[Screen It]

 

"CHASING LIBERTY"
(2004) (Mandy Moore, Matthew Goode) (PG-13)

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


QUICK TAKE:
Romantic Drama/Comedy: Secret Service agents try to keep track of the President's 18-year-old daughter as she sets out for the first time to experience life and freedom while in Europe.
PLOT:
Anna Foster (MANDY MOORE) is the 18-year-daughter of President James Foster (MARK HARMON) and First Lady Michelle Foster (CAROLINE GOODALL) who's grown tired of her Secret Service protection, especially when it interferes with her dating life.

Thus, when the First Family heads to Europe for work, Anna wants to cut loose with her old friend, Gabrielle (BEATRICE ROSEN), the French Ambassador's now grown-up and wild daughter. Gabrielle is more than happy to help Anna ditch her detailed protection that includes agents Alan Weiss (JEREMY PIVEN) and Cynthia Morales (ANNABELLA SCIORRA).

She does so by getting a ride with British photographer Ben Calder (MATTHEW GOODE) who helps her elude the Secret Service. She appreciates his assistance and likes his cool attitude and demeanor, but doesn't realize that he's actually another Secret Service agent assigned to protect her. When the President gets word that Anna is with Ben, he orders that the agent continue his ruse as her new friend so that she can experience some freedom, albeit in a completely controlled fashion.

As the two make their way across Europe as accompanied by bohemian Scotty McGrath (MARTIN HANCOCK) -- with Weiss and Morales not far behind and starting to flirt with each other -- Anna and Ben start to develop feelings for one another. That development obviously puts Ben in an awkward position, as he must then balance his newfound feelings for her with his duty to the President, knowing full well that Anna will likely discover his ruse sooner or later.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
If they're fans of Mandy Moore or teen based romantic "dramedies," it's a good bet they just might.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13
For sexual content and brief nudity.
CAST AS ROLE MODELS:
  • MANDY MOORE plays the 18-year-old daughter of the President who's tired of her constant Secret Service protection. Accordingly, she eludes their watch while in Europe, drinks (once to the point of intoxication), uses some profanity (and sexual dialogue), and then wants to and finally succeeds at losing her virginity to Ben.
  • MATTHEW GOODE plays the agent assigned to protect Anna in Europe by posing as her friend. He uses some profanity, drinks and ends up sleeping with and falling for her.
  • MARK HARMON plays Anna's father, the President of the U.S. who orders Ben to continue his ruse as Anna's new friend so that she can experience life while in a controlled environment. He also apparently had a fondness for smoking cigars.
  • CAROLINE GOODALL plays Anna's mother who's concerned about her happiness.
  • JEREMY PIVEN plays one of the agents assigned to protect Anna who's somewhat coarse and isn't sure how to let Morales know he's interested in her.
  • ANNABELLA SCIORRA plays his no-nonsense agent partner who initially doesn't like his advances at her, but eventually starts to fall for him.
  • BEATRICE ROSEN plays Anna's wild friend, the French Ambassador's daughter who has a pierced tongue, drinks with Anna and helps her in eluding the agents assigned to protect her.
  • MARTIN HANCOCK plays a bohemian type who meets Anna and Ben on a train and then proceeds to steal their money before being reunited with them again.
  • 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 "dramedy." Profanity consists of at least 4 "s" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Sexually related dialogue is present in several scenes, a teenager goes skinny-dipping at night (partial nudity but mostly obscured by shadows), exposes herself to a stranger with whom she wants to lose her virginity and then later does just that (off camera).

    Several characters smoke and/or drink, with the teenage protagonist doing quite a bit of the latter, once to the point of inebriation. Various forms of imitative behavior are present, while various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes. Some tense family material is present, as is some brief punching.

    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
  • Miscellaneous people have beer in a restaurant.
  • Anna and Gabriel have champagne and then more, with Anna stating she loves it (and Gabriel mentioning being able to drink in Europe at 18). Anna's mom and others also have champagne.
  • Anna has a beer at a concert where others also drink.
  • Anna has beer where others also drink and Ben states, "You're getting pissed (drunk) enough for both of us." She then does appear to be intoxicated and falls from his parked motorcycle.
  • President Foster gives a drink to his wife.
  • Some miscellaneous people have wine.
  • Anna states that beer is good and Ben replies that he's always thought so.
  • Some miscellaneous people have wine.
  • Some miscellaneous people drink beer. Later, Ben and Scotty have beer.
  • Some miscellaneous people have beer.
  • BLOOD/GORE
  • None.
  • DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE
  • Ben lies (in the line of duty) to Anna about who he really is. Directly related, President Foster orders that he keep up that ruse so that Anna can feel as if she's running wild when such actions are really contained and controlled by the Secret Service.
  • Anna runs off through Europe without telling her father where she is or is going.
  • Anna and Ben discover that Scotty stole their money. They then run out from a restaurant without paying.
  • Anna and Ben fake that they're honeymooners to a gondola operator so that he'll give them a free ride (to avoid some restaurant people from the above).
  • Some guys stare at Anna's clothed butt.
  • Scotty throws his beer can into a lake (littering).
  • Ben disobeys orders from Weiss regarding his mission.
  • After recognizing who she is, some guys come on to Anna in an aggressive and somewhat sexualized fashion and she tries to get away, but they keep after her. Ben then punches one and backhands another.
  • FRIGHTENING SCENES
  • Anna decides she wants to watch an outdoor film presentation from an adjacent roof. We then see her and Ben up on the tile roof. She then slips and starts to slide down it (the roof is quite high up), but Ben catches her.
  • After recognizing who she is, some guys come on to Anna in an aggressive and somewhat sexualized fashion and she tries to get away, but they keep after her. Ben then punches one and backhands another.
  • GUNS/WEAPONS
  • Anna's date enthusiastically asks White House guards how many guns are pointed at him while waiting at a checkpoint (we see one guard wearing his, but no more).
  • IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR
  • Phrases: "Holy sh*t," "That is such bullsh*t," "Trashy," "What the hell do you want now?" "Trace this" (said by Anna to her father about a phone call trace as she hangs up the phone), "Bollocks," "Smart ass," "Get over yourself," "Wanker," "Chicky buffer" (having a girl between two guys in a group hug), "Bloody hell," "Holy crap," "I'm jealous as hell," "Who the hell..?" "You asshole" and "You can go to Hell, you and my father both."
  • Anna wears a midriff-revealing top while a miscellaneous woman does the same later.
  • A guy dives into a crowd that catches him at a concert.
  • Anna accepts a ride from a stranger (Ben) in a foreign land. Later, she accepts a ride from several male foreign strangers in their truck (to get away from Ben).
  • Anna decides she wants to watch an outdoor film presentation from an adjacent roof. We then see her and Ben up on the tile roof.
  • Scotty has a tattoo.
  • Several people, including Anna and Ben, bungee jump from a high bridge.
  • Scotty throws his beer can into a lake (littering).
  • JUMP SCENES
  • None.
  • MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)
  • A tiny bit of suspenseful music plays in the film.
  • MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)
  • A song performed at a concert had lyrics that we couldn't understand, thus offering the possibility of it potentially containing objectionable material.
  • A song has the possible sexual lyric, "Let's get it on."
  • PROFANITY
  • At least 4 "s" words (1 in German), 6 hells, 5 damns, 2 asses (1 used with "hole"), 1 bollocks, 1 crap, 1 wanker, 8 uses of "Oh my God," 4 of "God," 3 of "Oh God" and 1 use each of "For God's sakes," "Jesus" and "Oh Good Lord."
  • SEX/NUDITY
  • We see Anna in a short skirt and then showing some cleavage as she tries on various outfits for her date.
  • While playfully chiding her date for being reluctant to ask her out, Anna says, "I'm easy" and then "Okay, I'm not easy" when she realizes the implications of what she's said.
  • Anna states that her parents' advice is to find and value love, "not make love."
  • Anna is mad at her father (the President) for the Secret Service ruining her date. She then bursts into his office and states, "I'm going to die before I ever get to third base. I mean second." She then realizes she's blurted this out in front of visitors. After she leaves, President Foster asks, "Third base is what again?" and everyone mumbles his or her answers.
  • President Foster tells Anna that the Berlin Love Parade (that she wants to attend) is basically an orgy. She says it isn't as long as she keeps her top on and flashes the peace sign with her fingers.
  • Anna's mother shows some cleavage in her party dress.
  • We see that Gabriel has a pierced tongue. She then starts to say, "Some guys think it makes for better…" but Anna stops her (before she presumably mentions oral sex). President Foster then wonders what else she has pierced.
  • Morales shows some cleavage several times.
  • After Morales states that herbs reset one's clock for jet lag, Weiss somewhat lecherously states that he'd like to reset her clock.
  • The camera focuses on some scantly clad women dancing at a concert.
  • Anna shows some cleavage.
  • Anna tells Ben that she wants to go skinny-dipping at night in the local river. She then starts to undress and we see her in her black bra and panties (from behind). She then strips completely nude (we see her bare back and a partial glimpse of just a small part of the side of her bare breast) and runs out into the river, but we only see that full body shot from a distance and her body is mostly in the dark shadows. A man across the river takes photos of her (that we later see, but again from a distance and with no details), but Weiss confiscates the camera.
  • Morales shows more cleavage.
  • After Morales states that she does as she's told, Weiss jokingly tells her to strip naked. She then sarcastically asks if any women fall for that approach and mocking says, "Yeah baby, please give it to me."
  • Scotty asks Anna if she's "ever made slow love on a high speed train?" (while on a train with her).
  • Anna shows some cleavage.
  • We see a miscellaneous couple making out and Ben then plants a deep kiss on Anna as they try to avoid some restaurant people from spotting them. Their gondola operator (who believes they're newly married) says, "No money, no place to…stay" (with the pause presumably being when he thought about them and consummating their marriage).
  • We see Anna wearing just a towel while staying in some strangers' home where the owners think she and Ben are newlyweds. Ben states he'll sleep on the floor, but Anna says they can share the bed. Ben then removes his shirt and starts to undo his pants until he remembers she's there. She then says, "Oh, come on. Don't be shy, it's our wedding night." When he refuses and has his back turned, she drops her towel in front of him. While we only see her bare back, he sees her entire frontal nudity when he turns around. She then brings up their gondola kisses and he states that was just for the distraction and puts her towel back up around her. She then gets into bed and dejectedly states, "Naked virgin safely in bed."
  • The next morning, the elderly Italian lady where they're staying asks, "You had a good night?" and winks at them, but then adds that they were quiet.
  • Anna is upset with Ben for not having sex with her the night before. She then thinks he's gay and says, "If you don't like girls, you could have said something" (he says he does like girls but that dating her right now is not an option).
  • Some guys stare at Anna's clothed butt.
  • A foreigner references a camper to Anna (meaning for them to have sex in it), but she turns him down.
  • Ben and Anna do some passionate kissing outdoors at night and then drop down out of the camera shot. The next morning, we see him in his small jockey shorts and her under the covers (that cover her from the chest down, but it's suggested she's nude beneath them), implying they had sex.
  • Weiss and Morales kiss, pause and then do some more passionate kissing.
  • We see Scotty in a tent in the morning with another person's feet sticking out from it, suggesting possible overnight sex.
  • We see various women in various forms of revealing attire at the Berlin Love Parade.
  • Gabrielle asks Anna about Ben, "Sex?" Anna replies, "No, love."
  • After recognizing who she is, some guys come on to Anna in an aggressive and somewhat sexualized fashion and she tries to get away, but they keep after her.
  • Anna shows some cleavage.
  • Ben and Anna do some passionate clothed kissing.
  • SMOKING
  • Some miscellaneous people smoke in a few scenes.
  • The First Lady asks if the President has been smoking and he says he had cigars with another person.
  • The First Lady says she still smells smoke and he states that the maid must have been doing that.
  • Anna asks her father, "Do I smell cigar smoke?"
  • TENSE FAMILY SCENES
  • A miscellaneous woman states that she's divorced but got to keep their girls.
  • Anna, who's 18, is mad at her father (the President) for the Secret Service ruining her date and then trying to control her life.
  • Ben states that his parents split when he was a child.
  • TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT
  • Growing up as the child of a politician, particularly a prominent one.
  • Anna accepts a ride from a stranger (Ben) in a foreign land. Later, she accepts a ride from several male foreign strangers in their truck (to get away from Ben).
  • Anna states that both the truth and lying have their places at the proper moments.
  • Why Anna can drink in Europe but not the U.S.
  • Anna's comment that she wants to live, and smell and taste the world and what it has to offer.
  • VIOLENCE
  • A young guy reaches for his camera while Anna and the guy's friend are on a date. The Secret Service then violently grabs the guy, thinking he's reaching for a weapon.
  • A guy throws a bottle that shatters on a tree next to Anna's head.
  • After recognizing who she is, some guys come on to Anna in an aggressive and somewhat sexualized fashion and she tries to get away, but they keep after her. Ben then punches one and backhands another.



  • Reviewed December 23, 2003 / Posted January 9, 2004

    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.