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Parents' Guide to

The King of Staten Island

By Jeffrey M. Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Funny, touching Pete Davidson story has profanity, drug use.

Movie R 2020 136 minutes
The King of Staten Island Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 14+

Based on 9 parent reviews

Mrs.Depp1010
Mrs.Depp1010 Adult
January 1, 2021
age 16+

Okay, but strong

The king of staten island is a good movie. There's one minor sex scene at the beginning, but nothing is shown. This movie shares a STRONG message of drug use. There are MULTIPLE scenes where people are shown vaping, smoking, drinking, and talking about many other drugs. There's a scene when a man is shown all bloody because of an unknown cause. Lots of cursing. Even though this movie is a little strong on drugs, it spreads a great message of trying to figure out life.
PauIlo
PauIlo Adult
August 19, 2020
age 16+
See all 9 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In THE KING OF STATEN ISLAND, 24-year-old Scott Carlin (Pete Davidson) is on the path to nowhere. Ever since his dad, a firefighter, died in action when Scott was a kid, Scott has lived with his widowed mother, Margie (Marisa Tomei), smoked pot with his friends, practiced his tattoo art, and done little else. After Scott cheerfully agrees to tattoo a 9-year-old boy without getting any kind of permission, the boy's father, Ray (Bill Burr), storms over to Margie's house to complain -- and soon winds up asking Margie out on a date. It turns out Ray is also a firefighter, and, despite his attempts to befriend Scott, they just can't get along. Soon after Scott's friends get into trouble while trying to rob a pharmacy, Scott gets kicked out of the house and winds up staying at Ray's firehouse, where he starts to learn some important lessons about life.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (9 ):
Kids say (10 ):

Tackling some of Davidson's real-life troubles, this touching, hilarious dramedy is long but breezy, weighty but easy, with an excellent lead performance and a great group of characters. The sixth movie by writer-director Judd Apatow, The King of Staten Island ranks among his best. He still hasn't learned brevity or compactness (of his movies, only The 40-Year-Old Virgin runs under two hours, and this one is 136 minutes). But this time, rather than feeling cluttered and/or unevenly paced, all of the subplots and supporting characters come together in a seamless flow. The movie has a strong sense of place, capturing Staten Island's beauty as well as its seediness. There's hardly a wasted moment, and just about everything contributes to Scott's character arc.

Davidson's comedy -- not exactly nice-guy humor -- won't appeal to everyone, but fans will find him not only very funny but also extremely engaging. There's a great early scene in which Scott's father's death is discussed. It's disguised as a joke but is still somehow utterly poignant thanks to Davidson's perfect delivery. He balances pain and humor expertly, creating an organic, honest performance. He and Apatow make a great team, and The King of Staten Island feels as if it's a work of trust and sharing, with no falseness or cynicism. Tomei, Burr, Bel Powley, Steve Buscemi, and many other fine cast members seem to share in the movie's lovable energy.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how The King of Staten Island depicts pot-smoking, drinking, and other drug use. Is it glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?

  • How is sex depicted? What values are imparted? How does Scott's view of sex and relationships change over the course of the movie?

  • How does the film present Scott's struggles with mental health, especially depression? How does it compare to other ways you've seen mental health issues depicted in the media?

  • On Saturday Night Live, as well as in the movie, Davidson helps process difficult feelings by talking about them. Have you ever talked with someone about your feelings? Why is it sometimes so hard to do that?

  • Could the firefighters in the movie be considered role models? Why or why not? What about Scott? His mom?

Movie Details

  • On DVD or streaming: August 25, 2020
  • Cast: Pete Davidson , Marisa Tomei , Bill Burr
  • Director: Judd Apatow
  • Inclusion Information: Female actors
  • Studio: Universal Pictures
  • Genre: Comedy
  • Run time: 136 minutes
  • MPAA rating: R
  • MPAA explanation: language and drug use throughout, sexual content and some violence/bloody images
  • Last updated: September 2, 2023

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