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The DUFF

age 14+
(i)

 

High school comedy is racy but unexpectedly insightful.
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  • Review Date: February 20, 2015
  • Rated: PG-13
  • Genre: Comedy
  • Release Year: 2015
  • Running Time: 101 minutes

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What parents need to know

Positive messages

Nobody has the right to label you; you get to define yourself. And it's not healthy or productive to compare yourself to others. But there's also an underlying theme about needing to change who you are in order to get the object of your affection to notice (and have sex with) you, and appearance is definitely part of the equation. The whole concept of DUFFs (designated ugly fat friends) is cruel, but that's alleviated by the movie's ultimately uplifting tone.

Positive role models

Bianca is interesting and straightforward, and when she gets knocked down, she's resilient enough to pick herself up and keep going. Wesley is coarse at times, but he's a sweetheart. Bianca's friends might be popular and attractive, but they're also good hearted and loyal. The movie plays with some of the typical stereotyping of high school movies (i.e. popular girls can be writers and hackers, and a football player can be kind and sensitive), but some characters are still pretty broadly defined. Parents are also depicted as caricatures.

Violence

Some shouting matches, plus cyberbullying: A vindictive girl makes a compromising video about a classmate go viral just to hurt her.

Sex

Sex-related themes permeate the movie. Crude jokes/references right off the bat include talk about what boys would like to do to girls ("banging," etc.). Teen couples also kiss/make out, sometimes passionately, and imagine/allude to having sex, but no graphic nudity. Teen boys are seen in the locker room half-naked; a girl is shown in her bra. Other revealing outfits, including a glimpse of a girl's underwear. References to porn/daydream that plays out like a porn scenario (not graphic). A girl acts suggestively with a store mannequin. Suggestive song lyrics.

Language

Frequent strong language includes "s--t," "ass," "jerk," "bitch," and one "f--k."

Consumerism

Lots of products/labels seen and mentioned, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Hyundai, BMW, MAC, Lacoste, Zara, Brookstone, Beats by Dre, Apple, iPhone, Nike, Dave and Busters, Motel 6, Vine, Tumblr, Snaphat, and YouTube.

Drinking, drugs, & smoking

Teens are shown holding Solo cups at parties, presumably filled with alcoholic beverages.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The DUFF is a funny, fascinating -- if quite racy -- examination of the American high school social hierarchy. Sexual themes permeate the movie; there's frank conversation about what types of people are attractive and what types aren't, especially when it comes to girls (the movie's title is short for "designated ugly fat friend"). Teen characters drink, fool around, talk about sex, and swear (including "d--k," "bitch," "s--t," and one "f--k"), and the humor and references can be crude (boys talk about "banging" girls, etc.). There's also a cruel incident of cyberbullying and lots of product placement. Stereotypes typical of high school movies are somewhat upended (some popular characters are kind and sensitive, etc.), and the main character learns that it's important to define yourself rather than letting others label you, but there's also an underlying theme about having to change who you are to succeed in romance.

What's the story?

Bianca (Mae Whitman) just found out she's THE DUFF -- aka "the designated ugly fat friend" -- thanks to her childhood pal/next-door-neighbor, Wesley (Robbie Amell), who's one of the most popular athletes at their high school. Determined to catch the eye of her crush, Bianca makes a plan to barter tutoring for Wesley's very specific mentorship in the art of flirting. But plenty of other people at school think that DUFFs should know their place ... and that place is never next to a popular football player.

Is it any good?

QUALITY

The DUFF is smart, sassy, and spirited -- exactly what you'd want in a coming-of-age high school movie (as long as you're OK with some crude, racy humor/talk). It also undermines some typical teen-movie stereotypes: The popular girls can be writers and hackers, the football player is kind and sensitive, and the object of a main character's obsession is the sweet, sensitive guitar-playing boy. For this alone The DUFF is a worthy addition to the high school movie canon. Add to that a funny script, an interesting premise, and winning actors, and you have the makings of a teen fave.

Not that the movie doesn't have any problems. For starters, though its main message -- don't let others define who you are -- is empowering to all types of women, it still supposes that you can win the heart of your crush partly by making him see that even if you're not (stereto)typically cute, you're a beauty anyway, inside and out. Why do the externals always need to be part of the equation? Also, parents are still caricatures, as is typical for this genre. Nonetheless, it's lots of fun to watch.

Families can talk about...

  • Families can talk about how The DUFF depicts cliques and stereotypes. Is it similar to other teen movies in that regard or different? Do the characters feel realistic? Do you think they're intended to?

  • The movie is pretty candid and coarse about what kind of kids are DUFFs. Is that excusable, given the uplifting message at the end of the film? Do you think labels like that are used the same way in real life? What are the consequences of that kind of thinking?

  • How does The DUFF differ from previous high school movies? Are there cliches? Improvements? What messages do movies in this genre tend to have in common? Are there worthwhile takeaways despite themes about changing yourself to get the guy or girl?

  • How does the movie handle the topic of cyberbullying? Do you think the incident that takes place is realistic? Teens: How would you and your friends handle something similar in real life?

Movie details

Theatrical release date:February 20, 2015
DVD release date:June 9, 2015
Cast:Bella Thorne, Mae Whitman, Robbie Amell
Director:Ari Sandel
Studio:Lionsgate
Genre:Comedy
Topics:Book characters, Friendship, High school
Run time:101 minutes
MPAA rating:PG-13
MPAA explanation:crude and sexual material throughout, some language and teen partying

This review of The DUFF was written by

S. Jhoanna Robledo
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are conducted by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

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Educator and Parent Written byleahflowerhappiness February 20, 2015
age 12+

Based on the book, not as good, but still good.

I have read the book which is one of my favorite books. I love the books, Wonder, Running Dream, Fault in Our Stars, and this. In the end, they changed so much of the book when they turned this into a movie because if they followed the book, this would be rated R, but it is still hilarious and kind hearted including well done. The teacher that is not in the book though is an added one to the film, but he is an extremely caring and hilarious teacher! Some references to alcohol, but it isn't a big deal in this movie. The language is bit more iffier than the alcohol, but it should be fine for a teen.
What other families should know
Great messages
Great role models
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Parent Written by2ndamdt March 17, 2015
age 18+

Totally inappropriate for young teens

I was absolutely floored that this movie was rated PG-13. While there was no nudity, the sexual innuendo and outright references were inappropriate for younger teens, and maybe even 16 and 17 year olds! I liked the message and the story line that Bianca didn't change herself completely, just tweaked things a bit. But the talk about 'banging' girls, the fantasy/wishful thinking scenes and the mannequin scene! Inappropriate, embarrassing to watch with my 13 y/o daughter, her friend and her mother that I invited saying I thought it sounded 'cute'. I know she's not in to Cinderella flix any more, but she's not ready for this either. I don't think the trailer gave any clue as to the extent of the language and sexual tones in this movie, and the review posted here at CMS leaves parents unprepared for the nature of this movie.
What other families should know
Too much sex
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Parent Written byrydisme March 3, 2015
age 15+

Not really for tweens

I can't believe Common Sense Media gave this an age 13 rating. I could practically feel the other parents in the audience cringe at all the sexual content and suggestive language and mock sexual acts. I took my 13-year-old daughter and her friends based on this review because it said the movie had positive messages. Really? Well, aside from being totally predictable, the "positive" message is vague at best. There is a cyberbullying incident that was really upsetting to the heroine and it was handled so poorly in the film. No one had a consequence, and the outcome was totally unrealistic. I'm a huge fan of Mae Whitman (she's awesome in Parenthood) but this movie was not her best film. By the way, my daughter and her friends loved it, probably because of all the sexual content and making out!
What other families should know
Too much sex
Too much consumerism
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