 | 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. |
Weird Science
- Review Date: August 16, 2009
- PG-13
- Genre: Comedy
- 1985
Common Sense Media says
Guilty-pleasure '80s horny-geek sci-fi sex comedy.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this popular '80s comedy -- an early recipient of the new PG-13 rating -- has frequent adolescent sex, booze, and boob and drug jokes. Two main characters are lust-driven and manage to create a beautiful artificial woman as a sex-fantasy plaything -- but they are unsuccessful in their timid efforts to get something started with her and end up treating the bombshell more like a big sister. There are scenes of underage drinking (as a bonding exercise with threatening black males), much swearing (usually the s-word), and cavalier behavior with cars and a gun. Nudity includes a girl who loses all her clothes (in profile) in a windstorm, and a schematic of bare breasts on a PC monitor. Recreational drugs are briefly mentioned.
What's the story?
Gary (Anthony Michael Hall) and Wyatt (Ilan Mitchell-Smith) are sex-starved 15-year-old schoolmates, disliked, dateless, and continually bullied. With Wyatt's parents away for the weekend, Gary sleeps over at Wyatt's suburban-Illinois mansion, where the movie Frankenstein gives them an idea. Using Wyatt's new computer the lonely guys input data and pinup clips that materialize a gorgeous, eroticized woman (Kelly Le Brock) out of thin air. The creation, named Lisa, shows magical powers and attributes rather like a mythical genie, but she also has her own strong will, as she takes the two reluctant nerds on a fun-filled weekend that leaves them stronger, more assertive, and with a genuine couple of human girlfriends.
Is it any good?
Adolescents flocked to it, while critics hated WEIRD SCIENCE,
from writer-director John Hughes, whose 16 Candles,
Pretty in Pink, and The Breakfast Club seemed a relief from many Porky's-imitations that were all teen sex and revenge. What critics forgot: their messiah had contributed to the lowbrow National Lampoon, and Weird Science springs from that -- outlandish, borderline-tasteless gags aimed at teens and tweaking The Establishment (the nasties in a Hughes movie are commonly adults with classical music playing around them).
The pacing here is quick, with most jokes well executed despite the pandering wish-fulfillment, and the good cast takes it over the top agreeably. Teens, the target market, will respond more than mature adults, but when juvenile white geek Anthony Michael Hall drinks in a largely black bar and talks street-jive like an old Chicago bluesman, it's politically incorrect, sure -- but hilarious, even for grownups.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the tone of the comedy. How does this relate to John Hughes' more sensitive dramas of teen angst and empowerment, such as The Breakfast Club and 16 Candles?
Compare-contrast Weird Science with the underrated S1m0ne,
a
later and realistic comedy about a man facing
unexpected travails when he evokes a "perfect" woman via software. How
do kids feel about making idealized "avatars" on social-networking sites
and interactive online games?How does this movie compare to modern-day teen sex comedies? Are the jokes here still funny? If the movie was remade, how would it be different now?
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- Teens & kids
Kid, 12 years old
December 17, 2010
AGE
LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I LOVE THIS MOVIE! (nuff said)
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AGE
pretty cool!!
well not as i mentioned it, this was pretty okay, but i kinda liked it, in one scene full profile girl flies into the tornado while her clothes is loose and breasts are barely shown, and also bare breasts are recently seen on PC while making a girl in the beginning, and also lots of s-word are said so many times, and a d-word twice mostly, and also brief comic violence such as electric shocks, fantasy stuff like that flies every where around the house which either, and thats about it,i rather enjoyed it once or some other time
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AGE
Funny, but other than that a bit plain.
Most John Hughes movies are known for mixing humor with morals. They had a heart. This one doesnt. Its better (funnier) than most other typical teen flicks, but rather lacking for a John Hughes teen flick. Rent Breakfast Club or Sixteen Candles instead, then come back to this one when you run out of other Hughes films to watch.
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Kid, 12 years old
July 19, 2010
AGE
18 and under=NO-no
i'd can't keep this PG-13, i think it should be NR because it shows h--ny and s-- on the title and shows t--s, a** covered.
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AGE
Meh.
My rating: PG-13 for nudity, sexual content and some brief language.
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AGE
A great movie that has every teen boy's fantasies!
This is a very good movie for teen BOYS i can not stress than enough, if you are a girl you will not find one thing about this movie to like. It dose have some issues though:
1. some violence, guns are brandished and an a couple cases shot (no one is hurt), a scary looking biker gang attack teens at a party.
2. lots of sexual refrences and breif nudity.
3. language includes: S--t, d--k, h--l, d--n and b--ch.
So overall this is a fun movie for teen boys!
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AGE
love it!
no this is exactly the right rating PG-13 infact the perfect rating yeah yeah yeah your probabley saying hey its a boys fanasty movie hmm could be but anybody can love it its awesome how the 2 guys made a real woman from the computer makes fanasty seem so perfect only if there were a movie where 2 girls can make a guy on there computer that would be nice but this movie is nice! 80's fun oh yeah!
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AGE
Not John Hughes best.
This is not John Hughes' best movie, but is still enjoyable. It is pretty raunchy for a PG-13 movie though. I'd only really recommend this one if you run out of John Hughes movies to watch.
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AGE
Brilliant if you are 15 definatly not a 12 ..... As it is rated
Brilliant film but do not be fooled by the 12 rating ... It is a 15 at least , there are copious uses of the words s#it , d#ck and ar##hole as well as references to tossing off , there is no real nudity and no sex but at one point the two male leads are asked if they will ' share' the lead female . There are also references to drug taking and bondage such as being nvited to a party with ' whips , drugs , sex, chains '!!!! There are a lot of the uses of the word bi#chto denote a female as well as a use of the word fa##ot...I love this film but it's definatly not a 12 it is a 15
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| Studio: | Universal Studios Home Entertainment |
| Director: | John Hughes |
| Cast: | Anthony Michael Hall, Bill Paxton, Ilan Mitchell-Smith, Kelly LeBrock |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Run time: | 104 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | August 2, 1985 |
| DVD release date: | April 1, 1998 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
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