Want more recommendations for your family?
Sign up for our weekly newsletter for entertainment inspiration
Flirting with Disaster
By S. Jhoanna Robledo,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Dark comedy about family includes some sexy stuff and drugs.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
Where to Watch
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
Mel (Ben Stiller) is so hung up about being adopted that he can't adjust to being a father, or even give his infant son a name, and his wife Nancy (Patricia Arquette) is running out of patience. The new parents and the baby set off on a cross-country journey of discovery to track down Mel's biological parents, accompanied by a case worker from the adoption agency (Tea Leoni). Along the way they pick up an old friend of Nancy's and his boyfriend who are also federal agents. All of these factors come together to create one zany mishap after another when the gang finally, after several missteps, winds up at the door of Mel's real mother and father, a pair of aging hippie artists.
Is It Any Good?
FLIRTING WITH DISASTER is madcap, wacky, and very funny. The characters come close to the line of caricature but don't step over it, and the supporting cast, including Lily Tomlin and Alan Alda as Mel's birth parents, and Mary Tyler Moore and George Segal as his adoptive ones, is outstanding. Everyone here feels like a real person who happens to end up in a series of very weird and very entertaining situations, including: a truck collision involving a pair of anti-Semites, an Indian-wrestling incident in the home of a Ronald Reagan supporter who (briefly) is convinced she's Mel's mom, a lover's spat between two men who aren't sure they want to be parents together, a series of potential extra-marital encounters that seem triggered more by ennui than attraction, and an unexpected LSD trip.
After all the shenanigans, what we are left with is simply this: making your own family, and keeping it together, is more important than any link that is just genetics. That, and pay attention to what you eat when the chef is also a slightly unhinged drug manufacturer with sibling rivalry issues.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Mel and Nancy's marriage. Why do you think they both find themselves tempted by others? What is the movie's message about family and coupledom?
How is drug-use portrayed in this movie?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: June 1, 2004
- Cast: Ben Stiller , Patricia Arquette , Tea Leoni
- Director: David O. Russell
- Studio: Miramax
- Genre: Comedy
- Run time: 92 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- Last updated: November 2, 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 suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
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