Grumpier Old Men

Name: Grumpier Old Men
Item: Grumpier Old Men
Rating: 2
Author: Renee Schonfeld

Movie review by

Renee Schonfeld, Common Sense Media

Common Sense says

age 14+

(i)

Insults and sexual innuendo dominate routine comedy sequel.

PG-13
1995
104 minutes

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Kids say

age 11+

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A lot or a little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

Positive Messages

Affirms that romance is possible at any age. Though used as a source of comedy, the story values family and friendship.

Positive Role Models & Representations

Seniors are portrayed as active, alert, sexually viable, and, in most cases, capable. There is, however, an occasional stereotype (a lecherous old man). Parents and children are caring and responsible toward one another. No ethnic diversity.

Violence

Some comic shenanigans: two friends battle use fishing poles as "swords;" a snarling dog chases a cat; a woman attacks a man with a wooden oar; a car bumps its way through town on a wild ride.

Sex

Though there is no nudity or actual sexual activity, the movie is filled with comic sexual language and innuendo. A key plot point involves the budding romance between an older man and woman, including sexual "awakenings" for both of them. There's lots of smooching, cuddling, light-hearted ogling, groping, and foreplay. The voluptuous Sophia Loren wears seductive clothing. A man poses in the nude for his sculptor-wife (no genitals are exposed). References to lesbianism, male sexual prowess, adultery, and "sleeping around."

Language

Pervasive swearing, sexual innuendo, and insult humor: "damn," "bitch," "bastard," "s--t," "d--khead," "hell," "Holy Jesus," "ass," "penis," "slut," "balls," "Gettin' any?" "Lesbian bandits," "show you my cannoli," "schmuck," "moron," "putz," "bonehead." Some fart humor as well.

Consumerism

Frequent products are on screen: Schmidt's beer, Sears, Zenith, All Detergent, Evinrude and Mercury motors, Franzia, Jansport, Chex cereal, Jimmy Dean meats, Budweiser, Stroh's, Better 'n Eggs.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Characters consume adult beverages (beer, wine, grappa) in multiple social settings and at home. A 95-year-old man smokes and drinks to excess. "Let's get drunk" is heard.

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Grumpier Old Men is a sequel to Grumpy Old Men, a comic vehicle for Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau in their later years. It's filled with the same comic pratfalls, swearing ("bastard," "crap," "s--t," "goddamn," "hell"), naughty dialogue ("he's a groper," "wanna see my salami"), insult humor ("putz," "bonehead," "d--k-head," "slut,""moron," "schmuck"), and sexual innuendo as its predecessor. Characters smooch, talk about the possibility of sex, and playfully kiss and embrace throughout. No actual nudity is shown, but there is some revealing clothing and a character appears to be nude when he poses for his artist-wife. Wine, beer, grappa are consumed in numerous scenes; one character drinks to excess and smokes. Identifiable products appear in scene after scene. (Spoiler alert: a featured character dies and is mourned.)

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Kid, 11 years old August 11, 2018

age 11+

Classic Comedy Movie That Will have You Rolling in the Aisles!

Great for kids. A classic introduction to slapstick and much more appropriate than the first movie. Some sad parts where a character dies and has some short-ter... Continue reading

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What's the story?

When GRUMPIER OLD MEN opens, six months have passed since the happy ending in Grumpy Old Men. John (Jack Lemmon) and Ariel (Ann-Margret) are enjoying married life; Max (Walter Matthau) and John are maintaining a comfortable (if still teasing) friendship; and John and Max are planning the wedding of John's daughter Melanie and Max's son Jacob, who've loved each other for a lifetime. What could go wrong? Maria, a fiery Italian chef (Sophia Loren) -- that's what goes wrong! Maria wants to turn their beloved Bait Shop into a restaurant, but John and Max won't have it. They plague her with pranks and scares until, suddenly, Max realizes that this amazing woman is actually falling for him. Sparks fly as "aging" Boy meets "middle-aged" Girl. But, in grand movie tradition, events intervene and Boy loses Girl. In fact, all the relationships are in crisis. Will Ariel forgive John? Will Max and Maria discover they can't live without each other? Will Melanie and Jacob tie the knot at last? Are the fish biting in Minnesota?

Is it any good?

Audiences expecting the earlier film's potty-mouthed swearing; jokes about aging, sex and genitals; and a barrage-like Insult-O-Rama will not be disappointed. The story is corny and predictable; the characters are thin; logic and real emotion are nowhere to be found. But Sophia Loren is stunning and the amiable, adorable Lemmon-Matthau duet is never entirely tiresome. Kids -- of all ages -- will most likely have no interest in the tired antics and sexual preoccupation of these cartoon senior citizens.

Talk to your kids about ...

Families can talk about all the pranks in this film. How can we determine when a prank is simply fun and when it becomes dangerous?
Was the ending a surprise for you? Think about the scenes that led up to the ending. How did the filmmakers fool you?
Did you notice all the products (food, beer, stores) that were on screen? Why do you think companies like to show their labels in movies? How is it like or different from commercials and advertising?