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"UNDERCLASSMAN" (2005) (Nick Cannon, Roselyn Sanchez) (PG-13) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Heavy Mild Extreme *Mild Extreme Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Moderate None Moderate Mild Mild Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Moderate Minor Minor Moderate Heavy QUICK TAKE: Comedy/Action: An undisciplined bicycle cop goes undercover at an elite private school to solve a murder and break up a stolen vehicle ring. PLOT: Tracy "Tre" Stokes (NICK CANNON) is a 23-year-old maverick L.A. bike cop who's yet to live up to the reputation of his cop father, all to the disappointment of his superior, Captain Victor Delgado (CHEECH MARIN), but amusement of detective Richard Gallecki (IAN GOMEZ) who enjoys riding the younger cop. His latest episode of overstepping his boundaries and duties has him in hot water with Delgado, but a higher-up authority in the department thinks his young looks might work to their advantage. It seems that a stolen vehicle ring is operating around an elite private high school and a student who was doing his own detective work on it has been murdered. Accordingly, the department wants Tre to go undercover as a student and find out who's responsible for the crimes. Having never finished high school, Tre is reluctant, but agrees to the assignment and enrolls at the academy, with his true identity secret from Headmaster Powers (HUGH BONNEVILLE), Spanish teacher Karen Lopez (ROSELYN SANCHEZ) and students such as Rob Donovan (SHAWN ASHMORE). Although Tre and basketball captain Rob initially clash, they soon become friends when the undercover cop helps Rob in regards to ex-classmate Eddie Murdoch who seems to be up to no good. With Gallecki and his partner Lisa Brooks (KELLY HU) providing back up, and bench warmer Alex (JOHNNY LEWIS) providing some info, Tre gets himself deeper into the school's cliques, all while hitting on Ms. Lopez and trying to prove his worth as a real cop by nabbing the bad guys. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Those who are fans of Cannon or someone else in the cast might be interested in it, but it plays both too old for younger kids and too juvenile for older ones, thus making it a difficult sell. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13 For violence, sexual references, drug material and some teen drinking. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: NICK CANNON plays a maverick, 23-year-old bike cop who doesn't have the discipline to follow in his cop father's late footsteps. Even so, when he's assigned to go undercover at a prep school to bust some bad guys, he tries to prove his worth, all while wisecracking, fighting with some students and hitting on Ms. Lopez. He also uses some profanity. ROSELYN SANCHEZ plays his Spanish teacher who initially doesn't put up with his attitude, but somewhat finds herself drawn to him as she tutors him in his schooling. SHAWN ASHMORE plays a conceited prep school student who initially doesn't like Tre but eventually befriends him when he stands up with him against a rival. He fights some and is involved in a crime ring because he's being blackmailed. CHEECH MARIN plays Tre's stereotypical cop boss who isn't happy with him, but keeps giving him more chances. He uses some profanity. IAN GOMEZ plays an older detective who always gives Tre a hard time and isn't happy about being assigned as backup to his undercover case. He has some bathroom issues during the film. KELLY HU plays his partner who's more professional than him and also assists in back-up to Tre. HUGH BONNEVILLE plays the school's stern headmaster who warns Tre about being expelled if he doesn't shape up. JOHNNY LEWIS plays the basketball team's white bench warmer who tries to act "black." He's drunk in one scene. 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 comedic action picture that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of at least 2 "s" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are uttered. Some sexually related dialogue is present (including jokes about venereal disease), some high school girls and other women are seen in skimpy attire (and one holds her hand over her bare chest after sitting up from topless sunbathing) and some underage girls come on to a 23-year-old guy. Violence consists of one death during a fight (from being impaled by falling back on something sharp), people attempting to kill others via gunfire, other fighting (punching and kicking) and some property damage from explosions. Some of those scenes and other moments of apparent peril might be suspenseful to some viewers, but most of that's played for action rather than one-hundred percent realism. The villains and others have bad attitudes, while some of the material may be enticing for some kids to imitate. Teen drinking occurs at a party (with one character being drunk), and some drug content (the presence of drugs and talk of dealing) is present, as are several bits of crude humor. 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. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE We hear that Eddie was expelled after another student exposed that Eddie was meddling in drugs. Tre realizes he messed up a DEA drug bust and we see some of that substance in bags. When asked about a drug, Tre jokingly comments on it being Viagra and then jokes about the "little soldier" being unable to salute anymore. We see many teens drinking alcohol at a party, including Rob and his friends, as well as Alex who guzzles his down and is later seen drunk (with Tre telling him to "back away from the juice"). The drug in question is referred to as "bliss." BLOOD/GORE A bum walks up carrying a bottle of his urine. A student says he wants some newspaper so that he can use "One to take a dump on, one to wipe my ass." While on a stake-out with Brooks, Gallecki belches and then farts, with Brooks reacting to the smell. He states, "I'm touching cotton here" and she tells him to use the bushes, but he says he won't as he has to "drop a deuce." But we then see him in the bushes where he asks Brooks for a magazine, not because he can't go, but because he needs to wipe. Later, when their captain questions them about this, he asks, "You were taking a dump on my lawn?" Gallecki responds that it was on his neighbor's lawn. Later, Captain Delgado tells Gallecki to "be sure to hit the sh*tter" before heading out on a case. Brooks has a tiny bit of blood on her arm after being shot or grazed there by a bullet. A dead man has some blood on his face following a fight. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Tre and Gallecki constantly trade insults at each other, but eventually end up working together. Rob's right-hand friend tries to prevent Tre from parking in a non-reserved spot that the guy says belongs to Rob. Tre has a bad attitude in Ms. Lopez's class (while posing as a student). Not knowing the answers to school tests, Tre tries to cheat off other students' papers. When another student won't let Tre cheat off his paper during that test, Tre says "I'm kicking your ass after class" (played for laughs). During a pre-basketball prayer, one guy prays for a hot girl for each of them after the game every night, except for Alex since they know "he doesn't get any." A former student has it out for Rob and fights with him as well as Tre. Rob and his gang won't let Tre sit with them for lunch. Tre snoops around a place and then does a bit of breaking and entering (as he's no longer officially a cop). It turns out Rob and his friends are stealing cars, but are only doing so from pressure by their headmaster who's blackmailing them into such action so that he can exchange the cars for drugs and thus make money. Powers gives his subordinates a gun and orders that they take care of Tre with it. Powers then squeezes the back of one man's neck to get his point across to him and the others. Powers holds Ms. Lopez hostage. Some viewers might be offended by Alex (who's white) trying to act "black." Some viewers might not like a song that has the repeated lyric, "Let's get retarded in here." FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed under "Violence" may be unsettling or suspenseful to some viewers, but most of it's not played in a realistically suspenseful fashion. Tre follows Eddie through some alleys, leading to the thug and others shooting guns at him. Tre shoots back and hits one in the leg and chases and tackles another. A guy holds a gun on Tre and makes him and Ms. Lopez get into a car, with the latter two being pushed around in the process. A guy shoots at Brooks and Gallecki, with the former being hit in the arm and the latter possibly being hit. Chasing the villain, Rob drives his sports car through traffic and tries to pass a truck on the right, only to encounter a parked car in that lane. He stomps on the brakes to avoid that one, and then nearly hits an approaching truck in the other lane. Rob drives his car into a warehouse where various bad guys shoot at him and Tre (with handguns and machine guns) who duck for cover. In turn, Tre shoots several of them (their status isn't made clear and there's no blood). An explosive is fired at them and hits Rob's car, causing it to explode. Tre then shoots more bad guys and punches one in the face. Tre pulls himself onto a quickly moving boat and fights with the man onboard, slamming him down to the floor where he punches and otherwise hits him. More struggling ensues, with the man trying to hit Tre with a pole of some sort that breaks in half. Tre then hits and kicks this man, causing him to fall backwards where he's impaled on that sharp pole, killing him (we don't see the actual impact). Tre then jumps off the out of control boat that slams into something and explodes. GUNS/WEAPONS Handguns/Explosive: Used to threaten and shoot at others and/or cause property damage. See "Violence" for details. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "Put that sh*t down," "Be sure to hit the sh*tter," "Sloppy seconds," "Safe sex is the best sex," "How can a homey score a hottie like that?" "They probably had herpes anyway," "Getting our freak on," "Ya'll trippin,'" "Tito Puente" and "Tupac" (what a black and Hispanic man call each other), "What the hell /is that/are you doing?" "All up in their asses," "All up on their asses," "Bite me," "Where the hell is Stokes?" "Get your ass on the other side of the door," "Punk," "Dude," "I'm kicking your ass after class," "Dawg," "Chicks totally dig that," "Chump," "They're getting in our ass like a colonic," "Beat these bitches down," "Big ass," "One to take a dump on, one to wipe my ass," "What's cracking?" "Shut up," "Short ass shorts," "I speak Spanglish," "She's hot," "Baby-face," "How the hell?" "Back away from the juice," "That's really freaky," "Drop a deuce" (defecate), "My brother from another mother," "Oh crap," "Taking a dump," "You know damn well," "You're a freak," "Punk," "Let me get this straight, Toto," "If you don't stand for something, you fall for anything," "Tell me what the hell is going on," "I'm busting your British ass," "Punk ass" and "Keep your cheeks together." Some kids may be enticed to imitate Tre and his smart-aleck, wisecracking ways. Tre jokes that his bike shorts are so tight that his kids are going to be "midgets." Some guys steal a humvee from outside a party (and later steal other vehicles). Not knowing the answers to school tests, Tre tries to cheat off other students' papers. Rob's friend has tattoos. Alex, who's white, tries doing some "black talk" with Tre (played for comedy). Some miscellaneous characters have tattoos. Tre and Alex purposefully bump chests (jumping in the air toward each other to do so). Tre showboats on the basketball court, including pulling down an opposing player's shorts (leaving him in his boxers). Eddie has many tattoos. Ms. Lopez wears a slightly midriff-revealing top. Tre, Rob and others play paintball where Tre ends up hitting the others with his shots. JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) A moderate amount of suspenseful and action-oriented music plays in the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) A song has a lyric about "Shake it baby." Other songs had lyrics that we couldn't understand and/or fully hear, thus presenting the possibility of them potentially containing objectionable content. A song has the repeated lyric, "Let's get retarded in here." PROFANITY At least 2 "s" words, 1 slang term for male genitals ("soldier"), 13 asses, 6 damns, 6 hells, 1 crap and 1 use of "Oh my God." SEX/NUDITY We see Tre staring at several shapely women who walk by in small bikinis (seen from the rear). During a chase, the camera briefly focuses on some scantly clad women sunbathing, including one who's doing so topless (face down) and then holds her hand across her chest when she sits up. When a comment is made about Tre "getting up in their asses" (referring to dealing with some suspects), he corrects that, saying he doesn't get in that, rather he gets on that. Tre jokes that his bike shorts are so tight that his kids are going to be "midgets." Tre stares at some high school girls who walk by, one in a rather short skirt. During a pre-basketball prayer, one guy prays for a hot girl for each of them after the game every night, except for Alex since they know "he doesn't get any." Tre showboats on the basketball court, including pulling down an opposing player's shorts (leaving him in his boxers). A former student wants Rob's girlfriend to break up with Rob and comments on the latter getting "sloppy seconds." After Alex says something about D-cups being present at a marina party, we see various high school teens there in small shorts and varying levels of revealing bikini tops. Laughs are supposed to stem from another player putting his arm up between Tre's legs during a rugby match (not intended sexually on the player's part, but the film plays it up that way). Commenting on the type one eats, Tre jokes that getting crabs meant something entirely different in his neighborhood. Seeing Ms. Lopez arriving at his basketball game, Tre jokes with her that she came there to see him in his shorts. When asked about a drug, Tre jokingly comments on it being Viagra and then jokes about the "little soldier" being unable to salute anymore. Seeing a miscellaneous couple making out at a party, Tre tells them in passing that safe sex is the best sex. Tre throws a party at his captain's place where Alex spots some attractive girls and asks Tre how a "homey" like him can "score a hottie like that?" The girls spot someone else and walk away, with Tre joking that they probably had herpes anyway. The camera briefly focuses on some teens' clothed butts as they dance. Two then approach Tre and say that it can't be a party "without getting our freak on," and when he questions their age, they say together they're 34. Ms. Lopez shows some cleavage. While making some cake, Tre (who's black) drops some innuendo to Ms. Lopez by stating that chocolate tastes better. When he then tells her "You know you want it," she's shocked, but he says he was talking about chocolate (and not sex) and calls her a "freak" (meaning sexual). Tre makes a gay prison joke to a guy about "keep your cheeks together." Ms. Lopez wears a low-cut top. SMOKING A miscellaneous person smokes. TENSE FAMILY SCENES There's a brief mention that Tre's dad is dead. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT We hear that Tre dropped out of school (one month before graduating) but did get his GED. Undercover cops. Trying to live up to a parent who preceded you in the same line of work (Tre's dad was also a cop). Ms. Lopez states that the point of school is to make you a better man. The comment that if you don't stand for something, you fall for anything. Some viewers might be offended by Alex (who's white) trying to act "black." Drug dealers. Stealing cars. VIOLENCE When an undercover bust goes awry, a suspect pushes Tre down and then speeds away in a delivery truck, followed by Tre on his bike. The truck runs into various things during the chase, while the man in the back throws items from the truck at Tre who's trailing it on his bike. That causes Tre to wreck and land hard, but he scrambles to his feet and pushes a guy off his ATV so that he can continue the chase. Other cops on bikes are now behind the truck but wipe out and land hard when the guy in the back throws another bike at them. The truck continues to run over things in its path, with Tre eventually shooting out the tire, causing the truck to flip over. Moments later, the truck explodes. This is all played more for action than realism or suspense. There's some incidental contact during a basketball game where Tre runs into another player. There's some incidental contact during a basketball game where a player is knocked down, followed by pushing between others. Rob and a former student get into a pushing match that Tre then breaks up. During a jet ski race with Rob, Tre inadvertently goes off a ski ramp and lands hard in the water (but is okay). Rob pushes Eddie who pushes Rob to the ground. All sorts of fighting then breaks out between them, with others punching each other and Eddie kicking Rob on the ground. Eddie then punches Tre who returns the punch to the face and sends Eddie to the ground. There's some standard physical contact during a rugby match including some hard tackles, one guy purposefully clotheslining Tre to the ground and another driving him over a drink table on the sideline. Tre follows Eddie through some alleys, leading to the thug and others shooting guns at him. Tre shoots back and hits one in the leg and chases and tackles another. Tre pulls his gun to try to stop some car thieves, but he purposefully aims away as he shoots it, since he believes Rob is one of the thieves. Tre, Rob and others play paintball where Tre ends up hitting the others with his shots. Powers gives his subordinates a gun and orders that they take care of Tre with it. Powers then squeezes the back of one man's neck to get his point across to him and the others. A guy holds a gun on Tre and makes him and Ms. Lopez get into a car, with the latter two being pushed around in the process. A guy shoots at Brooks and Gallecki, with the former being hit in the arm and the latter possibly being hit. Tre seems to shoot a nail gun to a bad guy's clothed crotch and then hits him on the head with it. Rob drives his car into a warehouse where various bad guys shoot at him and Tre (with handguns and machine guns) who duck for cover. In turn, Tre shoots several of them (their status isn't made clear and there's no blood). An explosive is fired at them and hits Rob's car, causing it to explode. Tre then shoots more bad guys and punches one in the face. Tre shoots at a fleeing vehicle, hitting one tire and causing the vehicle to crash. Tre shoots Ms. Lopez with a paintball to get her out of Powers' clutches. Tre pulls himself onto a quickly moving boat and fights with the man onboard, slamming him down to the floor where he punches and otherwise hits him. More struggling ensues, with the man trying to hit Tre with a pole of some sort that breaks in half. Tre then hits and kicks this man, causing him to fall backwards where he's impaled on that sharp pole, killing him (we don't see the actual impact). Tre then jumps off the out of control boat that slams into something and explodes. Reviewed July 19, 2005 / Posted September 2, 2005

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