage him to have sex? Parents, talk to your teens about your own family's values when it comes to sex.
What about the underage drinking? Is it as common as the movie suggests? What are the consequences of drinking in real life?
Are the movie's stereotypes funny? Are all cheerleaders mean and all valedictorians nerds? Can you think of teen movies that don't follow these "rules"? How does this movie compare to the classics in the teen genre?
Movie Details
- In theaters : July 10, 2009
- On DVD or streaming : November 3, 2009
- Cast : Hayden Panettiere , Jack Carpenter , Paul Rust
- Director : Chris Columbus
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Twentieth Century Fox
- Genre : Comedy
- Run time : 102 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : crude and sexual content, language, some teen drinking and drug references, and brief violence
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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