Common Sense Media Review
By Alistair Lawrence
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Dark 1990s comedy has language, drugs, bloody deaths, sex.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Very Bad Things
What's the Story?
VERY BAD THINGS follows a group of friends on a bachelor party, led by best man Boyd (Christian Slater), where events spiral out of control and do lasting damage.
Is It Any Good?
This starry dark comedy from 1998 has largely been forgotten, thanks to all the big names involved having far stronger work on their respective resumes. Imagine The Hangover, with Patrick Bateman from American Psycho as the best man, and you're halfway to picturing what Very Bad Things amounts to. Only instead of jokes, it's mostly grown men squabbling for 100 minutes. Agitated and animated performances from all of Slater, Jon Favreau, and Jeremy Piven are not enough to steer the story out of repeating itself with diminishing returns after a decent setup. Meanwhile, Cameron Diaz is sidelined as little more than a nagging, one-note bride to be, dating the material further. It's a plodding misstep from writer and director Peter Berg, who appears to be trying to satirize … something here. But when you've got Tarantino and the Coens doing wild, bloody violence with memorable dialogue in the same era, it's easy to see why Very Bad Things is regarded as a pretty poor movie in comparison.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in Very Bad Things. Was it shocking? Thrilling? Did the film's comedic tone make a difference? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence?
Discuss the strong language used in the movie. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it contribute to the film?
How were drinking, smoking, and drugs portrayed? Were there consequences? Did it glamorize them?
How did the movie portray sex and relationships? Was it affectionate? Respectful? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.
How were the female characters represented in the movie? How might the film be different if it was made today? Why representation matters in kids' media.
Movie Details
- In theaters : November 25, 1998
- On DVD or streaming : February 1, 2005
- Cast : Christian Slater , Jon Favreau , Cameron Diaz
- Director : Peter Berg
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Latino Movie Actor(s)
- Studios : Polygram , Shout! Factory
- Genre : Comedy
- Run time : 100 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong, grisly violence, sexuality, drug use and language
- Last updated : December 21, 2023
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