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Necessary Roughness
Common Sense says
- PG-13
- 1991
- 108 minutes
Parents say
Kids say
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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 Necessary Roughness is a '90s movie about old-school football. Taunting and hard hits rule the day, with many hits to the head, but concussion and head injury aren't mentioned. On-field violence shows lots of hard hits, punches, and small amounts of blood; off the field there's one bar brawl. A woman joins the team as the punter/placekicker and faces lewd, sexist taunting. Male nudity is shown from behind briefly. Strong language is frequent and includes "f--king," "s--t," and "p---y." Characters drink, chew tobacco, and smoke; steroids are mentioned and shown. Positive messages about teamwork are noticeably absent, but there are some positive messages about what it takes to be a leader.
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What's the story?
Paul Blake (Scott Bakula) was a star quarterback in high school. But he gave up his chance at college glory to run the family farm after his father died. Nearby Texas State University's football program is on the rocks, thanks to a recently uncovered scandal and corruption. Although now 34 years old, Paul is eligible to play if he enrolls as a freshman, and Coach Gennero (Hector Elizondo) thinks he might just be the man who can lead the team back from the past year's disaster. With only 17 eligible players, the team will have to bring back iron-man football and give it everything they've got and plenty they don't to save the fighting Armadillos of Texas State.
Is it any good?
NECESSARY ROUGHNESS moves from one sports-movie cliché to another and revisits some of them several times, without ever finding a heart. The story and characters are so predictable and flat they're not even worth watching. Hard-core fans who like to watch players taking hard hits might not find the in-between stuff too much of an interruption but would be better off watching highlight reels. Everyone else should sit this one out. Check out our handpicked recommendations for football movies that'll really make you cheer.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about why sports movies are so popular. Why are we so inspired by athletic achievement?
How has the game of football changed since this movie was made in the early '90s? What changes are for the better? Have we lost anything of value, or is it a better game now?
Steroid use, cheating, and corruption make headlines in both professional and college sports. Do you think these things are a big deal? Why, or why not?
Movie details
- In theaters: September 27, 1991
- On DVD or streaming: January 30, 2001
- Cast: Scott Bakula, Hector Elizondo
- Director: Stan Dragoti
- Studio: Paramount Pictures
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Sports and Martial Arts
- Run time: 108 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
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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.