Stealing Harvard

Movie review by Alistair Lawrence, Common Sense Media
Stealing Harvard movie poster

Common Sense says

age 13+

Dated comedy caper has language, sex, iffy humor.

PG-13 2002 85 minutes
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  • Stealing Harvard: Tom Green and Jason Lee in toy store
  • Stealing Harvard: Jason Lee drives car
  • Stealing Harvard: Leslie Mann talks on phone

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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 Stealing Harvard is a 2002 comedy with sexual references, transphobic language, and one instance of drug use. John (Jason Lee) is on a mission to raise the money his niece needs to go to college. This leads to him teaming up with wayward best friend, Duff (Tom Green), in a series of illegal attempts to secure the cash. There is one dated recurring joke about a minor character who asks several male characters to dress as a woman to help him grieve for his late wife. This results in some transphobic and homophobic language. There is also swearing, including one use of "f---ing." There are a couple of instances where violence results in bloody injury, but there is no death or gore, and it's largely played for laughs. The sex scenes are mostly between fully clothed characters, although there is one, non-explicit shower scene and a couple of scenes where women are shown in either their underwear or similar clothing. Drinking and smoking are both infrequent and in moderation. However, there is one scene where a character discusses having just taken PCP and exhibits some eccentric behavior.

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What's the Story?

STEALING HARVARD follows hapless everyman John (Jason Lee) as he tries to find the money to help send his niece to college.

Is It Any Good?

A footnote on the resumes of early 2000s stars Lee and Tom Green, this is a buddy comedy that runs on strained jokes rather than any real chemistry between the leads. Stealing Harvard is also stocked with characters so clichéd it's almost as though the writers expect the audience to fill in the blanks, because we've seen them all before. Lee has little to do other than bob along as the disapproving straight man in a bind. Meanwhile, bizarrely, Green is mostly shackled from the physical and gross-out humor that made him famous. Like most male-buddy comedies of the era, the female lead, Leslie Mann, is sidelined as John's fiancee, until the final act, where she's allowed to tag along for the climax.

And while Richard Jenkins is wasted in a series of dated gags that revolve around cross-dressing, thankfully the generic script doesn't totally smother the comedic talents of the supporting cast. Cameos from John C. McGinley, Martin Starr, and Dennis Farina liven things up, as they somehow manage to beat some chuckles out of the material they're given. The rest of it's about as much fun as being hit with a series of student loan repayments.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the humor in Stealing Harvard. Did you find it funny? Why might some of the jokes -- particularly around cross-dressing -- be viewed as problematic? Do you think these jokes would be included if the film was made today?

  • John plans to steal money to help his niece go to university. Have you heard anyone else talk about the cost of going to college? Why is higher education too expensive for many people? What do you think about this?

  • How did the film portray sex? Was it affectionate? Respectful? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.

  • Talk about the strong language in the movie. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?

  • How were drinking, drug use, and smoking portrayed? Were there consequences? Did it glamorize it?

Movie Details

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