Parents' Guide to

Ted

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Extremely vulgar comedy also has some genuine sweetness.

Movie R 2012 106 minutes
Ted Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

age 15+

Based on 45 parent reviews

age 12+

It is a very funny movie

This is a very nice and funny movie, everyone above the 11 should watch it.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
6 people found this helpful.
age 11+
Very good - some people think it is for older kids but it is really fun and a bit sweet. A small amount of bad langage

This title has:

Great role models
4 people found this helpful.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (45):
Kids say (190):

Usually, Seth MacFarlane's type of humor -- pop-culture references mixed with vulgar shock humor -- will instantly kill a movie, but not so with TED. MacFarlane has done what There's Something About Mary did: He has made an over-the-top comedy with genuine heart. As ridiculous and as silly as Ted's three characters are, they actually care for one another, and their bond comes through.

Moreover, rather than just telling a story about a vulgar character getting a neurotic one to "loosen up," Ted celebrates the notion of becoming a responsible adult. And while so many movies are about dumping the "wrong girl" before she ruins the hero's life, in this one, John learns to communicate with -- and tries to deserve -- the girl he already loves. As for the humor, though it's frequently shocking and offensive, it's rarely hateful or angry. The characters mostly make fun of themselves. Fortunately, much of that humor is hilarious, and the movie's unexpected warmth makes up the rest.

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.

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.

See how we rate