Common Sense Media Review
Mostly animated PG film has gross-out humor, violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
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Osmosis Jones
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 9 parent reviews
Based on 39 kid reviews
Kids say the film is seen as both creative and gross, catering mostly to older children who can tolerate bodily humor and innuendos, while some parents find it inappropriate for younger viewers. Despite mixed feelings about its content, many appreciate the educational aspect and humor, while others believe it may be too disgusting or scientifically inaccurate for kids.
- gross humor
- suitable for tweens
- creative storytelling
- educational elements
- inappropriate content
- mixed reviews
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
OSMOSIS JONES is a PG-rated, mostly animated movie about a very hip white blood cell (Chris Rock) and a cold capsule (David Hyde Pierce) who fight a nasty virus (Laurence Fishburne) to save the scrofulous body of zoo attendant Frank (Bill Murray). The live-action story, starring Murray with Elena Franklin as his daughter, Chris Elliott as his friend, and a brief, effervescent appearance by Molly Shannon as Shane's teacher, takes up about a quarter of movie. The rest takes place inside Frank's body, a swarming metropolis with white cell cops fighting off everything from gingivitis to intestinal unpleasantness.
Is It Any Good?
The Farrelly brothers and their crude humor have plumbed new depths of internal plumbing in Osmosis Jones. It seems an appropriate follow-up to the brothers' There's Something About Mary, which plumbed new depths of bodily function humor (and ended up on the American Film Institute's list of the 100 funniest movies).
The details -- and many of the jokes -- may be a little hard to follow for anyone who does not have a working knowledge of anatomy. But the basic story line of a cop who likes to do things his way paired up with a straight-arrow, by-the-books partner joining forces against a lethal bad guy is standard movie stuff, and, as usual, it works pretty well.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how we keep our bodies strong enough to fight off infection and viruses, and the challenge of deciding between things that feel good now and those that feel good later. How does that relate to the choice between the two candidates for mayor?
Talk about the news broadcasts that the characters inside of Frank watch. If there was one going on inside you, what would it say?
How well does your family take care of itself? What can you do to be healthier?
Movie Details
- In theaters : August 10, 2001
- On DVD or streaming : November 13, 2001
- Cast : Brandy Norwood , Chris Rock , David Hyde Pierce
- Directors : Bobby Farrelly , Peter Farrelly
- Inclusion Information : Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Warner Bros.
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Adventures , STEM
- Run time : 95 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : bodily humor
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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