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Parents' Guide to

Failure to Launch

By Cynthia Fuchs, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Formulaic romcom isn't meant for kids.

Movie PG-13 2006 97 minutes
Failure to Launch Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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What's the Story?

FAILURE TO LAUNCH centers around Tripp (Matthew McConaughey), who thinks he has it all -- a Porsche, a job selling yachts, infinitely patient parents, his childhood bedroom, and a decided lack of commitment. Whenever a girlfriend gets too serious, the 35-year-old pretty boy reveals that he still lives with his parents. But Tripp's folks (Terry Bradshaw and Kathy Bates) yearn for some quality retirement time, and so they hire "interventionist" Paula (Sarah Jessica Parker) to seduce him into adulthood. Tripp also has a couple of tediously forever-adolescent buddies (Adam Alexi-Malle and Justin Bartha), with whom he discusses his choices; while Paula comes equipped with a harried, slightly edgy roommate, Kit (Zooey Deschanel), who notices when her friend begins to fall for Tripp.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (3 ):

Goofy and awkward, Failure to Launch is a predictable romantic comedy with a standard set-up that leads to the predictable turns. Paula and Tripp are opposites, Tripp reveals his sensitive side, and Paula shows she can loosen up when encouraged by his exuberance. As Tripp must learn to be an adult to be appreciated by Paula and she must learn to be open to appreciate him, the parents must also learn to live with one another.

Kit seems mostly to be in another movie, though her sudden and unlikely affection for one of the buddies pulls her back inside the main plot: too bad for her and the rest of us. The film, which begins as broad, even antic comedy, eventually turns serious, and you end up waiting 20 minutes too long for the machine to wind down.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the phenomenon of adult children living with their parents. How does Tripp's perpetual adolescence affect his parents? Why is Tripp so afraid to grow up? Does the movie glamorize "the bachelor lifestyle"? What stereotypes does this movie rely upon?

Movie Details

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