Common Sense Media Review
By Weiting Liu
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Sex, language, toxic traits in shallow satirical dramedy.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Real Men
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In REAL MEN, four longtime friends—Massimo (Matteo Martari), Mattia (Maurizio Lastrico), Luigi (Pietro Sermonti), and Riccardo (Francesco Montanari)—grapple with the challenges of aging, identity, and shifting gender dynamics in modern-day Rome. Once bonded by carefree youth and bravado, they now face midlife crises, fractured relationships, and professional burnout. As they stumble through therapy sessions, parenting struggles, workplace drama, and romantic failures, each man is forced to confront what masculinity means in a world that's quickly changing around them. Along the way, their deep (and often dysfunctional) friendship is both tested and transformed.
Is It Any Good?
This raunchy dramedy wants to dissect modern masculinity, but ends up stuck in the very clichés it aims to critique. Real Men starts with promise: four friends navigating emotional upheaval, fatherhood, aging, and gender expectations. There are glimpses of sharp insight, especially when the men are forced into uncomfortable introspection.
But too often, the show leans into easy jokes, shallow stereotypes, and sitcom-level conflicts. Sexist banter, underwritten female characters, and uneven attempts at emotional depth weigh the story down. Though the performances are committed, the writing rarely pushes beyond surface-level satire. And while Real Men occasionally gestures toward progress, it feels more like a nostalgic lament than a bold redefinition of what it means to be a man.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Real Men's exploration of contemporary masculinity. Does the show challenge toxic masculinity? What do you think a healthy sense of masculinity looks like?
How does the show use humor to mask (or expose) deeper emotional dysfunction among long-term friends? How can you nurture healthy friendships?
What role does midlife crisis play in shaping the characters' choices? Do you have people in your life who are going through midlife crises? And how should you support them?
TV Details
- Premiere date : May 21, 2025
- Cast : Matteo Martari , Maurizio Lastrico , Pietro Sermonti
- Network : Netflix
- Genre : Drama
- TV rating :
- Last updated : June 2, 2025
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