Common Sense Media Review
By Brian Costello
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Some innuendo, profanity in mediocre slapstick comedy.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Down Periscope
What's the Story?
Lieutenant Commander Tom Dodge (Kelsey Grammer), currently second-in-command of the nuclear submarine USS Orlando, has been waiting for a long time to be in charge of his own submarine. But his shenanigans, including getting the words "Welcome Aboard" tattooed on his penis, make him an oddball and someone his superiors don't trust or want to have around. Thus he's given command of a rumbling, rusting wreck of a submarine called the USS Stingray, and he's in charge of the biggest misfits his commanding officers can find. Dodge is sent to take the Stingray and crew out to win a two-part war game against his former ship, and, as his commanding officers continue changing the rules against him, Dodge must use every trick in the book to find a way to win and prove his worthiness.
Is It Any Good?
DOWN PERISCOPE is a pretty straightforward screwball comedy involving misfits asked to overachieve even as they engage in all kinds of pratfalls and strange behavior. The laughs are predictable and somewhat funny, but nothing really stands out. The misfit characters don't really go far beyond their basic archetype -- one is trying to get kicked out of the navy, another has very good hearing, and another is the only woman -- and, although you hope they win in the end, you have a feeling they will because that's how so many movies with similar characters and themes end up.
Even with Kelsey Grammer, William H. Macy, Jr., and a background appearance from a young Patton Oswalt, the humor doesn't really amount to much. The formula has been done before so many times that it's difficult to find anything original or memorable in this movie.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about slapstick comedies. Why do you think so many people enjoy this type of humor?
How is the only woman on the submarine treated? Does it seem like an accurate representation of how women might be treated in what has historically been an all-male environment?
In what ways does this movie seem like it might be a somewhat accurate representation of what life in the Navy would be like, and in what ways does it not?
Movie Details
- In theaters : March 1, 1996
- On DVD or streaming : October 1, 2013
- Cast : Kelsey Grammer , Lauren Holly , Rob Schneider
- Director : Hugh Wilson
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Starz Media
- Genre : Comedy
- Run time : 92 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : Some crude language.
- Last updated : July 20, 2022
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate