Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
All-star comedy is pretty raunchy -- and hilarious.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 18+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Horrible Bosses
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 19 parent reviews
Parents say the film has some entertaining moments and a strong comedic premise, but it is filled with excessive foul language, sexual innuendos, and troubling themes surrounding harassment and violence. While some viewers appreciated the humor and performances, others found the content distasteful and felt it trivialized serious issues, suggesting it's more suitable for mature audiences only.
- foul language
- sexual innuendos
- inappropriate themes
- not for kids
- mixed reviews
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 46 kid reviews
Kids say this movie is incredibly funny and has a lot of raunchy humor, but it is not appropriate for younger viewers due to its heavy use of strong language, sexual references, and some violence. While many find it hilarious and recommend it for teens around 14 and up, parents should be cautious and ideally watch it first due to its crude content.
- funny
- crude humor
- strong language
- not for kids
- recommend for teens
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Hoping for an elusive promotion, Nick (Jason Bateman) is forced to suck up to a maniacal CEO (Kevin Spacey); Dale (Charlie Day) is engaged to be married but works for a sexy, sexually aggressive dentist (Jennifer Aniston); and Kurt (Jason Sudeikis) finds his dream job at a chemical plant threatened when the boss' cocaine-addicted son (Colin Farrell) unexpectedly takes charge. After work, the three friends share their woes and come up with the idea to murder all three HORRIBLE BOSSES. They hire a "consultant" (Jamie Foxx) and begin preparing for their homicidal plan. But it's not long before things go horribly, hilariously awry.
Is It Any Good?
Director Seth Gordon (The King of Kong, Four Christmases) has the good sense to simply step aside here, letting his cast goof around and bounce off of one another like so many rubber balls. Each character finds a nice niche and runs with it: Bateman plays the straight man, Day is the "dumb one," and Sudeikis finds a nice middle ground. The villains are clearly having a terrific time, too; Aniston is at the top of her game, and Spacey is on familiar territory. Only Farrell seems to be trying something new here with broad comedy, and it fits him well (it appears, judging from the bloopers at the end, that some of his scenes didn't make the final cut, which is a shame).
Especially cathartic for today's luckless job-seekers, the movie's humor is highly raunchy, but it has enough inventively playful moments between characters to make the movie memorable for a long time to come. Expect many genuine belly laughs, rather than just the usual surprised chuckles.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about whether the main characters are sympathetic and/or admirable people. What makes them different from their bosses?
At least two characters think about sex most of the time and sleep with more than one partner. Is this a healthy outlet for them? What could they do differently?
Do the horrible bosses qualify as bullies? What are some more positive ways to handle bullies?
Movie Details
- In theaters : July 8, 2011
- On DVD or streaming : October 11, 2011
- Cast : Charlie Day , Jason Bateman , Jason Sudeikis
- Director : Seth Gordon
- Studios : New Line , Warner Bros.
- Genre : Comedy
- Run time : 100 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : crude and sexual content, pervasive language and some drug material
- Last updated : December 28, 2025
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