Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Bloody, empty "lovers on the run"/serial killer movie.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
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Where to Watch
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Johnny & Clyde
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In JOHNNY & CLYDE, mass murderers/lovers Johnny (Avan Jogia) and Clyde (Ajani Russell) have killed their way across the country and are now setting their sights on robbing a casino, where a secret vault holds enough cash to set them up for life. But with cunning crime boss Alana Hart (Megan Fox) in charge, it's not going to be easy. Johnny and Clyde recruit three old friends -- Butcher (Nick Principe), Baker (Charles W. Harris III), and Candlestick (Robert LaSardo) -- to help them. But, unfortunately, characters from their past are hot on their trail, looking for revenge. Even worse, Alana has locked the gang inside the building with a murderous demon called Bakwas.
Is It Any Good?
It's hard to pinpoint why this crime caper is so awful. It could be the lame attempts at humor or the bombastic attempts at acting, or it could be that, while trying hard to be cool, it's just empty. The title Johnny & Clyde deliberately evokes Bonnie and Clyde, a classic "lovers on the run" movie that's infinitely better. But the main characters' outfits and would-be swagger better recall Natural Born Killers -- which is definitely a problematic movie but also one that has a lot more to say than this one does.
This genre at its best ought to have a sense of recklessness, passion, despair, or hope -- or at least an awareness of what there actually is to rebel against. But with its synth score and candy colors, Johnny & Clyde revels in meaningless deaths, humor that borders on cruelty, and a romance that never for a second feels real. Ultimately, it adds up to absolutely nothing. Fox is, frankly, the best thing in it; her wry performance as the crime boss is a combination of sadistic glee, appreciation of her power (she owns the gun that killed JFK), and also boredom, since no one around her can ever live up to her evil excellence.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Johnny & Clyde's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
What do you think the movie is about? Why are Johnny and Clyde doing these things?
Does the title recall Bonnie and Clyde? Why do you think it was chosen? Why is the "lovers on the run" genre often compelling?
How are drinking, drug use, and smoking depicted? Are they glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?
How is sex depicted? What values are imparted?
Movie Details
- In theaters : May 5, 2023
- On DVD or streaming : May 5, 2023
- Cast : Megan Fox , Avan Jogia
- Director : Tom DeNucci
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Bisexual Movie Actor(s) , Indian/South Asian Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Verdi Productions
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Run time : 100 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : June 9, 2023
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