Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
So-so slapstick buddy comedy has a few positive messages.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Mark and Russell's Wild Ride
What's the Story?
MARK AND RUSSELL'S WILD RIDE sees BFFs Mark (Joey Bragg) and Russell (Sean Giambrone) set out on a crazy quest to earn Mark's license to drive. Relegated to the unpopular table their whole lives, Mark sees his social fortune turning around after hitting it off with his attractive lab partner, Ashley. But when Ashley (Tiera Skovbye) asks for a ride to an upcoming party right after he fails his driving test for the fifth time, he and Russell lobby a notoriously lenient DMV instructor named Glenn (Chris Gauthier) to give him one last shot at success. Little do they know about the adventure that awaits them, with Glenn along for the ride.
Is It Any Good?
This mostly forgettable buddy comedy is a long-winded series of outlandish and bizarre circumstances that grow tired after the first 30 minutes or so. It's not terribly clever, and the laughs become easy to predict after a while, but on the whole, the content isn't a worry for kids and tweens who may want to watch.
If bright spots are to be found, they're in Mark and Russell's friendship, which proves it can endure just about anything that's thrown at it; and in Gauthier's very funny portrayal of Glenn the dim driving instructor. There's also a nice culmination to the geeky-guy-loves-popular-girl device, with some obvious reminders about the sometimes surprising rewards of embracing what makes you unique.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what this movie says about popularity. How is it assigned? Kids: Is it important to you that other people consider you popular? Why, or why not?
What rules do the characters break during their adventure? How would repercussions be different if this kind of thing happened in the real world?
Do any role models exist in this show? Is that important in a comedy? What shows or movies have you seen that do have positive role models?
TV Details
- Premiere date : November 23, 2015
- Cast : Joey Bragg , Chris Gauthier , Sean Giambrone
- Network : Disney XD
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Adventures , Friendship , School ( High School )
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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