Common Sense Media Review
By S. Jhoanna Robledo
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Mature farce about divorce has some hilarious bits.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
A.C.O.D.
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Carter (Adam Scott) is a peacemaker extraordinaire, a master at smoothing ruffled feathers at his restaurant and keeping tension at bay. That's because he's been learning on the job ever since he was a kid growing up with parents who fought loudly and incessantly, even at his birthday party. Divorced, his parents -- the philandering Hugh (Richard Jenkins) and decidedly un-touchy-feely Melissa (Catherine O'Hara) -- can't stand each other, but at least they're never around each other anymore. That is, until Carter's younger brother, Trey (Clark Duke), announces he's getting married (despite the fact that he's barely out of college and lives in Carter's garage). Carter tries to broker peace between his parents so they can attend the wedding together, but tensions bubble over when Carter discovers that he was the subject of a book about children of divorce written by a woman (Jane Lynch) he thought was his therapist when he was a kid. (His parents lied.) Now she's interested in a follow-up about A.C.O.D.s (adult children of divorce) after seeing who Carter has grown up to be.
Is It Any Good?
Adam Scott can sell nearly any joke, so prodigious are his talents and attuned his comic timing; here, he's supported by a dream cast of all-stars (Jenkins, O'Hara, and Amy Poehler stand out). Scott works well in ensembles (exhibit A: TV show Parks and Recreation) and manages to tease out the humor in all possible situations, though he's a bit hampered by an overabundance of them here.
Sometimes it feels like A.C.O.D. is a sitcom translated for the big screen, with multiple characters writ large, devoid of dimension. (See: Jessica Alba as one of the A.C.O.D.s.) And funny as they may be, Carter's parents push the envelope of being abominable, so much so that you almost can't laugh at their insanity. But, as with people, few movies have no issues. A.C.O.D., thankfully, has ones we can live with.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about A.C.O.D.'s take on divorce and how it impacts both children and adults. Does it seem realistic?
How does the movie compare to past cinematic takes on broken marriages and their effect on kids? Does the movie show any alternatives to an acrimonious divorce?
How does the movie depict sex? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values on this subject.
Movie Details
- In theaters : October 4, 2013
- On DVD or streaming : January 14, 2014
- Cast : Adam Scott , Amy Poehler , Jane Lynch , Richard Jenkins
- Director : Stuart Zicherman
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Gay Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : The Film Arcade
- Genre : Comedy
- Run time : 87 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : language and brief sexual content
- Last updated : November 11, 2020
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