[Screen It]

 

"KANGAROO JACK"
(2003) (Jerry O'Connell, Anthony Anderson) (PG)

Alcohol/
Drugs
Blood/Gore Disrespectful/
Bad Attitude
Frightening/
Tense Scenes
Guns/
Weapons
Heavy Mild Extreme *Moderate Heavy
Imitative
Behavior
Jump
Scenes
Music
(Scary/Tense)
Music
(Inappropriate)
Profanity
Mild None Moderate Minor Mild
Sex/
Nudity
Smoking Tense Family
Scenes
Topics To
Talk About
Violence
Moderate None Minor Mild Moderate


QUICK TAKE:
Comedy: Two men try to capture a wild kangaroo that's carrying the mob money they're supposed to deliver to a thug in Australia.
PLOT:
Charlie Carbone (JERRY O'CONNELL) and Louis Fucci (ANTHONY ANDERSON) have been best friends ever since Louis saved Charlie's life some 20 years ago. Since then, Charlie's stepfather, Sal Maggio (CHRISTOPHER WALKEN), has set him up with his own beauty salon, while Louis can't seem to find a legit job. His latest "employment" -- delivering stolen TVs in a stolen truck - inadvertently leads the police to Sal's warehouse of stolen goods.

Sal obviously isn't pleased and thus gives the two one last chance to prove their worth. They're to travel to Australia and deliver a package to Mr. Smith (MARTON CSOKAS). Once there and after discovering that it contains fifty-grand, they accidentally hit and believe they've killed a kangaroo. Louis then thinks it would be funny to dress it up like a Brooklyn mobster they know, including the use of his lucky jacket.

It turns out to be rather unlucky as the kangaroo isn't dead and has now hopped off with the money that's in the jacket. Realizing they're in big trouble if they don't get it back, they enlist the aid of crusty bush pilot Blue (BILL HUNTER) as well as Jessie (ESTELLA WARREN) from the Outback Wildlife Foundation to help them find the kangaroo.

Meanwhile, upon hearing that they've lost the money, Sal sends his protégé, Frankie (MICHAEL SHANNON), down under to make sure everything is executed as planned, just as Mr. Smith similarly sets out to find them. With two sets of mobsters after them, Charlie and Louis try to catch the kangaroo and retrieve the money before it's too late.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
The zany, comedy/action material seen in the commercials and trailers might just be enticing to many younger kids.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG
For language, crude humor, sensuality and violence.
CAST AS ROLE MODELS:
  • JERRY O'CONNELL plays the owner of a beauty salon who must put up with his bumbling friend Louis and the trouble he always gets them into, as well as having a stepfather who's a Mafioso.
  • ANTHONY ANDERSON plays his best friend, a goofy, bumbling and over-reactive sort who's always getting into a mess, including when he's caught driving stolen TVs in a stolen truck that leads the police to Sal's warehouse of hot goods.
  • CHRISTOPHER WALKEN plays Charlie's stepfather, the local Mafioso who's tired of their bumbling ways and has sent them to Australia supposedly on a job, but really wants them to be bumped off there.
  • ESTELLA WARREN plays a wildlife conservationist who assists Charlie and Louis in finding the kangaroo.
  • MICHAEL SHANNON plays Sal's protégé who travels to Australia to deal with Charlie and Louis once and for all.
  • BILL HUNTER plays a crusty bush pilot who flies drunk and assists Charlie and Louis.
  • MARTON CSOKAS plays an Australian thug sent to kill Charlie and Louis (which he attempts to do).
  • 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 comedy that's been rated PG. Profanity consists of various mild expletives, while colorful phrases and brief, sexually related dialogue are also heard. Some sexual/sensual material is present including the slow motion sight of a woman in wet, clingy clothes.

    Slapstick style violence is present, but so is some more serious behavior including striking others, menacingly threatening people with guns and knives, as well as shooting at some with the intent of killing them. Other bad attitudes are also present. Some of those scenes and others might be unsettling or suspenseful to some younger viewers, while older kids probably won't have any problem with them.

    Some crude/scatological humor is present (dialogue and a farting sequence), while an older character is drunk and flies his plane while still in that condition. 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
  • Sal has wine.
  • People drink in a bar where Charlie offers to buy a beer for Louis. Charlie downs his beer in one gulp, while they see Blue who's quite intoxicated. Blue then drinks a shot with a beer and later has more shots (he then passes out). Not long after that, Blue is flying Charlie and Louis in his plane.
  • BLOOD/GORE
  • During a car chase, Charlie says he thinks a dog just peed on this leg, but then realizes he peed on him.
  • Louis and Charlie go into an airplane bathroom to discuss a great deal of money they've discovered in the envelope they're supposed to deliver. People overhear them outside and their comments are mistaken for scatological humor. That includes hearing them talking about 1 little brown thing, so much green and Charlie telling Louis to help him scoop it up. Louis then talks about "what a mess" and wanting to roll around in it. They hear Louis ask if he can hold it, but Charlie tells him to dump it into the envelope. They then hear Louis say that maybe they should flush it, but Charlie says he's not going to flush it, but rather put it into his pocket and take it to Australia. Louis says he can't do that and then wants to kiss it for good luck. Charlie won't let him and Louis asks if he can smell it.
  • We hear extremely loud and exaggerated farting sounds coming from camels as Jessie, Charlie and Louis ride them through the desert. This continues for a while and then Louis admitting he was responsible for one such incident.
  • DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE
  • Sal and his goons are mafia types who participate in standard mafia activities (including theft).
  • We learn that Louis is transporting stolen TVs and then tries to race away from the police when they try to stop him and his stolen truck.
  • Despite Sal being Charlie's stepfather, he's signed Charlie and Louis' death warrant by sending them to Australia where they're to be bumped off (for making previous bad mistakes). Frankie is then sent there to finish them off.
  • It sounded like Mr. Smith called Louis (who's black) "blackie" on the phone, but it was hard to tell if that's exactly what was said.
  • Some viewers might not like a brief joke where Charlie wonders if Jessie is epileptic based on Louis' halting description of her.
  • Mr. Smith is a tough goon who's intimidating to others and wants to harm Charlie and Louis.
  • Louis criticizes Charlie for complaining and whining "like a woman."
  • A person refers to others as "pansy ass retards."
  • FRIGHTENING SCENES
  • Scenes listed under "Violence" might also be tense or suspenseful to younger viewers.
  • Some younger kids might find a chase sequence (where the cops chase Charlie and Louis in their truck and then on foot through a warehouse) as suspenseful (but it's all played for action comedy).
  • Jerry and Louis accidentally hit a kangaroo with their vehicle and appear to have killed it. Kids might find that disturbing, but the kangaroo turns out not to be dead or apparently hurt.
  • Charlie nearly falls from a moving vehicle and nearly hits a rock formation while leaning out the car and chasing after the kangaroo.
  • Louis accidentally shoots Blue with a tranquilizer dart while he's piloting their plane. It then goes out of control and they barely miss hitting a mountain (which might be tense to some kids, but it's all played for action comedy), but ends up knocking off its landing gear and part of the wing before crashing (everyone is okay).
  • For those scared of dogs, some dingoes menacingly approach Charlie and Louis in the desert (but then suddenly run off as a sandstorm approaches).
  • Mr. Smith threatens Blue with a knife.
  • We see that Mr. Smith and his goons have tied up Charlie, Louis and Jessie. He then holds a knife to Charlie's throat and then does the same to Jessie. We then see two of the goons taking the guys away in the desert and hear that they're to kill them there (the guys escape).
  • Frankie and his goon fire a handgun and shotgun at the guys as they chase after a kangaroo through a canyon. During this, Louis accidentally hits Charlie and one of the goons in the jeep is clotheslined by a branch and falls to the ground. Frankie's truck then ends up crashing but Louis keeps going on camelback after the kangaroo while not noticing he's approaching a cliff. The camel stops but Louis falls over the edge and holds onto the reins. He then slips and barely holds onto a root that's pulling out of the cliff as Charlie goes over the edge with a rope and a belt to try to rescue Louis (all as suspenseful music plays).
  • GUNS/WEAPONS
  • Handguns/shotguns: Carried and/or used to threaten others.
  • Tranquilizer gun: Accidentally used by Louis to shoot Blue.
  • Knife: Used by Mr. Smith to threaten others.
  • IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR
  • Phrases: "You degenerate moron," "My bad," "Jeez," "Sucker," "Frickin,'" "Bloody" (adjective), "Piss off," "Chicks" (women), "Why don't you sit on your head and try thinking with your butt?" "Sheila" (woman), "Who the hell are you?" "Screwed up," "Zip the lip," "Sphincter of the galaxy," "Idiot," "Crazy ass white boy," "Pansy ass retards," "Throw me a frickin' bone" and "That's all, blokes."
  • Louis tries to elude the police who are chasing him and his truck through traffic.
  • Louis takes a jawbreaker that Charlie just spit out and pops it into his own mouth.
  • Jessie wears a tight, midriff-revealing top.
  • JUMP SCENES
  • None.
  • MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)
  • A moderate amount of suspenseful music plays in the film.
  • MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)
  • A song had the term "sexy lady" and references to that person's body in it.
  • PROFANITY
  • At least 3 asses, 3 damns, 1 crap, 1 hell, 7 uses of "Oh my God," 4 of "Oh God," 2 of "My God" and 1 use each of "For God's sakes," "God" and "Swear to God" as exclamations.
  • SEX/NUDITY
  • After Jessie tells him that two small mammals are going to repopulate their population in the wild, Louis jokes that they're going to have fun tonight.
  • Louis tells Charlie how hot Jessie is and runs his own hands down over his own chest to imply hers.
  • Charlie hallucinates seeing Jessie coming to his rescue. He then stares at her clothed chest and, still thinking she's a mirage, puts his hand on her clothed breasts and says, "They feel so real." We don't, however, see that actual contact. Later, Charlie tries to apologize for that, and bumbles by saying he didn't think they (her breasts) were real, and then says he meant her.
  • Jessie tells Charlie (who's hallucinating) to drink something to help him, but then jokingly states that it will cause his testicles to fall off.
  • As ants crawl up his leg, Louis suddenly exclaims that they're having a picnic in his shorts and that he's brought the "sweets." He then rapidly removes his clothes until we see him in his shorts.
  • We see Jessie in a pool of water at the bottom of a waterfall and the camera briefly focuses on her shapely body in wet, clingy clothes (in slow motion). At the same time, Charlie removes his shirt and gets into the water as well (he's in just his shorts). The two then flirt and then end up kissing, but Louis interrupts them (as Charlie says it's the most romantic and sensual moment of his life).
  • While wanting Louis to get scissors out of his pocket so that they can escape, Charlie tells Louis to reach into his pants. Louis doesn't get it and says that we all have our urges.
  • As Louis and Charlie hug in celebration, Louis tells Jessie that they're having an "intimate, non gay moment."
  • Jessie wears a tight, midriff-revealing top.
  • SMOKING
  • None.
  • TENSE FAMILY SCENES
  • We hear that Charlie's father died sometime in the past and that Sal is his new stepfather.
  • TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT
  • Australia and the way of life and wildlife there (including kangaroos).
  • Saving another person's life.
  • The mafia.
  • Hallucinations.
  • VIOLENCE
  • Some cars crash into each other as Louis tries to elude the police (and TVs fall out of the back of Louis truck and break upon hitting the street).
  • A goon grabs Louis by the ear to get his point across to him.
  • Airport customs officials plaster Charlie back against a wall during an apparent strip search.
  • Jerry and Louis accidentally hit a kangaroo with their vehicle and appear to have killed it. As Louis then decides to dress it in his jacket, the scene turns humorous as we see that the kangaroo is not dead, but rather hops off with their money.
  • The kangaroo kicks Charlie and knocks him to the ground.
  • Charlie and Louis blast through many huge termite mounds while chasing the kangaroo and then end up crashing their jeep (but both are okay).
  • Louis accidentally shoots Blue with a tranquilizer dart while he's piloting their plane. It then goes out of control and they barely miss hitting a mountain (which might be tense to some kids, but it's all played for action comedy), but ends up knocking off its landing gear and part of the wing before crashing (everyone is okay).
  • We see that Smith has some guy tied to a chair with tape over his mouth.
  • Charlie and Louis briefly push and struggle with each other, but have little energy left after traversing a hot desert.
  • Jessie hits Charlie on the head with a canteen for feeling her clothed breasts while hallucinating.
  • Mr. Smith threatens Blue with a knife.
  • A goon punches Blue in the gut.
  • We see Blue thrown from a jeep out onto the road (seen from a distance).
  • Frankie whacks a guide on the back of the head and we then see that man being thrown from a jeep to the road.
  • We see that Mr. Smith and his goons have tied up Charlie, Louis and Jessie. He then holds a knife to Charlie's throat and then does the same to Jessie.
  • Charlie holds a shotgun on some goons and then does the same to Mr. Smith and others. Frankie then shows up and holds his handgun on Charlie and Louis.
  • Some pushing, punching and struggling breaks out between Frankie and Mr. Smith and their goons, and a shotgun is fired (but no one is hit). Frankie finally fires a shotgun in the air to stop that, and then hits a goon in the face (not with the shot).
  • Frankie and his goon fire a handgun and shotgun at the guys as they chase after a kangaroo through a canyon. During this, Louis accidentally hits Charlie, and one of the goons in the jeep is clotheslined by a branch and falls to the ground. Frankie's truck then ends up crashing.
  • Frankie pushes Jessie to the ground.
  • Frankie shoots at the Australian police when they show up in a helicopter to arrest him (no one is hurt). A person then throws a device that knocks Frankie to the ground.
  • A young kangaroo kicks Charlie in the face.



  • Reviewed December 30, 2002 / Posted January 17, 2003

    Other new and recent reviews include:

    [Around the World in 80 Days] [Family Camp] [Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness]

    Privacy Statement and Terms of Use and Disclaimer
    By entering this site you acknowledge to having read and agreed to the above conditions.

    All Rights Reserved,
    ©1996-2022 Screen It, Inc.