Take Me Home Tonight

  • Review Date: February 27, 2011
  • R
  • Genre: Comedy
  • 2011
Review

Common Sense Media says

All-night-party movie mixes raunch and warmth.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

Find out more

Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

Find out more

Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

Not yet rated

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this all-night-party movie set in the 1980s is, on the surface, focused on the main characters getting "wasted" and "laid." And while there's plenty of content related to sex and drinking/drugs, by the time the night ends, the characters have learned lessons about facing challenges rather than avoiding them. Still, expect lots of strong language ("f--k," "s--t," "p---y," and more), drug use and drinking, and sexual situations, innuendoes, and even some nudity. Bottom line? Save this one for older teens ... and parents who fondly remember the era of skinny ties and shoulder pads.

  • Positive messages0
    The main characters embark on a night of debauchery that includes sex, drinking, drugs, stealing a car, and, chiefly, lying. But it's clear that they're not bad people, and they make every attempt to undo their bad behavior and set things right. Plus, Matt learns to stop "playing it safe" and try something, anything, with his life. In essence, he learns bravery and to face challenges.
  • Positive role models0
    The movie's hero, Matt, has put his life on hold, ignoring his gift with math and numbers to work a brain-dead job. He's afraid of taking risks and facing challenges and lies to get a date with a girl he likes. But over the course of the movie, he struggles to undo his lie and begins to work up the courage to face life's challenges.
  • Violence1
    The main character agrees to perform a dangerous stunt during a party. As a result, he crashes into several cars and nearly drowns. There's a brief fight, mostly involving pushing and shoving.
  • Sex4
    The main character sleeps with the girl he once had a crush on in high school. She takes off her top, but her breasts aren't shown. The main character's friend starts to have sex with a woman in a bathroom, with another man watching. The woman is seen naked. Also extensive innuendo, some crotch-grabbing (while dancing), and a sequence about how men look at women's breasts.
  • Language4
    Strong, persistent language throughout includes many uses of "f--k" and "s--t," plus "bitch," "goddamn," "blow job," "bastard," "oh my God," "prick," "d--k," "a--hole," "p---y," "screwed," "hell," "ass," "hell," "laid," "boobs," and "slut." The characters also lip sync to a hardcore rap song that features the "N" word.
  • Consumerism2
    Pepsi bottles are on view during a dinner scene. The main character works at Suncoast Video, which is shown once and then frequently mentioned over the course of the movie. Budweiser bottles are on view during most of the party sequences.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking3
    One of the main characters pours a huge glass of wine after getting fired. He also takes huge swigs from a bottle of champagne. He finds a bag of cocaine in a car and decides to snort some; he's shown clearly enjoying the high. Young adults are seen drinking beer and smoking cigarettes at a party. This is all played for humor, and there is no indication of addiction -- but there are also no serious consequences.
CloseExpand to see more details

What's the story?

It's the 1980s, and math genius Matt Franklin (Topher Grace) has graduated from MIT but can't decide what he wants to do with his life ... so he works at a video store. One day his old high school crush, Tori Frederking (Teresa Palmer), walks in, and to win a date with her, he lies about being a successful banker. She invites him to a party, and Matt shows up with his best friend Barry (Dan Fogler) -- a loud, precocious car salesman who has just lost his job. Accompanied by Matt's sister, Wendy (Anna Faris), they steal a car to make the ruse complete. While Barry experiments with cocaine, a dance-off, and sex with strange women, Matt must figure out a way to keep Tori interested without letting his lie get out of control.

Is it any good?

 

Anyone who loved Sixteen Candles back in the 1980s will love TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT, too. Thanks to the fine casting and the earnest devotion to the old, all-night-party genre, the movie works its warm, funny magic and casts a spell that's both nostalgic and naughty. It's so good-natured and sweet, in fact, that somehow the heavy language, sex, and drugs don't seem particularly shocking or offensive (but that doesn't mean that it's an age-appropriate pick for younger viewers).

Grace is nicely cast as the former high school nerd, and Fogler gets to be a bit more than the goofy sidekick; he actually gets most of the movie's action. Palmer has an undeniable spark, and Faris is one of our best current screen comediennes. The combination of the four is nearly unbeatable. And Canadian director Michael Dowse balances everything admirably, despite his uneven previous movies (It's All Gone Pete Tong, etc.).

Sign Up Message
Sign up for our weekly newsletter
Each week we send a customized newsletter to our parent and teen subscribers. Parents can customize their settings to receive recommendations and parent tips based on their kids’ ages. Teens receive a version just for them with the latest reviews and top picks for movies, video games, apps, music, books, and more.
Please enter an email address.
Please check your email address for possible typos.
Sorry, you must be 13 or older to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Sign me up!

What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about the sex in the movie. What is the movie saying about sex and relationships? Do some characters have more meaningful experiences than others? What message does that send?

  • Barry tries cocaine -- as well as alcohol -- after a terrible day in which he loses his job. Is that an excuse for his behavior? What kinds of consequences could that have had in real life?

  • Why would Matt be afraid of doing something with his life? Why is he hiding? Does that make him more sympathetic or relatable?

  • Who do you think this movie is intended to appeal to -- today's teens or older audiences who were teens/young adults during the '80s? Why?

This review was written by Jeffrey M. Anderson
Parent
October 22, 2011
AGE
18
 
VERY disappointing!
I wanted to see this movie because it was written by the writers of That 70s Show and it starred Topher grace and Anna Faris. When I was done watching this movie I wanted my money and time back! The writers were focusing more on the fact of no censors than the actual movie! This movie was just about Sex, Cursing, and Drugs. Mixed with the 70s. The first 15 minutes feel like a good, funny 80s movie but after that... It's just a movie about a party where people do crazy sh*t they won't remember in the morning because of the drugs and beer. I was very disappointed with this movie. I give it 2 stars just for the beginning!
Was this review useful?
Helped me decide (7) | Had useful details (7) | Read my mind (7)
Flag as inappropriate 
Teen, 16 years old
September 24, 2011
AGE
15
 
acceptable in the 80s
i really like this movie
Was this review useful?
Helped me decide (5) | Had useful details (4) | Read my mind (6)
Flag as inappropriate 
Teen, 14 years old
March 6, 2012
AGE
14
 
Funnt party movie
Drug use and sexual content is very funny. Lots of strong language
Was this review useful?
Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
Flag as inappropriate 
See all user reviews
This review was written by Jeffrey M. Anderson
Studio:Rogue Pictures
Director:Michael Dowse
Cast:Anna Faris, Dan Fogler, Teresa Palmer, Topher Grace
Genre:Comedy
Run time:97 minutes
Theatrical release date:March 4, 2011
DVD release date:July 19, 2011
MPAA rating:R
MPAA explanation:language, sexual content and drug use
This review was written by Jeffrey M. Anderson
 

Review It

Share your review with others

Hang on! You need to be a member to post your review.
A safe community is important to us. Please observe our guidelines.
About our rating system
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.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

Great alternatives handpicked by our editors

More all-night-party comedies
For kids who love comedies
Browse more movies
 

vote now

Will you see Take Me Home Tonight?

Won't miss it
On the fence
No way

Already seen it? What do you think?

I recommend it
It's a pass
 
More from Common Sense Media
Age-appropriate reviews
Top advice and articles

Been There? Tell us about it