Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Sweet time-travel love story is a fun choice for teens.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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My Future Boyfriend
What's the Story?
In MY FUTURE BOYFRIEND, a scientist from 1,000 years in the future travels back in time to learn about love, an emotion that's extinct in his time. While on an archaeological dig, P-A-X-197/341 (Barry Watson) discovers a time capsule that contains a romance novel written in 2011. Intrigued by the concept of love, he travels back in time to meet the author, Elizabeth Barrett (Sara Rue), and finds that he does more than learn -- he actually falls in love with her. Meanwhile, Pax's arrival causes Elizabeth to question the basis of her own relationship with her fiancé, Richard (Justin Smith). Further trouble ensues when the feds pick up Pax for counterfeiting, and he misses his transport home, causing his colleague (Fred Willard) to head back in time, too, to rescue his friend.
Is It Any Good?
Part sci-fi, part comedy, but mostly just fantasy, My Future Boyfriend is a lighthearted spin on modern romance and the enduring pull of true love. In any other hands, the far-fetched story would be too hokey to consider, but fortunately Watson and Rue are a delightful odd couple, and it's easy and fun to get wrapped up in their unjaded relationship. If you can set aside your sense of reality, you might just be inspired by this tale of unlikely love and the positive light in which it casts healthy romantic relationships.
That said, the movie isn't one to share with younger family members, as it contains multiple references to sex. Part of Pax's appeal is his naïvete about love and romance, but with that comes an insatiable curiosity about the sex that he finds detailed in Elizabeth's book. Although the movie limits the physical contact to kissing, the persistent references to sex, combined with Elizabeth's obvious discomfort in dodging the sensitive topic, will get tweens' gears turning, so it's best to save this one for teens and up.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about relationships. Do you think this movie casts a positive light on relationships? What messages does it try to send about how relationships evolve? Did the fantastical nature of the story interfere with these messages? Why or why not?
Teens: Do you believe in true love? How has your experience with relationships compared to that of these characters? What challenges do relationships face in our society? What external pressures (like society's messages about sex) affect them?
What audience do you think this movie is geared toward? Is it appropriate for tweens? Why or why not? Do you think the silly nature of its premise makes it a hard sell for adults? What is this movie's best aspect?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : March 6, 2012
- Cast : Fred Willard , Sara Rue
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : GAIAM
- Genre : Romance
- Run time : 76 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : March 14, 2020
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