Common Sense Media Review
By Tracy Moore
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Shallow comedy about treating girls badly is a waste of time
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Jerk Theory
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Adam (Josh Henderson) was hurt when his girlfriend dumped him, so he bitterly decides that women will like him better if he's a jerk. Trouble is, it mostly works. When Adam gets bored with every girl chasing him down, he finally meets a girl he really likes in Molly (Jenna Dewan). But can he stop being a jerk in time to convince her he's not the guy she's heard all about?
Is It Any Good?
JERK THEORY doesn't have an easy premise to get behind: A guy who's been burned by a girl decides to treat all girls badly, convinced they'll like him more. They do, but they're not the girls he has any interest in. Set in a Christian school, the film mostly plays on expected stereotypes about rowdy, repressed teen boys (and their adult teachers) and then plays into even more stereotypes about the sort of girl that will change this guy's heart, a caring sweetheart who is smart enough to make him wait for sex. Unfortunately, that change of heart still doesn't give enough nuance to make this a good movie for teenagers, because it trades more on those surface reflections than digging into anything true about teenage relationships.
Teenagers looking for fun comedies that reflect their lives have better options out there. Most parents will not find this a comforting look at teen relationships or attitudes.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Jerk Theory's misogyny. Are the women in the movie real people? Are the men?
Is there any merit to the idea that people will like you better if you are unkind to them? If so, how does that work?
Is it believable that characters like this could change for the better? Why, or why not? Does this feel like an accurate high school movie to you?
Movie Details
- In theaters : April 30, 2009
- On DVD or streaming : June 19, 2012
- Cast : Jenna Dewan , Tom Arnold , Josh Henderson
- Director : Scott S. Anderson
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Middle Eastern/North African Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : ARC Entertainment
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : School ( High School )
- Run time : 93 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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