Common Sense Media Review
By S. Jhoanna Robledo
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Raunchy buddy comedy is all about getting wasted.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
21 and Over
What's the Story?
It's Jeff's (Justin Chon) birthday, and Casey (Skylar Astin) and Miller (Miles Teller) -- his two best friends from high school -- show up unannounced to celebrate. And because he's turning 21, it's (apparently) his duty to get as drunk as possible, a task all three embrace with gusto. Over the course of one wild night in 21 AND OVER, the three guys get wasted, assaulted by a psycho male cheerleader, trampled by a buffalo, and kidnapped by hostile sorority sisters. It's a night that none of them will forget ... except that there are parts that might be hard for them to remember.
Is It Any Good?
Lost amid the bros-gone-wild shenanigans of 21 and Over is an interesting story about male friendships and brotherhood. Emphasis on "lost." Because, aside from the rare bits when the story delves into why guys do or don't support each other in times of trouble or confusion, what we get is unoriginal, crass material that fails to capture the subversive fun of The Hangover.
21 and Over was directed by the guys who wrote that 2009 bachelor party-gone-bad hit, Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, and they're clearly trying to capture the proverbial lighting in a bottle once more. No can do. The jokes are either tired or sexist -- and in some cases, both. The characters are one-dimensional and stereotypical (oh, wow, an Asian father who's obsessed with his son going to med school), and their night-of-endless-snafus just really isn't all that amusing. Instead of a night out, they probably should've called it a night.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the movie portrays drinking. Is it glamorized? Are any of the consequences realistic? What message does that send?
Parents may also want to put an over-the-top comedy like this in perspective. The movie's antics come at you fast and furiously, making some of the laughs mostly about the shock value. What other movies and TV shows have a similar comedy style? What's the appeal of this kind of humor?
Talk about the friendships at the heart of the movie. Do they feel real? Do these guys actually care for each other?
Movie Details
- In theaters : March 1, 2013
- On DVD or streaming : June 18, 2013
- Cast : Justin Chon , Miles Teller , Skylar Astin
- Directors : Jon Lucas , Scott Moore
- Inclusion Information : Asian Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Relativity Media
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Friendship
- Run time : 93 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : crude and sexual content, pervasive language, some graphic nudity, drugs and drinking
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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