 | 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. |
Serial Mom
- Review Date: March 27, 2008
- R
- Genre: Comedy
- 1994
Common Sense Media says
Waters' cheery murder satire is gory and profane.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that there is considerable violence and killing here. Splattery gore happens both in video clips from famous horror movies (which are praised as entertainment, over more wholesome movies like Annie) and in the "real" narrative. There are depictions of sex and male masturbation and brief glimpses of topless/pornographic magazines. A Catholic mass is ridiculed. The swearing gets really vile in places, and, like the violence, it's meant as a contrast to the tame-looking situation-comedy milieu.
What's the story?
A candy-colored satire on tabloid-y true-crime movies, serial killers, and suburban values, SERIAL MOM takes place, as do many of the comedies of naughty-naughty filmmaker John Waters, in suburban Baltimore. Beverly Sutphin (Kathleen Turner) is a proper, well-mannered, ultra-capable and adoring, churchgoing mom to her dentist husband and their two kids. But she is also a murderous psychotic, who torments/tortures/brutally kills anyone (outside the immediate family) who annoys her. A neighbor who steals a parking space from Beverly receives guttural, obscene phone-call harassment. Another woman who returns rented videotapes unrewound gets bashed fatally with a frozen leg of lamb (a Hitchcock in-joke). Eventually, family and police notice the increasingly public crimes, and Baltimore is thrilled to finally have its own serial killer. Even the victims' grieving relatives confer with the Sutphins about true-crime book/TV/movie deals, as Beverly's trial goes forward.
Is it any good?
The social spoofing is broad and unsubtle, like when a Catholic sermon turns into a pro-death penalty speech, the priest cheerfully asserting Jesus never made policy statements against execution -- not even during His own. But the performers seem to be having a great time, and the Squaresville-sitcom vibe (inspired by the likes of Leave It to Beaver takes the edge off the bloodletting, sex, and swearing. Serial Mom doesn't make you feel contaminated for watching it, like Natural Born Killers does, even though the two movies share much in common in criticizing a sicko-crazed media mindset.
Parents should use extreme caution -- especially since John Waters, for his part, does enjoy gore imagery and bad-taste stuff for its own sake, and he gives favorite horror flicks prominent onscreen plugs.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Families can talk about the fascination with serial killers. How can a law-and-order society like the United States simultaneously make folk heroes out of mass murderers it condemns? Is the media to blame? Is Waters' sitcom-funny take on this pathology part of the problem or part of the solution? Parents can ask kids what they think of serial-killer trading cards, comics, or Web sites.
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Teen, 16 years old
November 28, 2009
AGE
A pretty funny movie. View before hand
The movie was hilarious. I wouldn't recommend you let young children watch it but it was hilarious. It is graphic as far as the language goes and there are some shots of nudity but overall its funny. I say any teenager could watch this but most importantly when deciding, know your kids. My 12 year old kid brother watches way worse movies and hes perfectly fine and actually a bit of an over achiever.
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Kid, 11 years old
August 16, 2009
AGE
maybe not the best for young children
I saw it like last year on tv so i have not exactly seen anything like bad bad in the movie except one part when my parents put their hands over my eyes but you can see it coming.I personally thought it was sorts funny how the woman was soooo physo.And how just cuz she killed one person in the begining she ended up killing lots.My fav part is when this woman is sitting at home watching Annie and Beverly sneaks in and beats the woman with some ham.
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| Studio: | HBO |
| Director: | John Waters |
| Cast: | Kathleen Turner, Ricki Lake, Sam Waterston |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Run time: | 93 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | May 13, 1994 |
| DVD release date: | May 5, 2008 |
| MPAA rating: | R |
| MPAA explanation: | satirical presentation of strong violence, vulgar language and sexual episodes. |
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