Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa Movie Poster Image

Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa

age 17+
(i)

 

Slightly less offensive Jackass movie with more heart.
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  • Review Date: October 23, 2013
  • Rated: R
  • Genre: Comedy
  • Release Year: 2013
  • Running Time: 92 minutes

What parents need to know

Positive messages
Firstly, this movie exposes (or seemingly exposes) an 8-year-old boy to all kinds of strong language, sex talk and sexual innuendo, stereotyping, alcohol, robbery, dead bodies, and all around bad behavior. But on the other hand, the grandpa and boy eventually do form a real family bond, and even though they continue their negative behavior to some extent at the end, they seem to have formed a strong unit.
Positive role models
The grandpa's behavior is constantly inappropriate with no consequences, and he exposes the little boy to all of it. Even though the grandpa and the boy love each other, you can't help thinking that the boy could do better.
Violence
This movie has less than the usual amount of dangerous "Jackass"-type stunts, though there are a few, such as when grandpa tries to fix a kiddie ride and finds himself catapulted through a store window. There's also some arguing and fighting, and some angry bystanders who don't know that they're being fooled. In one scene, a barroom full of "Hell's Angel"-types look about ready to beat up one of the actors. Grandpa's wife dies in the first scene, and her "corpse" (played by Spike Jonze) is carried around, dropped, stuffed in a trunk, and thrown off a bridge.
Sex
The movie shows Grandpa's fake, rubber penis stuck in a vending machine (it stretches as he tries to pull it out), as well as some fake, rubber testicles that hang down from beneath his tighty-whity underpants. A fake fish with human genitalia is shown. During the end credits, grandpa shows his rear from a car window. One scene takes place in a strip bar, with suggestive male dancers, but no nudity is shown. Mostly, the movie is filled with constant innuendo as grandpa tries (and fails) to pick up women. He uses all kinds of highly vulgar terms, pick-up lines, and stories. Many of these appear to be spoken in front of his eight year-old co-star. The characters also read magazines with ads and photos that feature strong sexual innuendo.
Language
Language isn't as constant as you might imagine, but it does include lots of uses of "f--k," "s--t," and "poontang," as well as one or two uses of "p---y," "dick," the "N" word, "c--k," "suck it," "prick," "God," "Jesus," "damn," "schmeckle," "cooter," "Jesus Christ," "camel toe," "jerkoff," "ass," "piss," and "a--hole." The middle finger gesture is used. The words "douche" and "faggot" are spelled out (the latter spelled wrong on purpose). The 8-year-old co-star says some of these words himself.
Consumerism
Most product names appear to be shown by accident. A Pepsi can is prominent in a couple of shots during a bingo game. One scene takes place in a convenience store, where many brand names are visible on the shelves.
 
Drinking, drugs, & smoking
In one scene, grandpa drinks a six-pack of beer with the boy (trying to get a rise out of passersby). The boy spits out the beer but appears to drink more. At one point, he says, "Grandpa, I'm f--king wasted." In a few other scenes, grandpa is shown drinking, and drunk; his beverages include beer and margaritas. In an early scene, the boy's biological father is shown smoking a bong during a Skype chat.
 

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Bad Grandpa is the latest comedy from Johnny Knoxville and the Jackass crew. Rather than unrelated stunts, this one has a loose story and characters upon which to hang its hidden-camera pranks. The overall tone is lighter, less offensive and with more heart, although parents should keep in mind that the level of vulgarity and sexual innuendo is still very high. There are a few "stunts," some arguing and fighting, and an old lady's supposed corpse that's dragged around throughout the movie. There are some sensitive, albeit fake rubber body parts shown and very strong, constant sexual innuendo (grandpa is forever trying and failing to pick up women). Language is strong and varied, but not constant; it includes "s--t," "f--k," and "p---y," as well as most other words. The eight year-old actor says some of these words and drinks beer in one scene ("Grandpa, I'm f--king wasted..."). Grandpa is shown drinking, and drunk, fairly often.

What's the story?

The 86-year-old Irving Zisman (Johnny Knoxville) has just become a widower and is very happy to be free. His grandson Billy (Jackson Nicoll) seems to be a nice kid who loves fishing. When Billy's mom is sent to prison for drugs, grandpa agrees to drive Billy from Nebraska to live with Billy's no-good, pot-smoking dad in North Carolina. While on their drive, grandpa and Billy get into all kinds of mischief, from creating disturbances in bingo parlors or convenience stores to running over plaster penguins. Billy often must find his grandpa after his drunken misadventures. Eventually they even enter a disguised Billy in a child beauty pageant. After their time together, grandpa realizes how much he loves Billy and decides to keep him.

Is it any good?

QUALITY
It's interesting the way the filmmakers took several hidden camera-style pranks and stunts and incorporated them into the loose framework of a fairly entertaining road movie. The pranks are far from seamless, and it's often easy to guess how they were done. And for the first half of the movie, the humor relies mostly on the shock of seeing an old man (Knoxville in makeup) and a child (Jackson Nicoll) involved in such rude behavior.
 
But after a time, the characters start to bond with one another and form a genuinely likeable team. There are even some tears at the climax when they initially part. And while most of the jokes are just throwaways based on sex or alcohol, the movie saves its biggest inspiration for the climax: the child beauty show. It reveals and then destroys the fine line between Billy's stripper-like dance and the quasi-sexualized children at these creepy pageants. It's a bit of Borat-worthy satire.

Families can talk about...

  • Families can talk about the appeal of practical jokes. Why is it funny to watch others being fooled? Do any of these jokes cross the line? How?
  •  
  • What is funny about an old man and a young boy doing all these bad things?
  •  
  • This movie doesn't have the usual "Jackass" disclaimer about not trying these stunts at home. Do you suppose these jokes, pranks, and stunts are safer to try?
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  • Why isn't it a good idea for children to drink alcohol? Why is this moment in the movie so shocking (to us and to passersby)?
  •  

  • What kinds of stereotypes does the movie use as jokes?

Movie details

Theatrical release date:October 25, 2013
DVD release date:January 28, 2014
Cast:Jackson Nicoll, Johnny Knoxville, Spike Jonze
Director:Jeff Tremaine
Studio:Paramount Pictures
Genre:Comedy
Run time:92 minutes
MPAA rating:R
MPAA explanation:strong crude and sexual content throughout, language, some graphic nudity and brief drug use

This review of Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa was written by

Jeffrey M. Anderson
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are conducted by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

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Parent Written byronwi October 27, 2013
age 12+

Harmless Humor, Fine for 12 and Up

Lots of harmless crude jokes - at a very juvenile level, perfect for mature 12 year olds and up. Also some good old-fashioned slapstick humor. It's stuff they already joke about with their friends, and given the antics are by an 86 year old there is no danger of kids emulating what they see. My 12 year old laughed pretty steadily for the entire movie. And he has no desire to do anything depicted in the movie. After writing this review, I went to look at the Dutch movie rating site. I find the Dutch age ratings to be more in touch with the SF Bay Area sensibility where I live (the MPAA ratings being way conservative.) The Dutch also rated it as OK for 12 year-olds. Unfortunately there is some filter software that does not allow me to post the URL of the Dutch site. If you search for Kijkwijzer you will find it.
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Parent of a 10 year old Written byMrPaglia October 27, 2013
age 15+

Funny "Bad Grandpa" needs a cold shower

If you don't mind the language, the comedy is hilarious. Having said that, if you have trouble talking to your kids about sex, PLEASE don't take any child under the age of 15 to see this, particularly if you've never had "the talk" with them. Johnny Knoxville's character is on a mission to find female companionship (to put it nicely!) throughout the entire movie. He also flashes a prosthetic penis and testicles at two different points in the movie. The scene of Knoxville's character inside an urban bar, where male strippers are pretty much completely naked, was both uproariously funny and somewhat troubling to watch. The movie itself kept me laughing from start to finish, but be aware that sexuality and inuendo also permeate the movie throughout.
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Kid, 9 years old October 27, 2013
age 11+

Really good but kinda raunchy

I'm nine and I watched it but I don't think its good for kids ages under 11. Besides sex, its okay for people to see
What other families should know
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
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