Kangaroo Jack (PG, 2003)

Jerry O'Connell plays Charlie, the hairdresser stepson of Sal, a Brooklyn mob boss (Christopher Walken). His best friend is Louis (Anthony Anderson), who constantly wheedles him into all kinds of messes by reminding him of the time he saved Charlie's life when they were both eight years old. Charlie and Louis accidentally lead the police to a mob stash of stolen goods. Sal tells them that he would have them killed, but because of Charlie's mother, he is giving them another chance. He sends them to Australia with $50,000 cash, to be delivered to "Mr. Smith." Charlie and Louis hit a kangaroo with their jeep, and, thinking it is dead, dress it up in Louis' jacket to take pictures. But it hops away with the jacket -- and the $50,000, which is in the pocket. Charlie and Anthony chase after the kangaroo while they are being chased by Mr. Smith and the mob guys from back home.

KANGAROO JACK is not just a very bad movie. It is a very bad movie that shows how inadequately the MPAA rating system handles the kinds of materials that are of concern to parents. This movie received a PG rating despite "humor" about topics that include masturbation, homosexuality, drinking and drunkenness, epilepsy, murder, grabbing a woman's breasts, the famous case where a dingo (wild Australian dog) ate a baby, a hit ordered by a mob boss on his stepson, and the ever-popular camel flatulence.

The action sequences are poorly staged, the jokes are staged even more poorly, the montages to rock music have no energy, and the acting ranges from mediocre to dreadful. Estella Warren, who plays the love interest, cannot act. The best performance is unquestionably that of the computer folks who designed the CGI kangaroo. Two positive notes are the long and and loyal inter-racial friendship and a strong, independent, brave, and capable woman.