 | 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. |
Without a Paddle
- Review Date: January 9, 2005
- PG-13
- Genre: Comedy
- 2004
Common Sense Media says
Even a paddle can't keep this movie from sinking.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
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.
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?
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.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about what Tom, Jerry, and Dan learned from the trip. How did each of them decide what was really important?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
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
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
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.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
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.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
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.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
Too much bad content
This movie has too much bad content. Now that I think of it, it has waaaaaaaaaay too much bad content.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
funny movie
its not as bad as there sayin it is
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
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.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
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.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
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.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
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.
Was this review useful?
|
|
| Studio: | Paramount Pictures |
| Director: | Steven Brill |
| Cast: | Dax Shepard, Matthew Lillard, Seth Green |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Run time: | 95 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | August 20, 2004 |
| DVD release date: | January 11, 2005 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | drug content, sexual material, language, crude humor and some violence |
Review It
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
Already seen it? What do you think?
More from Common Sense Media
Top advice and articles
