The Comeback Trail

Parents need to know that The Comeback Trail is a crime comedy with farcical violence, strong language, and few positive messages. Set in 1970s Hollywood, the all-star cast -- including Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, and Tommy Lee Jones -- are a mix of con artists, gangsters, and suspecting actors who become involved in an insurance scam. Few of these characters show any kind of moral compass and are willing to commit unlawful acts -- including murder -- to get a payout. The violence is comical and slapstick in nature, such as when a man falls of a ledge and onto the top of a bus or when a man catches on fire. But slightly more real, and therefore more affecting scenes, show an elderly man have a heart attack, and a character risking suicide when playing Russian roulette on his own. The movie plays with its 1970s time period and male-dominated film industry, with sexist behavior and problematic portrayals satirized, though not always successfully. A character refers to an African American woman as "colored," and one character, who is Black, uses the "N" word. There are also countless uses of the word "f--k" along with variants of "s--t." Characters drink frequently. One declares he wishes to get drunk to celebrate, while someone is also seen passed out having drunk too much. There is also some smoking, and one character takes prescription pills. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.