Mr. Nice

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Mr. Nice
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Mr. Nice is a biopic of Howard Marks (Rhys Ifans), the famed Welsh drug dealer, adapted from his own bestselling autobiography. Because of the nature of Marks' work, there are few positive messages with nearly all characters motivated by money and greed. These characters are frequently shown to be living luxurious lifestyles off the back off their criminal activities. Marks himself is polite and personable, and he remains affectionate and close to his family when he can. Marijuana is smoked, sold, grown, and smuggled. One victim of a drugs overdose is shown. But otherwise the consumption of pot, LSD, alcohol, and cigarettes remain sociable and in moderation. There are some skirmishes, threats, and confrontations. But the only graphic injury is the result of a mishap rather than malicious intent. A gun features at one point with some references to shootings, but this is relatively low stakes. Sex is occasional, with some female nudity at parties and one group sex scene, which is not graphic but does feature nudity and kissing. One scene involves a close-up of a penis that a character has drawn on for comic effect. Language such as "f--k," "c--k," and "s--t" are used throughout both casually and in heated arguments.
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What's the Story?
MR. NICE is the dramatization of Howard Marks' (Rhys Ifans) real-life journey from a small town in Wales to becoming an international drug dealer.
Is It Any Good?
A cult figure in the 1990s and early 2000s, Howard Marks gained notoriety as an affable and highly successful marijuana dealer at a time when the drug was criminalized more widely than it is today. Mr. Nice follows the patter of many dealer biopics, such as Blow, where the protagonist is presented as an opportunist rather than a hardened criminal with no morals. Ifans does a credible job of showing us how Marks moved from one lucrative situation to another, often displaying cunning and cool, detached reasoning to escape capture and bring people into his circle as needed. But the movie suffers from the usual clichés and tropes of its genre. Women characters are largely reduced to sex objects or subservient love interests, and as the net closes around Marks there's never any real sense of drama or danger.
While other drug movies deal in spectacle, most of Mr. Nice takes place over phone calls and in nondescript buildings, even when Marks is dabbling with MI6 agents and members of the IRA. This might make it a more accurate portrayal of what a life of selling marijuana is like, but it doesn't make it a compelling one.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the portrayal of drugs in Mr. Nice. Was it glamorized? Were there consequences? Why is that important?
How did the movie portray sex. Was it affectionate? Respectful? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.
Talk about the strong language used in the movie. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?
Discuss the way in which the story is told. Did it remind you of any other biopic movies? What is the appeal of biopics?
Movie Details
- In theaters: June 3, 2011
- On DVD or streaming: October 11, 2011
- Cast: Rhys Ifans, Chloe Sevigny, David Thewlis
- Director: Bernard Rose
- Studio: MPI Media Group
- Genre: Drama
- Run time: 121 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: August 1, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
For kids who love biopics
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