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The Longshots

(2008, Rated PG, Family and kids, Starring Ice Cube, Keke Palmer, Dash Mihok)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 5, age appropriate for kids over 7; suggested age 7.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Girl-powered sports film is predictable but sweet.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 7 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Jasmine proves that girls can actually play football, instead of just being cheerleaders and spectators. Curtis stops drinking and steps up to coach Jasmine and the team. Jasmine is ridiculed by her school's "mean girls" -- but it's obvious that their behavior isn't admirable.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence & scariness:

    There's some hard shoving and tackling on the football field. A coach has a heart attack and collapses on the field. (Possible spoiler alert! He doesn't die.)

  • Sexy stuff:

    A man asks a woman on a date, and they're shown flirting with each other and hugging. A boy refers to his testicles as "King Kongs," and someone corrects him, calling them "ping pongs."

  • Language:

    Mostly mild: "damn," "dookie," "stupid," "ass."

  • Consumerism:

    Tyra Banks is mentioned several times, and her talk show plays on the main character's television. Other celebrities and brands featured include Beyonce, Foxxy Brown, Muhammad Ali, Yao Ming, Sprite, and Walter Payton (Ice wears his #34 jersey through most of the movie).

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Curtis buys large cans of beer, which he hides in a paper bag, and he drinks a lot -- until he starts coaching the team . A couple of homeless-looking men also carry around paperbags that are presumably filled with cans or bottles of alchohol.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About The Longshots

Parents need to know that this film, although mostly fine for younger kids, does have a few mature themes. The main character's unemployed uncle drinks a lot (out of a paper bag) and is basically a couple of notches up from being homeless. A deadbeat dad makes a brief appearance in which he once again disappoints his daughter. And a well-liked character suffers a heart attack on the football field. The language in the film is standard for a PG film ("ass" is about as strong as it gets), and there's no sexual or violent content of note.

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Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about what makes Jasmine a good role model. What other positive (or negative) role models did you notice in the movie? Kids: What do you think about girls playing football? Should they be allowed to play on boys' teams if there aren't enough girls to form a separate league? Families can also discuss whether sports movies are too predictable and tear-jerking -- or whether that's just what you want in this kind of film.
Tools and tips that can help

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Parent Reviewer
    mumu
    Lives in Massachusetts
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 4.0

    My 9 year old girl loved it and so did we.

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  2. Kid Reviewer Age 9
    NDC
    Lives in New Hampshire
    I rate this title on for age 6 and give it 5.0

    really good

    I loved this movie. It does have a few swears ut other than that its probably ok.

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate

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