Without a Paddle (PG-13, 2004)

common sense media says

Even a paddle can't keep this movie from sinking.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this movie has a lot of very strong material for a PG-13 including a lot of "action" violence (a lot of shooting with very powerful weapons but hardly any blood and no one seriously hurt), comic peril (including a bear attack and many dangerous encounters on the river), and some graphic images (sewing up a bloody wound, a skeleton, lots of poop). There are many sexual references and situations, including references to peeking at a girl's "downstairs," a pierced "downstairs," and a lot of homophobic and misogynistic humor. A woman's unshaven leg is supposed to be as scary as Sasquatch. Characters use strong language. Characters smoke and drink beer, other characters are drug dealers, and getting stoned is played for humor.

Positive messages: Mean-spirited humor throughout.
Violence: Comic peril and violence, a lot of shooting and some graphic images.
Sex: Strong sexual references and situations for a PG-13.
Language: Strong language for a PG-13.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Drinking, smoking, marijuana.

More on Without a Paddle

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about what Tom, Jerry, and Dan learned from the trip. How did each of them decide what was really important?

What's the story?

What's the story?
WITHOUT A PADDLE begins with faux home movies of four boys up to all kinds of faux hi-jinks. Only three of them survive to adulthood -- one of them has died and the other three decide to salute his memory by taking the treasure map he left behind for them in the old tree house, so they can go off in search of treasure and find themselves, the meaning of life, and maybe some money, too. The trio includes successful but repressed and phobic Dr. Dan Mott (Seth Green), substance-abusing, fun-loving ladies man Tom (Dax Shepard), and Jerry (Matthew Lillard), who is unhappy in his boring job and unable to commit to his beautiful girlfriend because he just can't grow up. Their journey includes life lessons, poop humor, beautiful hippie chicks who live in a tree and eating bark, and various perils.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
Without a Paddle is also without a lot of other things, including humor, talent, originality, or brains. There is not one joke that hasn't been seen before and done much better. Most of them are just silly or gross rather than funny anyway. The purportedly heartwarming moments are cheesy and insincere.

Director Steven Brill is responsible for directing atrocities Mr. Deeds and Little Nicky and writing the terrible Ready to Rumble. He deserves to be put in a canoe without a paddle for this one.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Director: Steven Brill
Cast: Dax Shepard, Matthew Lillard, Seth Green
Genre: Comedy
Run time: 95 minutes
Theatrical release: August 20, 2004
DVD release: January 11, 2005
MPAA Rating: PG-13
MPAA explanation: drug content, sexual material, language, crude humor and some violence

This review was written by Nell Minow
 
 

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What parents & educators say

12

Most useful reviews by all members

fuzzykat805
teen, 18 years old
 
Awesome
This movie was great - it was very funny and very cool. I think adults should take your kids to see this (only if they're 13 or over) movie because it was great. Yeah I admit there were some parts that were too old for me but it still was funny!! But for the most part it was a good funny film.

Math-U
adult
 
Funny for teens.
Funny for teens. says a couple of things about sex that weren't good and there's some language and some drink and jokes about drugs. But it was over all a preat funny and good movie.

 
This movie was really funny but NOT FOR CHILDREN
THIS was a funny movie i think i about peed my pants but....... not for children there is some sex and some violence some drugs and some bad language. it was really funny though and u should see it w/ friends or ur older children

greatsouthpark_8
teen, 15 years old
 
Too much bad content
This movie has too much bad content. Now that I think of it, it has waaaaaaaaaay too much bad content.

Shinjo
adult
 
Pretty funny...
Pretty funny movie, but some parts are a little over the top for kids my age. I wouldn't take kids that are my age to see it probably, but for kids that are older, it could be pretty funny.

 
HILARIOUS
This movie was so funny. I was crying I was laughing so hard and my friend fell out of her chair...Everyone in the theater was laughing hysterically.

T-Rod
teen, 16 years old
 
Good, but not great. Bad but not terrible. Kind of an 'IFFY' for me, I guess.
Great movie! Loved it when I was younger. Got more of the jokes as I grew up. Some sexual humor and situations can get bad. The language isn't horrible. Drugs are kinda bad. Including some drinking and a marijuana scene. Also, once again police are portrayed as deceptive and not helpful. But a good moral, some positive themes, and a great ending, give this flawed film that 'buddy comedy' feel. It, sometimes, feels like a kids film with some inside jokes, winking at the parents...then you get half way through the film. "I ate a brownie once" "I bet they're dancing, naked, wet...right...now" "this never leaves the cave." The sexual content gets bad at times, and I'm not saying that the redemptive themes "redeem" this film. It's like a pretty vase. On the outside, it's pretty and cool-if you overlook the flaws-but don't study it or think at it too hard, or you'll see the empty, dark, hole in the middle. Where some more structure needs to be, some plot holes need to be filled, and some flawed scenes need to be taken off. But all in all, good film, good for some 12+ and 'on' for 13+. Classic in my opinion.

 
Perfect for everybody!
Do you like movies that make you laugh from beginning to end? If so, you should get and watch “Without a Paddle.” This movie would be the one you would want to watch to have a good movie night. It makes you laugh constantly nonstop. I love to watch comedy and so far, this is my favorite movie of all time! “Without a Paddle” makes you feel happy and very energized every time you watch, or even talk about it. The actors were amazing and it makes you feel like it is you and your friends. So if you love comedy, I encourage you to watch this.

mattthemovieman
teen, 17 years old
 
funny movie
its not as bad as there sayin it is

 
Kinda funny but inappropriate movie, made for teens yet not good for their age group. A few subtle refeances that parody movies like Rambo, Indiana Jones and some others. If you don't like Paulie Shore/Adam Sandler (they aren't in the movie) type humor, you probably won't like this. I'd give it fourstars if it did not have 'sexual material' in it.

Plague
parent
 
Without a Paddle
Produced a lot of laughs. Loved it.

smartbabe6
teen, 16 years old
 
Funny but...
This is movie is funny but has a lot if sexual things and language. It also has a bit of violence. Guns are used, the word S*** is used quite a few times. I thought this movie was very funny but it had its ups and downs.

ski123
adult
 
Bad movie...................
This movie is not only bad, it also is very inappropriate for kids. It involves marajuana and alcohol, violence with guns, sexual situations with girls......... and the dialogue is very bad. The main characters talk about everything your parents don't want you to hear. Hopefully some of the viewers will be eating popcorn with the movie so they won't hear some of the bad things the characters are saying-- Skip the popcorn. Why would you need popcorn? You shouldn't be watching this movie.

Phenom
teen, 18 years old
 
funny but not for family movie night
This was a funny movie but this is not some thing for younger broter/sister or grandma to watch. its deffently more of a teen movie to go to the cinema and have a laugh with friends.

thomasman123
teen, 14 years old
 
really good. good for kids 11 and up.
there was some shoot em up moments people and dogs get high after they set a crack farm on fire.plus language and sex.

Kold Duff
kid, 10 years old
 
Shut da F|_|ck up
PG-13 Means 13+ not 16+.

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