Common Sense Media Review
By Tara McNamara
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Comedy portrays drinking, sex, swearing as college basics.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Re-Education of Molly Singer
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In THE RE-EDUCATION OF MOLLY SINGER, the nightly partying of the titular character -- a young divorce attorney (Britt Robertson) -- interferes with her ability to do her job. Just as Molly is on the verge of being fired, her boss, Brenda (Jaime Pressly), gives her an unusual lifeline: return to college as a "student" to befriend Brenda's socially awkward son, Elliot (Ty Simpkins), and help him secure a fraternity bid.
Is It Any Good?
Robertson's charisma and ability to drop a quippy line are reminiscent of Ryan Reynolds, but this is no Van Wilder. Robertson and co-star Nico Santos, who plays Molly's gay bestie, Ollie, patter back and forth like a modern-day Myrna Loy and William Powell, which nearly elevates The Re-Education of Molly Singer's ridiculous premise and crude jokes. Moviegoers with taste will probably wrinkle their nose, but, like the one-star cult classic Van Wilder, this one has the kind of obnoxious humor that's likely to appeal to teens -- and possibly set up the expectation that college is a drunken spree.
While there's no chance that this comedy will age well, it may become historically valuable decades down the line, given that it's full of topical jokes that reflect life in the United States in 2023 with precision -- from humor about QAnon and current slang to the celebrity of college athletes and even the importance of getting consent. Let's just hope future generations don't look at this film and think the female characters are an accurate reflection of 2023 women.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how drinking and smoking are depicted in The Re-Education of Molly Singer. How does drinking too much affect Molly's life? Is drinking glamorized? What real-life consequences might she face from her own drinking and from supplying underage students with liquor?
How would you describe the lesson of the movie? Do you think that's what audiences will take away?
Is the "meme"-ing of Elliot a form of bullying? If this happened in real life, what could be done?
What makes some raunchy comedies funnier than others? Do interesting characters and clever dialogue matter to you? Or is it all shock value?
Movie Details
- In theaters : September 29, 2023
- On DVD or streaming : September 29, 2023
- Cast : Britt Robertson , Ty Simpkins , Nico Santos , Jaime Pressly
- Director : Andy Palmer
- Inclusion Information : Gay Movie Actor(s) , Queer Movie Actor(s) , Asian Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Lionsgate
- Genre : Comedy
- Run time : 120 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : sexual content, pervasive language and some drug use
- Last updated : October 11, 2023
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