 | 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. |
Labor Pains
- Review Date: August 2, 2009
- PG-13
- Genre: Comedy
- 2009
Common Sense Media says
Lohan is poor role model for teens in unimpressive romcom.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this movie is laden with casual references to sex (talk about “doing the nasty” as well as terms like “skank,” “undersexed,” and references to virginity), some strong language (“ass,” “hell,” and a few uses of “s--t," which are bleeped for TV broadcast), smoking, drinking, and generally irresponsible behavior. The main chararacter fakes a pregnancy to save her job, and even the inevitable revelation of her deceit doesn't have strong repercussions. Despite some worthwhile character development and a few obvious lessons about industriousness and honesty, teens will be more influenced by the movie’s misleading messages about responsibility and relationships than by anything positive.
What's the story?
Twenty-something Thea (Lindsay Lohan) is frustrated with her immature boyfriend, her responsibility to her younger sister, and her lackluster secretarial job. After multiple mishaps at work, her boss (Chris Parnell) threatens to cut her loose -- but she makes up a story about being pregnant so he’ll change his mind. Soon everyone has heard the news, and she can’t seem to set the record straight. So, with the help of her friend, Lisa (Cheryl Hines), Thea dons a belly pillow and maternity clothes and continues the ruse. When she’s promoted to the company’s new family division and discovers she actually has a knack for her new job, Thea fears that revealing the truth will cost her a chance at success -- and a relationship with her new manager, Nick (Luke Kirby). But the phony pregnancy is a ticking time bomb, and there’s no telling what pieces will be left to pick up when it blows.
Is it any good?
Watching LABOR PAINS is a bit like the labor process itself: It’s a steady descent from tolerable pain to utter misery that’s almost forgotten in the midst of the predictably happy ending. Almost, but not quite. For much of the movie, Thea is a self-absorbed, unmotivated, irresponsible young adult with little clarity to her future, and it’s only with the safety net of a huge lie that she begins to come into her own and find some professional and personal success.
You could argue that her character turn-around outweighs her early mistakes, but in fact she’s more believable as a snippy screw-up than as the reliable executive she becomes. (Of course, that might be influenced by Lohan's own off-camera trials.) The film does boast a talented cast (Janeane Garofalo joins in as a talk-show host), but even that’s not enough to overshadow its flaws. Factor in the movie’s frequent sexual references, a surprising amount of unnecessary smoking and drinking, and some strong language, and it’s clear there’s not much value for teens.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the movie's messages about the consequences of sex and unplanned pregnancy. Are they realistic? Can you think of other shows or movies that have a different take on the topic? Is it the media's responsibility to present this content in a realistic manner?
Teens: What are your responsibilities at this point in your life? What repercussions do you face if you don’t fulfill them? How do your choices now affect the course of your future?
How is your impression of TV shows and movies influenced by your perception of the people who star in them? Do you think celebrities are held to a different standard than regular people? Do they have a responsibility to be positive role models for young fans?
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AGE
great for nobody!
not saying anything good about it.
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AGE
Was ok....
I watched this with my mom and sis (shes 10), and if was ok, wasnt that good. The positive messege, is that you shouldnt lie. But my sis was with us watching it, so if the kid is under 12, they should watch it with adult supervision.
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AGE
Okay, but nothing great . . .
Ehhh, it was an okay movie to watch, but the only reason I was watching it in the first place is because it was rented by accident. It was kind of intresting, but more for older tweens and teens, and I wouldn't really reccomend it for a good movie to watch.
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AGE
Great
great movie for teens, they just hav to be mature
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AGE
It was good
It really wasn't a bad movie.my parents saw it with me and they even agreed it was ok.BTW they don't let me watch all TV-14 stuff.At the most if your a child under 13 then just watch it with an adult so they can explain it to you.
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AGE
Only for Mature tweens and teens
I thought that this movie although it uses some sexual references is ok for mature tweens and teens because it teaches the consequences of lying and shows how one lie can change lives.
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| Studio: | First Look Pictures |
| Director: | Lara Shapiro |
| Cast: | Cheryl Hines, Chris Parnell, Lindsay Lohan |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Run time: | 89 minutes |
| DVD release date: | August 4, 2009 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | sexual content and language. |
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