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(About Our Ads) "DOWN TO YOU" (2000) (Freddie Prinze Jr., Julia Stiles) (PG-13) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Heavy Minor Heavy None Mild Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Mild None None None Heavy Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Moderate Heavy None Moderate Mild QUICK TAKE: Romantic Drama: A college couple tries to come to grips with the fact that the sparkle of their romance is beginning to fade. PLOT: As told in flashback by the participants themselves, Al (FREDDIE PRINZE, JR.) and Imogen (JULIA STILES) are young lovers for whom sparks immediately fly upon their first meeting when he's a sophomore and she a freshman at a New York college. As their relationship intensifies, they must contend with the reactions of their friends to their romance, including that of Eddie (SHAWN HATOSY), Al's insecure roommate who'd like a girlfriend like Imogen, and Monk (ZAK ORTH), an underground porn actor and director, whose industry friend, Cyrus (SELMA BLAIR), finds herself attracted to Al. Then there's Al's dad, Chef Ray (HENRY WINKLER), who likes Imogen but wants Al to join him in a father/son cooking show, as well as Imogen's friend, Lana (ROSARIO DAWSON) who has a brief fling with Eddie, and Jim Morrison (ASHTON KUTCHER), who looks like the former leader of The Doors and has a thing for Imogen. With time passing and the sparks of their early romantic relationship eventually being replaced by a comfortable, but not particularly exciting steady relationship, Al and Imogen must contend with trying to adapt to their evolving and somewhat stagnating relationship. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? It's aimed at the dating teen crowd and Prinze and/or Stiles may draw in others, so it's a decent bet a good number of teens may be drawn to this picture. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13 For mature thematic material, sexual content, language, drug and alcohol use. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: FREDDIE PRINZE, JR. plays a college student who falls in love with another college student, eventually sleeps with her, and then becomes depressed and fixated on her after they break up. He also drinks, possibly attempts suicide and briefly uses strong profanity. JULIA STILES plays his girlfriend who sleeps with him, has a pregnancy scare, and after tiring of their relationship, cheats on him by sleeping with another guy. She also drinks and smokes. SHAWN HATOSY plays Al's insecure roommate who drinks and smokes. ZAK ORTH plays a friend of theirs, a reported porn actor and director who drinks and smokes. SELMA BLAIR plays a porn star/model who comes on to Al and drinks and smokes. HENRY WINKLER plays Al's chef father who wants him to participate in a father/son cooking show. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this PG-13 rated romantic drama. A good amount of sexually related, but non-explicit dialogue occurs, and sexual encounters are implied (and introduced), but we never see any related nudity or movement (although we do see making out/fooling around leading up to the big event). The main female character has a pregnancy scare from those encounters, however, and later cheats on her boyfriend by sleeping with another guy (not seen). In addition, several other characters are said to be in the porn industry, but beyond a non-explicit magazine and video cover, we don't see any related activity/behavior. Profanity is rated as heavy due to 1 use of the "f" word, while only a handful of other profanities and some colorful phrases are also uttered. A great deal of what's presumably underage drinking (since these are college-aged characters) and some brief/slight drunkenness occurs, some drunk driving is implied (with a related and slightly bloody car accident), and some references to drug use/dealing are made (and we briefly see some drug related paraphernalia). Various college-aged characters also smoke throughout the film. Finally, there are some other bad attitudes, some brief violence, and a possible suicide attempt (that's never satisfactorily explained to come to a definite conclusion on the matter). Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone in your home after reading that summary, we suggest that you more closely examine our more detailed content listings. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Monk and Eddie have beer in a bar as do others including Imogen. Morrison then comes over and gives Imogen a shot and she quickly downs it. Moments later, when she nearly falls over, Imogen comments that that's what she gets for drinking between drinks. Later, Cyrus shows up and has an Old Fashioned while Al has a beer. Al visits Imogen who admits that she has a hangover from the night before. Al and Imogen have wine in a restaurant. Imogen and Al's mom have wine while Al and Chef Ray cook. Imogen has wine (or champagne) for Al and herself. Al has a beer and Cyrus a drink of some sort at a small get together (where Monk bets Al that he can't tell the difference between love or illusion as symbolized by two goblets of liquor). Imogen's new roommate tells her to put on a "doobie cap" (what looks like a rubber swimmer's cap) while pulling out a bong and other drug paraphernalia and commenting that the cap holds the smoke in your head a lot longer. However, we don't see either of them do drugs. Getting ready to drive, Al tells Imogen that she's "a mess" and she states that he's drunk. Later, we see that they've had a one-car accident (suggesting that she was drunk driving). In a fantasy of sorts, a cameraman drinks a beer and some people in the audience drink. People drink at a party thrown by Monk and Cyrus tells Al that she's tipsy (she drinks wine and gives some to Al who also drinks it). Morrison admits that he deals drugs on the side. Eddie appears to be drunk while hugging a large stuffed gorilla (that's dressed in a bra and panties). Al sits on the floor and drinks from a large bottle of booze. Al has wine with dinner on a date. When Al asks Eddie about the night before, Eddie says that he "didn't arrive" (in a sexual sense) because he was too wasted. We see a bunch of empty beer cans in Al's place (and then see him on the floor apparently passed out - although we also learn that he drank a bottle of shampoo that may have put him in that position). People have champagne and wine at a party (and Al holds what may be a drink). BLOOD/GORE Imogen has a slightly bloody cut on her forehead and some blood from her nose and Al has some blood on his cheek after they wreck their car. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Monk and Cyrus work - at least for a while-in the porno industry. We briefly see one of Al's former dates who was a kleptomaniac (and when he opens the door she hands him a handful of stolen goods). Al decides to be an extra in one of Monk's films instead of spending time with Imogen before she leaves for Europe, but during the shoot he changes his mind and goes to see her. Some viewers may take offense at comments made on an imagined episode of "The Man Show" where Al is berated by the hosts and audience members for not being more of a man. When Al mentions that he wants to be a cook, the host says that Al is "bi" and going on being gay and they make fun of him when he mentions that he wants to respect Imogen. One of the hosts then chimes in that what women like is not being respected. One audience member then mockingly asks Al if he can cross his legs "because your panties are starting to show." Imogen has a bit of a bad attitude toward Al when he says that they'll get through her possible pregnancy together (she blows him off). Cyrus tries coming on to Al at a party, while Imogen partially flirts with Jim Morrison. Imogen admits to sleeping with Jim Morrison after getting into a fight with Al. FRIGHTENING SCENES None. GUNS/WEAPONS Handguns: Seen in a daydream/fantasy that Chef Ray has about a cooking show called "Cooks" (like the TV show "Cops") where cooks race into someone's home, hold guns on them and then cook for them. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "Chick" (young woman), "Cut the crap," "Shut up," "Jerk," "You can be my bitch" (jokingly quoted by Imogen as a song title), "This sucks," "Moron," "You're being a real bitch" and "Sucked." Al playfully gives "the finger" to Eddie. Eddie has his nipple pierced at a party. Although it's never fully explained one way or the other, we see that Al has consumed a bottle of shampoo (perhaps as a suicide attempt or as he later explains as a way of exorcising Imogen from his system - since the shampoo smell reminds him of her). JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) None. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least 1 "f" word, 1 "s" word, 3 hells, 2 craps, 1 damn and 3 uses of "Oh my God" and 1 use each of "G-damn" and "God" as exclamations. SEX/NUDITY Learning that Monk is a porn actor of sorts, Eddie says, "You did it with a chick. Somebody filmed it. And I can go to the store and rent it? And you got paid twenty-five hundred bucks?" Monk acknowledges all of that. A reference is made to "the one that you hot house…" and Eddie then says that he should be in the business because he's better looking than Monk. Monk then replies, "I'm afraid you're way too small." Monk and Eddie then have a bet regarding whether Eddie can bed (or "go get lit with") Lana, a freshman. When Al asks where he'll sleep since the parameters of the bet involve his part of their place, Monk points out Imogen and tells him, "With that freshman." We later see Eddie and Lana passionately making out. Cyrus gives Al a gift to give to Monk. On the way home he opens it to discover that it's a porn tape entitled "Ben Huge" (we don't see anything but the title). As we hear some muted fooling around going on in the next room, Eddie tries to tell Al about his sexual encounter with Lana. He says that he "got action" and that they got naked. He then adds that she "did it" and when Al presses Eddie to explain, he embarrassedly states, "She shoved her finger in my butt hole." He then asks, "Does this mean I'm gay?" Monk tells Al that he lost his virginity to some girl in high school. We see a nude sketch of a woman (that Imogen has done), but don't see anything explicit due to the position of the drawn subject's body. As Al describes his first kiss when he was a kid straight from the dentist's office, he states that he didn't feel anything (due to numb lips), "but I got excited" (he doesn't explain how). As Al climbs under the sheets and on top of Imogen (both are still clothed), he asks "What about foreplay?" She replies "We had foreplay for three months." We then hear some brief excited sounds from him and then hear him telling her, "It won't be that fast again. I promise." In voice over he then states that he was really nervous that first night, but that he more than made up for it the second time. She then states that he did make up for it, and that cake was a perfect encore (to their lovemaking). They then describe their sexual behavior, such as her scratching his stomach when she wanted it in the morning (we see them in bed together, but no nudity or activity), or him not being so subtle when he wanted it (him playfully shaking her in bed, but again with no nudity or activity). They then describe that those were the best days, or what they called the "honeymoon days" (so, it's implied that they have sex many times). After Al tells Imogen that he's going to be an extra in one of Monk's porno films, she says, "You're not going to…" and he says no (and when we finally see the scene being shot, it has nothing to do with sex or nudity). We see Al and Imogen in bed kissing (in a close-up of their heads) but don't see anything else. Sometime later we see them lying in bed together kissing once more, but both are clothed and nothing else occurs. As Al tells us in voice over that guys drift toward other things when they lose interest in love, we see Al holding a porno magazine with Cyrus on the cover and a caption that reads "West Side Orgy" (but don't see any nudity in it). At a picnic, a young woman states that eating habits are representative of sexual technique. Al tells Monk that he and Imogen are trying to make their spruce up their sex life/making it a little more exotic and we then see him feeding her something in bed while she's blindfolded. As Al tells us in voice over that he and Imogen would sometimes fool around on the kitchen table, we see him on top of her and between her legs (with both being fully clothed) on the table. We see Imogen (in a slip showing some cleavage) and Al in bed. As he reaches over to touch her shoulder, she tells him "In the morning" (because she's tired). When he tries again, she angrily states, "Hello, we're closed." Al then turns on the TV and imagines a scene of himself being a Latin lover with Cyrus (but no sex). On an imagined episode of "The Man Show, Al is berated by the hosts and audience members for not being more of a man and not being able to get sex from his own girlfriend. When Al mentions that he wants to be a cook, the host says that Al is "bi" and going on being gay. Imogen fears that she's pregnant from her lovemaking with Al (he says "I thought we were careful" and then comments on her usually being "regular"), but a pregnancy test later proves that to be a false alarm. Imogen and other young women show some cleavage at a party. Cyrus seductively comes on to Al at a party (telling him that he can make her pancakes (she says "before, or after"), but he refuses her advances. Imogen admits to sleeping with Jim Morrison after getting into a fight with Al (and after he tells her that all Morrison wanted to do with her was "ring your bell" - in response she called him on having naked pictures of Cyrus under his bed in his porno magazine). Al admits to having a fling with Cyrus (after he and Imogen have broken up), but then comments on her having a thing about bookstores (and we then see her pulling him down to the floor behind a rack of books - presumably to fool around, but we don't see anything else). Al and Eddie spot a woman in a tight-fitting dress doing a sensual dance (running her hands along her body) and Eddie says (what sounded like), "I'd like to unfold her napkin." When Al asks Eddie about the night before, Eddie says that he "didn't arrive" (presumably sexually) because he was too wasted. After describing the woman, Al incredulously asks, "You slept with a sixty year old woman last night?" SMOKING Monk smokes more than five times, while Imogen, Eddie, Cyrus and Morrison smoke several times. Other miscellaneous/background characters also smoke. TENSE FAMILY SCENES None. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT The fact that passion and sparks often/usually lose their intensity as a steady relationship proceeds through its normal course. Al and Imogen sleeping together and her having a pregnancy scare. Imogen sleeping with someone else when she feels that her relationship with Al has become stagnant. Al's fixation on Imogen after she's cheated on him and they've broken up. Getting ready to drive, Al tells Imogen that she's "a mess" and she states that he's drunk. Later, we see that they've had a one-car accident (suggesting that she was drunk driving). Although it's never fully explained one way or the other, we see that Al has consumed a bottle of shampoo (perhaps as a suicide attempt or as he later explains as a way of exorcising Imogen from his system - since the shampoo smell reminds him of her). VIOLENCE After Imogen gets her first kiss (seen in a flashback as a kid), we see her purposefully being hit in the back with a basketball. Chef Ray has a daydream/fantasy about a "reality" cooking show called "Cooks" (like the TV show "Cops") where cooks race into someone's home, hold guns on them and then cook for them. Al and Imogen are slightly injured in a one-car accident. Angry about Imogen's infidelity, Al throws a lamp across a room. After seeing a couple having a fight in a club, Eddie, sensing his opportunity to move in on the woman, shoves her man backwards and threatens him (the man then leaves). Reviewed January 21, 2000 / Posted January 21, 2000