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"THE MAN" (2005) (Samuel L. Jackson, Eugene Levy) (PG-13) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Minor Mild Extreme Mild Extreme Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Moderate None Moderate Minor Heavy Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Moderate None Mild Mild Extreme QUICK TAKE: Comedy: After being mistaken for an arms buyer, a dental supply salesman must put up with the testy ATF agent who employs him in his quest to catch the bad guys. PLOT: Andy Fiddler (EUGENE LEVY) is an unassuming dental supply salesman who's headed to Detroit where he's to make a big presentation in front of a convention crowd. Unfortunately for him, he's about to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Little does he know that testy ATF agent Derrick Vann (SAMUEL L. JACKSON) is trying to solve the theft of government weaponry that led to his partner's death. He has the support of his boss, Rita Carbone (SUSIE ESSMAN), but not Agent Peters (MIGUEL FERRER) of Internal Affairs who thinks the agent is as dirty as his dead partner. Hoping to catch gun smuggling villain Joey Trent (LUKE GOSS), Vann sets up a sting operation, but Andy unwittingly ends up in the middle of it. Accordingly, both Trent and Vann think he's really there to buy the guns. Beating info out of street hustler and part-time snitch Booty (ANTHONY MACKIE), Vann then sets out to use Andy to catch the villains, unaware that the salesman is about to irritate the living daylights out of him. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Those looking for a comedy may want to, as might those who are fans of anyone in the film. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13 For language, rude dialogue and some violence. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: SAMUEL L. JACKSON plays an ATF agent who's trying to solve his partner's murder and a recent gun smuggling ring and isn't pleased that his one key to stopping the bad guys is going to be Andy. He uses a lot of profanity and doesn't like or trust anyone. EUGENE LEVY plays a dental supply salesman who unwittingly gets caught up in the middle of a gun smuggling ring where he unwillingly becomes Vann's unofficial partner in solving the crime. He chats a lot while nervous, uses some profanity, and serves as an irritant to the federal agent. MIGUEL FERRER plays the Internal Affairs agent who thinks Vann is dirty and wants to catch him in the act. LUKE GOSS plays the head of a gun running ring who kills several people, mistakenly believes Andy is a buyer and uses some profanity. ANTHONY MACKIE plays a low-level criminal who Vann uses for information (beating it out of him). SUSIE ESSMAN plays Vann's boss who can only cut him so much slack before leashing him back in. RACHAEL CRAWFORD plays Vann's ex-wife who isn't happy that he never has any time to spend with their daughter. 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 brief summary of the content found in this action-based comedy that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of at least 1 "f" word (with other sound-alike and incomplete uses of it), while plenty of other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Some women show cleavage, a female prisoner grabs a man's clothed butt and a male genital size joke arises from a frisking situation. Violence consists of several people being shot and killed, others are killed off-screen and a few are wounded. A government agent also uses physical beatings (with a trash can lid, phone book and his car) to get information out of a snitch. Some of those scenes may be unsettling for a few viewers, but much of that's played for comedy and/or action rather than graphic realism. A few dead, but mostly blood free bodies are also seen. Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes, and some imitative behavior is present, as are several scenes that involve crude humor. A few characters drink and there's some tense family material regarding a mother being upset when her ex-husband doesn't make time for their daughter. If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, there's some bouncy camerawork during a car chase. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE The villains look up Andy and see that he has a charge of trafficking in Turkey (but we later hear it was about a stolen ancient rug that Andy didn't realize was stolen). We see some bottles of booze on a criminal's bar. Miscellaneous people have drinks in a bar. BLOOD/GORE We see a dead body on the street (with a tiny bit of blood from the victim's nose). Vann tells Andy that he'll put a bullet in the part of his "ass" that he really needs. Trent and his goons walk in on another criminal sitting on the toilet (we don't see anything). We see a dead man on the floor, but there's no blood. Andy complains to Vann that red meat does not agree with him, but Vann makes him eat a hamburger anyway. We later hear various intestinal rumbling sounds from Andy in Vann's car, followed by a farting sound and Vann then reacting to the smell. There's another fart and Vann then scrambles from his car, followed later by another fart. We see that Trent and his goons have Vann (who's shirtless) and Andy (who's fully clothed) standing in a swimming pool. When the villains leave, Vann says "Tell me you didn't pee in the pool," with Andy sheepishly smiling and Vann getting upset over that. During Andy's presentation at a dental meeting, we see several large close-up views of bad teeth and/or dental photos (including a metal pin sticking down from where a tooth should be) that might be unsettling for those queasy about such matters. We see several still photos of murdered men (one in a car trunk), but other than a repeat of Vann's partner from the beginning (with a little blood from his nose in the B&W still), they're blood free. We hear more intestinal rumbling sounds from Andy in an elevator. When its doors open, Vann and another man stumble out, coughing from the smell, while several nuns who board the elevator also adversely react to the smell. Airport security prepares to do a cavity search on Vann (even donning gloves), but the agent sends them after Andy (but we never see anything else as the scene ends there). DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Trent and his minions have bad attitudes for their criminal and murderous ways. Vann doesn't like most anyone and beats up a snitch on various occasions to make him talk. We hear that Vann's partner was the inside man of a gun smuggling ring and that Vann is suspected of being involved in it. Some viewers might not like Vann (who's black) telling Booty (who's black) that he's going to beat him like a runaway slave. Vann tells Trent he wants in on the gun dealing ring, but we later learn that's just a ploy to nab him and the others. FRIGHTENING SCENES After Vann cuffs Andy to the passenger door of his car, Andy decides to escape by driving from that side of the car. Vann then commandeers another car at gunpoint and pursues him, resulting in a car chase where Andy drives out of control through various intersections before spinning to a stop by Vann who's cut him off. Scenes where Andy bluffs his way through dealings with Trent might be unsettling or tense to some viewers, but most are played for comedy of one sort or another. During Andy's presentation at a dental meeting, we see several large close-up views of bad teeth and/or dental photos (including a metal pin sticking down from where a tooth should be) that might be unsettling for those queasy about such matters. Trent fires a shot from his handgun into the windshield between Vann and Andy. The two then get out, with Trent and his goons holding guns on them. Vann then pulls a gun and aims it at Trent, with both holding their guns tight on each other and demanding that the other put their weapon down (and as Trent grabs Andy as a hostage/shield). Andy then bites down onto Trent's arm, Vann shoots one person and is then hit and wounded, but he gets off two shots that hit Trent in the chest, presumably killing him. Others may be shot as the feds storm the place and fire machine guns at the goons (no blood). GUNS/WEAPONS Handguns/Machine guns: Carried and/or used to threaten, wound or kill others. See "Violence" for details. We see guns being smuggled/stolen out of a truck during the opening credits. Andy discovers that a criminal has left a handgun in a bag for him in a restaurant. Andy then pulls it out, the waitress and others think he's a robber and panic, and Andy then accidentally fires it into the ceiling when Vann enters and aims his gun at him (played for comedy). IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "About how I don't give a sh*t," "Ah sh*t," "I can smell the bullsh*t coming out of your mouth," "Cut the bullsh*t," "No sh*t," "I don't give a sh*t," "They're fixing a sh*t sandwich upstairs and you're the mayonnaise," "Sh*t-stain," "I can't do sh*t with those guns," "Deluxe cruise up sh*t's creek," "Take a sh*t-bath," "It's/that's bullsh*t," "Will take a giant sh*t on you," "Scared sh*tless," "I ain't telling you sh*t," "You mother f-er" (said just like that), "Oh fu...crying out loud," "D*ckwad," "You got a bug up your ass?" "Step off," "Skid-marks," "Ass whoopings," "How the hell should I know?" "I'm gonna beat you like a runaway slave" (said by a black person), "What's crackin' dawg?" "My ass," "Where the love, dawg?" "What the hell is the matter with you?" "Screw it up," "Watch your ass," "It's your ass," "Move your asses," "I'll put a bullet in the part of your ass you really need" (or something close to that), "Who the hell is this guy?" "Keister," "Oh hell no," "Bust their ass," "Po-Po" (police), "Shut your ass up," "Shut up," "You are my bitch," "My own personal bitch," "I own your ass," "I will cheese-grate your ass," "Any way in hell," "Are you out of your mind?" "Screw you over," "Kicking ass," "Pissed off," "He's my bitch," "Who's my bitch," "Hell yeah," "Ladies" (for men), "SWC" (Suspect Who's Cooperating), "How'd you get so stupid so fast?" "Toe-tag your ass," "What the hell are you doing here?" "Piece of crap" and "Bean-counting moron." Vann repeatedly hits a snitch with a trash can lid and then later with a phone book (played for comedy). Vann has multiple piercings in his ear. After Andy says he's going to take a mental picture of Vann, he then takes a slow blink in his direction (like a snapshot). Vann tells Andy that he'll put a bullet in the part of his "ass" that he really needs. We see that Vann has a large, scene-based tattoo on his back, while some miscellaneous characters have varying styles of tattoos. Andy tells Vann that whenever the latter feels like using the "f" word, he should follow that by saying "Crying out loud" so that it eventually sounds like "For crying out loud." JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) A moderate amount of suspenseful music plays in the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) A rap song briefly includes use of the term "bitches." PROFANITY At least 1 "f" word (with 4 other partial or sound-alike ones -- see below), 35 "s" words, 1 slang term using male genitals ("d*ck"), 29 asses (3 used with "hole"), 14 hells, 5 S.O.B.s, 3 damns, 1 crap, 3 uses of "G-damn" and 1 use of "Oh Jesus." Andy tells Vann that whenever the latter feels like using the "f" word, he should follow that by saying "Crying out loud" so that it eventually sounds like "For crying out loud." SEX/NUDITY Andy's wife shows a little cleavage. A miscellaneous woman shows some cleavage. We briefly see Andy in his boxers when his pants fall to the ground when he gets out of Vann's car. A female prisoner grabs Andy's clothed butt in a jail cell (we don't see the actual contact, but do see the emotion and his surprised response). Trent frisks Andy to make sure he's not wired, including feeling his crotch area (behind a table while seated). Andy then does the same back to Trent, and acts surprised when he apparently feels Trent's crotch area (with Trent saying that some people are born lucky -- a genital size joke). SMOKING None. TENSE FAMILY SCENES Vann's ex-wife calls to remind him of their young daughter's recital. He says he can't make it, but she gets upset with him and says he must tell their daughter that. He later does just that and we can see the disappointment in her face. Later, however, he manages to attend it (thanks to Andy). TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Undercover government agents. Vann says that he doesn't trust anyone. The life of a salesman. The work of internal affairs departments in police and government agencies. VIOLENCE Vann chases Booty in his car, occasionally bumping him with it and then grabbing him by his clothes and making him run alongside the car. Booty then runs face-first into a telephone pole. Vann gets out, grabs a garbage can lid and hits Booty several times on the head with it (to get him to talk). Andy and a homeless man briefly struggle on the sidewalk over a bag. Vann shoots Andy in the clothed butt as the latter runs away, but we hear that he only grazed him. He then kicks him on his butt as he gets into the car. Trent's goons pull Andy into their vehicle and then throw him out onto the street when they're finished with him. Andy bangs his head when Vann puts him into his car. We learn that Trent killed Vann's partner before the film starts, and then see him kill another man (by gunshot, but we don't see the impact). Vann drives through a fence, chases after Booty and then pins his body to another fence with his car. He then raises and lowers the car using its hydraulic lifts, causing Booty some pain. He then repeatedly hits Booty on the face/head with a phone book to make him talk (ending with Booty complaining that Vann broke one of his gold teeth). Trent fires a shot from his handgun into the windshield between Vann and Andy. The two then get out, with Trent and his goons holding guns on them. Vann then pulls a gun and aims it at Trent, with both holding their guns tight on each other and demanding that the other put their weapon down (and as Trent grabs Andy as a hostage/shield). Andy then bites down onto Trent's arm, Vann shoots one person and is then hit and wounded, but he gets off two shots that hit Trent in the chest, presumably killing him. Others may be shot as the feds storm the place and fire machine guns at the goons (no blood). Reviewed September 6, 2005 / Posted September 9, 2005

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