Parents' Guide to

Nerdland

By Renee Longstreet, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Gross-out, violent cartoon satire has nudity, cursing.

Movie NR 2017 83 minutes
Nerdland Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 17+

Based on 3 parent reviews

Skpe821
Skpe821 Adult
January 4, 2019
age 15+

I’m one of the only people who enjoyed this movie

This is definitely NOT a kids film, but old enough teens and adults might love this. In my opinion, this film is pretty funny if you like Beavis and Butthead, Family Guy, and Ralph Bakshi films. From an artistic point of view, this is really nice looking (no I’m not talking about the big boobed characters, perverts). The art style is very pleasing to look at, and this film was animated in Toon boom. Overall, if youre over the age of 14, and you like funny movies, give this a chance.

This title has:

Great messages
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Sam M.
Sam M. Parent of 0-year-old
April 8, 2018
age 18+

Weak given the talent involved. Extreme nudity and violence

It never really gels together. Its watchable and not HORRIBLY written. Patton and Rudd are decent enough and the animation is creative while deliberately demented and grotesque. Yet in the end it felt like a waste of time. Its just barely connected, sometimes funny, sitcom vignettes that dont add up in any satisfying or clever way or say anything different. Even in the end where the tone gets darker and potential stakes arise the movie finds every way to dilute it and every sense of consequence or tension is gone. The satire is surface level and the characters arent all that likable. Thier "professions" of being an actor and screen writer NEVER come into play outside the first 10 minutes. Insane amounts of comedic nudity especially in the first half the most notable being from VERY graphic porno dvd covers and a lightning fast scroll through (poorly drawn) internet porn. Breasts (uncountable), mens buttholes, vaginas (several times each), and memorable images of a person (gender unspecified) with 3 huge erect penises and a nude woman with inhuman sized male genitals. Several sex acts/ insinuations shown including one with Teddy bears doing doggie and a nude man lubing for a sex doll. Violence includes imaginary images of stabbings and shootings, with blood and heads exploding. Also a montage of quick clips of animated recreations of extreme gore from movie scenes. Surprisingly sparse strong profanity for a movie like this. Only about 20 f words and nothing worse. No memorable drug use.

This title has:

Too much sex
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

NERDLAND asks the 21st century Hollywood question: "How many ridiculous, fame-seeking adventures can two animated dimwits have on the mean streets of Movie-Land?" Down-and-out losers John Truman (Paul Rudd), a struggling, talentless actor, and Elliot Alexander (Patton Oswalt), a goofball with no skill but a burning desire to be a writer, are tired of failure. Epiphany for John! The two roommates just need "face time with America!" Instant Celebrity TODAY can launch their careers for TOMORROW! John and Elliot set out to be immediately recognizable, whatever it takes. Their ill-conceived, ill-fated odyssey takes them from efforts of heroism (a little old lady in a burning building is a fantastic opportunity!) to true victimhood (a brutal beating at the hands of police officers is just the ticket for that!) to planning a murderous slaughter of innocents in a killing frenzy... and all points in between. No horrific stone goes unturned; not even the sweetest of elderly neighbors is immune from deadly plotting; no shocking videos or porno tapes are off-limits as they struggle to turn themselves into folk heroes or superstars or, best of all, America's Most Wanted Wannabees.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3):
Kids say (3):

Despite inspired comic voice performances and inventive, off-beat animation, this low-budget, "hoping-for-cult-status" cartoon is uneven, and definitely inappropriate for kids and families. No doubt there's an audience for this movie -- for fans of broad satire combined with beyond-silly violence, cartoon blood-letting, burgeoning-bosomed ditzes, and references to enemas, diarrhea, farting, and masturbation, Nerdland offers an embarrassment of riches. And though it sometimes seems like forever between laughs, there are some true guffaws. The filmmakers, who probably had a great time putting this farce together, embrace the caricatures they've created without remorse (a tennis-playing tech tycoon -- called a Megasoft Fat Cat -- is only bested by The Nerd King (Hannibal Buress) with a collectible store from the land of the bizarre. Fun for some; tasteless, artless, and ridiculous for most.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the cartoon violence in Nerdland. Did you laugh at some of the many bloody, ferocious scenes in the film? Though obviously not as disturbing as serious, live-action brutality, do you agree with some educators and scientists who say that exposure to such material can desensitize people (especially children) to violence? Why or why not?

  • What is a "gross-out" comedy? What about this genre appeals to some audiences? Who do you think the filmmakers are trying to reach with this movie?

  • This film has "fun" with stereotypes (bubble-headed females who fawn over celebrities, a homeless man, law enforcement, an arrogant tech-type). Why is caricature more acceptable when it's done purposefully and with humor? Or isn't it more acceptable?

Movie Details

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