Parents' Guide to

Swiss Army Man

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Slightly unsettling, but ultimately weird and wonderful.

Movie R 2016 95 minutes
Swiss Army Man Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 15+

Based on 5 parent reviews

Chelibiris
Chelibiris Parent of 13-year-old
October 22, 2019
age 15+

Unusual

The way this two unusual characters bond and build a friendship makes this a really good dark comedy for high school kids. Disgusted about farts, poop and corps but this guys show tenderness.
1 person found this helpful.
doctora
doctora Parent of 5-year-old
June 4, 2022
age 16+

Captures loneliness in a unique way

Wow...where do you start? The premise is quite off-beat and it just keeps going from there. I mean to begin and end with flatulence, not giving anything away with that statement. It is impressive to see how Dano and Radcliffe connect and animate and encourage each other. This film captures loneliness in a unique way. Although it is comedic there are many aspects of the film that point to a deeper sadness. Ultimately, whose story do you align yourself with? Hank's? Manny's? Or Sarah's? I never knew what was going to happen next and that is a rare thing to say about a film nowadays.
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What's the Story?

Hank (Paul Dano) is stranded on a deserted island, in total despair, when a body washes up on the beach. Desperate for companionship, Hank tries to revive him, but to no avail; he's dead. But the body's frequent gas emission gives Hank an idea, and he starts to ride it like a motorboat. It brings him to someplace new, a strange woods. Hank, along with the corpse -- whom he names "Manny" (Daniel Radcliffe) -- begins to explore, look for food, and try to find rescue. Meanwhile, Manny starts to speak, and Hank decides to teach him all about life, using trash littered everywhere to make beautiful, illustrative objects. Trouble begins when Manny sees a photo of a girl (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) on Hank's phone and becomes obsessed with finding her.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (5):
Kids say (9):

This is the kind of bizarre, original, risk-taking independent movie that's increasingly rare to find in an era of superhero and action movie franchises. It's weird, amazing, and refreshing. Co-written and co-directed by Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Swiss Army Man is a compendium of strange ideas, beautiful things, some disturbing thoughts, and a touching friendship that can only be found in movies about actual people.

Notwithstanding his amazing performance as Brian Wilson in last year's Love & Mercy, Paul Dano has never been better as a man wrestling with his identity and humanity, finding wonderful humor in every situation. The filmmakers decorate the screen with such astonishing images -- including a bus made of sticks and junk -- that viewers are constantly swept away. On the other hand, the movie's frequent discussions of bodily functions and death, while grounding, are a bit of a turn-off. But that's the only quibble in an otherwise extraordinary movie.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Swiss Army Man's premise. What's the effect of having a dead body as a main character? Is it gross? Scary? Interesting? Does it qualify as violence? Why or why not?

  • How does the movie make you feel overall? Is it a feel-good movie, a disturbing movie, or a combination of both? What made you most uncomfortable? What made you happiest?

  • How does the story demonstrate teamwork? Why is that an important character strength?

  • What's the movie's message about friendship? Can you think of other unusual movie friendships?

  • Is the main character's creativity -- making things from discarded objects -- inspirational? Have you ever made something beautiful out of something no one wanted?

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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