Parents' Guide to

Army of One

By Renee Longstreet, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Bizarre comic caper has language, drinking, drugs.

Movie R 2016 93 minutes
Army of One Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 13+

Based on 2 parent reviews

CommonJPR
CommonJPR Parent of 13-year-old
January 19, 2021
age 13+

Cage is captivating if you can go with it

Nicholas Cage gives a performance that in my opinion allows the audience to believe that what the main character believes he truly believes - that God wants him to go to Pakistan and bring back Osama Bin Laden for justice and stuff. There is swearing, drug use and God being portrayed by Russel Brand all of which may offend many and you might want your kids to avoid because of this. If you feel that sometimes these things can be appropriate if used correctly in an artistic context then this film could be up your street. It is a film that brims with human feeling and earnest endeavour to do what’s right even when people doubt you. It offers great opportunities to discuss with teens about how people treat each other and what dreams are worth following. Mainly though it’s a great laugh, give it chance and you might find a real nugget!

This title has:

Great messages
Flanders D.
Flanders D. Adult
April 16, 2018
age 13+

Funny and awesome!

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much consumerism
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Gary Faulkner (Nicolas Cage), a loud, brash, opinionated underdog, is frustrated as ARMY OF ONE opens. No job, no girl, no home, no money (except for disability checks he receives for his ongoing kidney issues), he's at the mercy of the few friends who stand by him. What's more, he's obsessed with the fact that nearly a decade has gone by since the events of 9/11, and no one has been able to find Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of the attack. Of course, there are reports of sightings and lots of conjecture, but the U.S. has been stymied for far too long. Watching televised reports only makes him angry So when, suddenly and unexpectedly, a bearded man materializes, speaks directly to Gary, and presents himself as God (Russell Brand), Gary is listening. When God explains that He's chosen Gary to be his emissary and delegated him to find the unfindable leader of Al Qaeda, Gary is intrigued, then fully devoted to the cause. Finding Bin Laden is his quest, his impossible dream, his reason for being. In the midst of his far-fetched plans for a dubious journey, Gary is reunited with Marci (Wendy McLendon-Covey), the girl he loved in high school. It complicates things, especially when she takes him home to meet the niece she's raising as her own. But not for long. Bin Laden awaits. Pakistan is calling to him. The chase is on.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (2):

Though it's more amusing than funny, more bizarre than quirky, and presents a real-life oddball who doesn't merit 93 minutes of an audience's time, Nicolas Cage almost makes this loony film work. He's successfully channeled the real Gary Faulkner's peculiar persona, and he's fully committed himself to this role, the first after a long acting drought in which he's starred only in forgettable shoot-em-ups and crime stories. Army of One is an uneven movie. The first half with its budding, sweet romance between two lost souls and Faulkner's early efforts to get his mission going is promising. When Gary gets to Pakistan, however, it becomes repetitious and ludicrous. How long can one man walk the streets hoping to have an important clue fall out of the sky? It's a good thing the filmmakers didn't tell the whole story, because Gary Faulkner made the trip to Pakistan more than a dozen times.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the profanity in Army of One. In movies like this one, does it help define the characters and contribute to the overall tone of the story? How? Is the language funny, revealing, distracting, or a little of each?

  • Why do you think the filmmakers choose to make a movie about Gary Faulkner? Did the writers/director and team have a specific attitude about him? Were they laughing at him? With him? By the movie's end, what was your opinion of him?

  • For a short while in 2010, the real Gary Faulkner was famous; he appeared on talk shows, morning shows, news programs. Did Gary earn his recognition? Should he have been notable person? What does that tell you about the "celebrity culture" in which we live?

Movie Details

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