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(About Our Ads) "A GUY THING" (2003) (Jason Lee, Julia Stiles) (PG-13) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Heavy Mild Heavy *Minor Mild Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Moderate None Minor *Mild Heavy Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Moderate Minor Minor Mild Moderate QUICK TAKE: Comedy: After unwittingly waking up in bed with his fiancée's cousin following his bachelor party, a man ends up digging himself into a deeper hole as he tries to cover up what happened with various lies. PLOT: It's a week before the big wedding day and Paul (JASON LEE), an ad salesman who works for his future father-in-law, Ken (JAMES BROLIN), is set for his bachelor party thrown by his older brother, Pete (THOMAS LENNON), and best friend, Jim (SHAWN HATOSY). Among the "entertainment" for the evening are three hula girls - including Becky (JULIA STILES) who's on her first day working the job. She's not very good, but she hits it off with the somewhat drunken Paul, unaware that he's the groom-to-be. The next morning, a phone call from future mother-in-law Sandra (DIANA SCARWID) awakens Paul and he discovers Becky in his head. Unable to remember what happened between them, he hurries Becky out the door before his fiancée, Karen (SELMA BLAIR), arrives. His neighbor, Minister Ferris (LARRY MILLER), is not amused. Discovering Becky's underwear just as Karen arrives, he races to hide it and sets off on a course of progressive lies to cover up what may or may have happened with Becky. Things get more complicated at a dinner hosted by Karen's parents. Not only are his mom, Dorothy (JULIE HAGERTY), and stepfather, Buck (DAVID KOECHNER), in attendance, but so is Karen's Aunt Budge (JACKIE BURROUGHS) and cousin, who turns out to be none other than Becky. Unable to avoid eventually "meeting" her, Paul scrambles to make up more lies, some of which are covered by other men since "it's a guy thing" to do. The situation worsens, however, when Becky's jealous and deranged ex-boyfriend cop, Ray (LOCHLYN MUNRO), shows up and is none too happy about photos taken of her and Paul. As the big day approaches, Paul does what he can to cover his various lies and prevent Karen from learning about what happened. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? If they're fans of anyone in the cast or goofy comedies, they just might. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13 For language, crude humor, some sexual content and drug references. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: JASON LEE plays a guy who's about to get married who ends up in bed with his fiancée's cousin. From that point on, he scrambles to cover one lie after another (while they didn't sleep together, they apparently intended to while both were drunk) while trying to prevent Karen from learning what occurred. He also uses profanity (some if it briefly strong). SELMA BLAIR plays his mostly oblivious fiancée who seems to be too preoccupied with their pending wedding to realize what's going on. JULIA STILES plays Becky's cousin who can't keep a job and apparently went back to Paul's place to have sex (while drunk, like him), but didn't know he was Becky's fiancé. She then helps Paul cover up what occurred. SHAWN HATOSY plays Paul's best friend who apparently slept with one of the hula girls, uses some profanity, and defends Paul's actions. LOCHLYN MUNRO plays Becky's ex-boyfriend and psycho cop who threatens and beats up Paul for seeing Becky. JAMES BROLIN and DIANA SCARWID play Karen's well-to-do parents who aren't sure what to make of Paul's family. JULIE HAGERTY plays Paul's free-spirited mother, while DAVID KOECHNER plays her similar husband. THOMAS LENNON plays Paul's older brother who's obviously in love with Karen but can't bring himself to admit it openly. JACKIE BURROUGHS plays Karen's crotchety aunt who always wants a drink but isn't supposed to have any. LARRY MILLER plays Paul's neighbor who turns out to be a minister who isn't pleased with Paul's activities. 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: Here's a quick look at the content found in this comedy that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of at least 1 "f" word, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also used. Sexually related dialogue is present, while a man wakes up in bed with his fiancée's cousin (we learn that they didn't have sex, although that was apparently the intent before he passed out). Some humor revolves around an itchy case of crabs, while another bit involves implied male masturbation. Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes, including a deranged cop who beats up and threatens another man (all played for comedy). Other violence includes some real and imagined hitting or struggling with others. Some crude bathroom humor is present as is some imitative behavior. Various characters drink (some to the point of drunkenness), a comment is made about cocaine, and a chef spikes some gravy with pot, resulting in many people unknowingly getting high. For those scared of menacing dogs, one such scene is also present in the movie (although it's mostly played for comedy). Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Paul and his various friends drink beer and shots at his bachelor party. More drinking later occurs at this party and Becky, who appears a bit intoxicated (or just clumsy), asks Paul if he'll buy her a beer (he says he will). We see Paul wake up the next morning and he appears a bit hung over, as does Becky who's there with him. She later comments that nothing happened between them as he passed out with his pants around his ankles. We see some empty beer bottles in Paul's place. Karen mentions that one of her friends got wasted at the bachelorette party. Buck has a drink while Ken brings Sandra a replacement martini (and drinks the leftovers of the first one). Becky has wine (as do others with dinner) and Aunt Budge wants some, but they won't let her have any (but we don't know why). She does sneak some later, however. People drink in a bar where Becky is working as a bartender (she ends up throwing a drink in a rude patron's face). Ray arrests Paul and tells other cops that he found an ounce of "blow" (cocaine) on the passenger seat (he's lying). A cook spikes the rehearsal dinner gravy with pot (we see a bag of it) and then see everyone reacting to that while high (laughing and acting goofy, etc.). They also drink wine. Aunt Budge grabs a cook by the crotch and squeezes hard to make him pour her some wine (that she's not supposed to have). Ken states that Paul's confession is like an AA meeting. BLOOD/GORE Paul imagines Ken punching and strangling him (with some slight blood from his nose). Paul fakes having diarrhea at Ken and Sandra's place so that he can avoid Becky who Karen wants to introduce her to him (not knowing they woke up in bed together). While hiding in the bathroom, he then squeezes a bottle of shampoo or something similar to simulate diarrhea sounds (with everyone outside reacting to that). As Paul makes various straining sounds (from crawling back inside the window), his mom tells him to just let it out. Later, when Paul feigns such problems again, Karen says that they'll have to plan their wedding around his bowel movements. Paul has a tiny bit of a bloody lip after Ray hits him. Karen comments that the panties she found in Paul's place are dirty (but we don't see that). DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Everything that occurs is played for comedy rather than realism. While drunk, Paul apparently went home with Becky with the intent of having sex with her (they end up in bed the next morning, but she states nothing happened). Paul then tries to cover that up so that Karen never learns about it, but ends up repeatedly lying to her throughout most of the film. He also lies to various other people, including Sandra and the police. Thinking that Paul slept with Becky, Jim defends it by saying that it's perfectly natural, that they're men and hunters, and that it's in their DNA code, so he needs to accept that. Later, Ken pretty much says the same thing. A comment is made about Becky finding her ex-boyfriend in bed with two women. Ray is a cop with a bad attitude who decides to get his revenge on Paul for allegedly sleeping with Becky, his ex-girlfriend. Accordingly, he beats him up and threatens him on several occasions. A man asks Becky (working as a bartender) for a gin and tonic "and maybe you in bed." Paul and Becky break into Ray's place to steal photos and negatives of them. Ray arrests Paul and tells other cops that he found an ounce of "blow" (cocaine) on the passenger seat (he's lying). A cook spikes the rehearsal dinner gravy with pot and later plays an album for a minister that he then plays backwards, saying it's Satan (and obviously disturbing the minister). FRIGHTENING SCENES For those scared of menacing dogs, there's a scene where Paul and Becky encounter Ray's dog that comes after them and then traps them behind some glass shower stall doors. GUNS/WEAPONS Salt Gun: Used by Ken to shoot at what he thinks is a raccoon in the trees (it's really Paul - but he's not hit). Handguns: Drawn by two cops as they arrest Ray. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "F*ckers," "I don't give a sh*t," "Holy sh*t," "Bullsh*t," "You really suck at this," "You're freaking out," "Shut up," "What the hell /happened last night/is this/is that?" "I sucked," "Let's go, asshole," "Crapper" (toilet), "Crabby ass," "Screw up," "Poor bastard," "We're screwed," "Where the hell are you?" "Got her nuts in a bunch," "Idiot," "Kicking your ass" and "Chicks" (women). Young kids make faces and press their faces against a rear car window. A man gives "the finger" to Paul. When Ken asks Buck if he's a "duffer" (a golfer), Buck jokingly responds, "Do you mean, do I like playing with my balls? The answer is yes." While hiding in the bathroom, Paul squeezes a bottle of shampoo or something similar to simulate diarrhea sounds (with everyone outside reacting to that). Becky wears a midriff-revealing top. Becky pushes all of the call buttons at an apartment building's front door so that someone will buzz her and Paul in. Becky persuades Paul to drive fast over a dip and down-sloping hill so that their car becomes airborne (via hill-jumping). JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) A minor amount of comically suspenseful music plays in one scene. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) A song had four uses of "G-damn" in it (those sensitive to such religious content might view that as more than "mild"). PROFANITY At least 1 "f" word, 18 "s" words, 2 slang terms for sex ("laid" and "nailed"), 1 slang term for male genitals ("p*cker"), 5 asses (2 used with "hole"), 4 hells, 3 S.O.B.s. 1 damn, 12 uses of "Oh my God," 5 each of "G-damn" and "God," 4 of "Oh God" and 1 use each of "Jesus" and "Jesus Christ" as exclamations. SEX/NUDITY Some very small drawn characters seen in a drawing appear to show bare breasts and a bare butt (but it's from such a distance that it's hard to say). A miscellaneous man scratches and adjusts his clothed crotch as he comes out of the bathroom. Paul tells Jim that he's offering him the chance to play the bachelor at the bachelor party and that he won't have to get married the following week. Becky and two other women show up for the bachelor party dressed as hula girls (bikini tops and grass skirts) and shake their clothed chests. Becky ends up going home with Paul (she doesn't know he's getting married) and it's suggested that they have sex as they wake up in bed the next morning, but we later learn that's not the case. We see Paul in his boxers and Becky wrapped in just some bed sheets as they get up. As he tries to get her out of his place before Karen arrives, Becky states that she can't find her panties (he asks if he can mail them to her). Once Becky leaves (and she tells the neighbors that if they find a pair of bikini underwear lying around, they should call Paul), Paul finds the small panties and tries to hide them as Karen arrives. Paul and Karen briefly kiss. Jim tells Paul that he got waylaid at the bachelor party and then repeats that he "Got way laid." We partially see a poster of a scantily clad woman on Jim's wall. Paul learns he has crabs (of the crotch variety) as well as an itch that he can't scratch enough (all during a board meeting). He then scratches it in various ways with his back to the group. Later, we hear him in the bathroom yelling out that it burns and wondering what it is. Even later, he goes to a drugstore for medicine and various clerks yell out questions about crab medicine. When Ken asks Buck if he's a "duffer" (a golfer), Buck jokingly responds, "Do you mean, do I like playing with my balls? The answer is yes." A comment is made about Becky finding her ex-boyfriend in bed with two women. Ray makes a suggestive growling sound when he walks past a female cop. Pete tells Paul that he needs to worry about Becky getting drunk and spilling the beans about them, including a comment that Paul "nailed me" and mentions "hot sex" and her carrying his child, all while imitating what Becky might say. Becky tells Paul that he was amazing (but she was meaning something different from what he thinks). He then says he normally doesn't sleep with girls and then kick them out. She then says that while they slept together, they didn't sleep together (have sex), although that was apparently the intention. She then mentions that if things were different, "Like if you hadn't passed out with your pants around your ankles, who knows?" He then asks that if they didn't sleep together, how he got crabs. She asks, "You have crabs?" He says she gave them to him and she says she doesn't have them. Ray tells Paul that he chose the wrong guy's girlfriend "to fornicate with." Paul's neighbor, Minister Ferris, says that he found pornographic photos of Paul and Becky together (that a private eye took for Ray) in his boy's room. He states he found his son standing over them (implying masturbation) and then tries to separate them but something sticky is holding them together. Paul then takes the photos and puts them down his pants (so that Karen won't see them) and Ferris stares at that. Once back inside his place, Karen says she thought the neighbor was staring at his crotch, prompting Paul to say that the neighbor is a man of the cloth, "Not some weird p*cker checker." A man asks Becky (working as a bartender) for a gin and tonic "and maybe you in bed." A sarcastic comment is made, "It's not for trying to sleep with it." Paul then states he's never been in a bathtub with a girl before and Becky says it isn't so bad (both are clothed and nothing sexual is occurring). Ken and Sandra briefly make out while high on pot (that they didn't know they were ingesting). Dorothy shows a little cleavage. Paul briefly kisses Becky in real life and in an imagined scene. SMOKING Aunt Budge briefly holds an unlit cigarette. TENSE FAMILY SCENES Pete mentions that his bachelor party was the last good time in his marriage (and indicates he's not married anymore). TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Lying and then trying to cover that up. Thinking that Paul slept with Becky, Jim defends it by saying that it's perfectly natural, that they're men and hunters, and that it's in their DNA code, so he needs to accept that. Later, Ken pretty much says the same thing. (Paul later renounces such thinking). Bachelor parties. VIOLENCE A toll booth gate repeatedly smashes down onto Paul's car by accident, prompting him to drive through and break it off with his car. Paul imagines Ken punching and strangling him (with some slight blood from his nose). Ken uses a salt gun to shoot at what he thinks is a raccoon in the trees (it's really Paul - but he's not hit). We see Ray (a cop) pushing some suspect up against a window and then throwing him against a wall and to the floor. Ray punches Paul in the gut and then the nose. He then sticks a cheese curl up his nose, breaks some eggs on his head and pours chocolate milk on him. He then pushes Paul into a trash dumpster and then pushes it down an alley where it slams into a pole. Paul imagines Karen freaking out about finding Becky's panties and then strangling him with them and violently stuffing them into his mouth. Aunt Budge grabs a cook by the crotch and squeezes hard to make him pour her some wine (that she's not supposed to have). Paul imagines blocking Ray's punch and then delivering many blows and kicks to him in a martial arts style. Ray slaps a sandwich against Paul's face and we then see that he has him in a headlock. Other cops then burst in with their guns drawn and drag Ray out as he struggles with them. Reviewed January 14, 2003 / Posted January 17, 2003