Common Sense Media Review
By Renee Schonfeld
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Over-the-top violence, language in moronic buddy comedy.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
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Where to Watch
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Coffee & Kareem
What's the Story?
James Coffee (Ed Helms), a bumbling police officer (in fact, the laughingstock of his precinct), is in love with Vanessa Manning (Taraji P. Henson) in COFFEE & KAREEM. The only thing standing between them is Vanessa's son, Kareem (Terrence Little Gardenhigh). At 12, Kareem is incorrigible. A menacing rap wannabe, the boy swears outrageously, talks a good game about gangs and violence, and hates even the idea of James Coffee. When Kareem visits a notorious criminal (RonReaco Lee), hoping to have him scare off his mother's suitor, the boy is an unexpected witness to a killing, a point-blank murder he films on his phone. Now the target of a brutal gang of drug dealers, corrupt cops, and vicious killers, Kareem's only hope is the man he wanted out of his life.
Is It Any Good?
Working with a worn-out premise, repellent characters, brutal violence, and continuous profanity, this movie is a prime example of farce, in this case, "low" comedy that hits rock bottom early on. Ed Helms, who is also credited as a producer, relishes his role as an incompetent bonehead, but it's a real contest between him and an obnoxious 12-year-old for both screen time and laughs that don't land. Everything and everybody is exaggerated: Victims are riddled with bullets, the savage fight scenes go on longer after the conquered would be pulp. And it's all meant to be funny.
On a positive note, at least a few of the action sequences in Coffee & Kareem are well shot. Other than that, there are a few funny moments, and Betty Gilpin's performance as a depraved police officer is so unhinged that it works.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the extreme profanity in Coffee & Kareem. The filmmakers attempt to get laughs from Kareem's language. Did you think the inappropriateness of his swearing is funny? How much is too much? When, if ever, did it get repetitive for you? How does your family deal with the kids' cursing? Adults'?
Think about the extreme violence in the film. Do you respond differently to comic violence than you do to serious, realistic violence? How does each type of violence make you feel? Why is it important to be aware of the impact of media violence on kids? Do you think the fact that the violence is comic makes a difference for kids?
Who were you rooting for in Coffee & Kareem? Were the characters likable in spite of being so outrageous? What positive character traits can you attribute to Kareem? To Coffee?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : April 3, 2020
- Cast : Ed Helms , Taraji P. Henson , Terrence Little Gardenhigh
- Director : Michael Dowse
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Adventures , Friendship
- Run time : 88 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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