Parents' Guide to Play Dirty

Movie R 2025 125 minutes
Play Dirty movie poster: Two men against a red background.

Common Sense Media Review

Jennifer Green By Jennifer Green , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 15+

Twisty heist film with violent action, language, drinking.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 15+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 11+

Based on 1 kid review

What's the Story?

Parker (Mark Wahlberg) is a criminal with a checkered past involving the mob in PLAY DIRTY. When his latest heist goes wrong and his entire team is murdered by a mysterious Latin American woman known as Zen (Rosa Salazar), he gathers his old team together to get back his money and avenge a friend. This means teaming up with Zen, and going against the mob, a Latin American armed band, and more.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say : Not yet rated
Kids say ( 1 ):

Shane Black's latest thriller could have used some editing to focus the action, condense the carnage, and shrink the length. The fast-paced fights and chases in Play Dirty are occasionally breathtaking (a racetrack scene and fall to a ravine come to mind), but they overwhelm at two-plus hours. Likewise, the characters are overly slick and scripted. And while they may be très cool, they are also gratuitous killers whose repeated, point-blank assassinations undermine empathy for their cause and dull their sometimes-witty rapport. A jazzy, classical Hollywood score is a highlight.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how the violent actions in Play Dirty affect your appreciation for the characters. Are you able to empathize, for example, with Parker's vendetta or Zen's altruistic goal of helping her people?

  • What was the most exciting action scene in this film? What captured your attention? How do you think it was made? Where could you find more information?

  • Does this film remind you of any other movies you've watched? Explain.

  • If you've read the Parker novels on which this film is based, how does it compare? What can books do that movies cannot, and vice versa?

Movie Details

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Play Dirty movie poster: Two men against a red background.

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