Subscribers Only Content Area

Home

New Movies

All Movies

New DVDs

All DVDs

Newsletter

Search

Tell Others About This Page By Using This Button "BOBBY" (2006) (William H. Macy, Freddy Rodriguez) (R) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Extreme Extreme Extreme Moderate Extreme Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Mild Minor Minor Mild Heavy Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Heavy Heavy Heavy Heavy Extreme QUICK TAKE: Drama: Various people who work in or are staying at Los Angeles' Ambassador Hotel await the arrival of Democratic Presidential candidate Robert "Bobby" Kennedy following the California primary election. PLOT: It's June 4, 1968 and manager Paul Ebbers (WILLIAM H. MACY) is hoping to get his employees at Los Angeles' Ambassador Hotel ready for a late-night appearance by Democratic Presidential candidate Robert "Bobby" Kennedy following the California primary election. That is, when Paul isn't having an affair with Angela (HEATHER GRAHAM), one of his phone operators, much to the chagrin of her coworker Patricia (JOY BRYANT) and unknown to his hair stylist wife, Miriam (SHARON STONE), who also works in the hotel. Yet, Paul has his hands full with other matters, such as disciplining his kitchen supervisor, Timmons (CHRISTIAN SLATER), who refused to let his staff -- including Mexican immigrants Jose Rojas (FREDDY RODRIGUEZ) and Miguel (JACOB VARGAS) -- have time off to vote. Black head chef Edward Robinson (LAURENCE FISHBURNE) tries to fill them in about how to operate in the white man's world, but Jose is nevertheless upset that he has to work a double-shift that night and thus miss attending a potentially historic baseball game with his dad. Then there are the various weddings being held at the hotel that day, including between classmates Diane (LINDSAY LOHAN) and William Avary (ELIJAH WOOD). They're getting hitched only to keep him from being shipped off to Vietnam, something John Casey (ANTHONY HOPKINS) and his fellow senior citizen friend Nelson (HARRY BELAFONTE) no longer have to worry about. John's the former doorman at the hotel, and both he and Nelson hang out there since retirement has left them feeling lonely and a bit useless. Kennedy's campaign manager Wade Buckley (JOSHUA JACKSON) feels anything but that, as his busy day is filled working with fellow idealist Dwayne (NICK CANNON) in all aspects of the big day, including dealing with Czech reporter Lenka (SVETLANA METKINA) who wants an interview with the candidate, as well as wrangling volunteers such as Cooper (BRIAN GERAGHTY) and Jimmy (SHIA LaBEOUF). While their intentions are good, they get sidetracked by philosophical hippie Fisher (ASHTON KUTCHER) who turns them on to LSD for the first time, a point that current waitress and aspiring actress Susan (MARY ELIZABETH WINSTEAD) finds endearing. Speaking of performers, it's veteran entertainer Virginia Fallon's (DEMI MOORE) last night at the hotel, and she's drinking heavily as usual, behavior that doesn't sit well with her stage husband Tim (EMILIO ESTEVEZ). And speaking of husbands concerned about their wives, there's depressed East Coast socialite Jack Stevens (MARTIN SHEEN) who thinks his much younger missis, Samantha (HELEN HUNT), should be concerned with things that are more substantial then her looks and what shoes she's going to wear to the night's big political party, an event everyone is looking forward to. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? If they're fans of someone in the cast or are interested in the politics of the era, they might. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R For language, drug content and a scene of violence. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: ANTHONY HOPKINS plays the former doorman at the hotel who seemingly has no outside life and wants to hang out at the hotel, reminiscing about his days there. HARRY BELAFONTE plays his old friend who laments the repercussions of them getting old. FREDDY RODRIGUEZ plays a Mexican immigrant who works in the hotel's kitchen and is upset he's been told he's going to work a double shift today, meaning he'll miss attending a potentially historic baseball game with his dad. JACOB VARGAS plays his friend and coworker who tries to open his and others' eyes about the way immigrants are treated. He uses strong profanity, clashes with Edward, and briefly smokes. LAURENCE FISHBURNE plays the head chef for the hotel's kitchen who tries to enlighten Miguel and Jose about race relations in late 1960s America. He uses some profanity. CHRISTIAN SLATER plays their racist kitchen manager who refuses to let his staff vote in the primary (and is fired over that) and briefly smokes. WILLIAM H. MACY plays the main hotel manager who's married to Miriam but is having an affair with Angela. He fires Timmons over violating his workers' civil liberties. HEATHER GRAHAM plays a hotel operator with whom Paul is having an affair. JOY BRYANT plays her coworker who's concerned about Angela's behavior. She briefly smokes and takes a liking to Dwayne. SHARON STONE plays Paul's wife, a hair stylist in the hotel who eventually becomes aware of the affair. She briefly drinks. DEMI MOORE plays a middle-aged, vain, and alcoholic entertainer who's performing at the hotel. She controls her husband and uses strong profanity. EMILIO ESTEVEZ plays her henpecked, stage husband who's not happy with her heavy drinking. JOSHUA JACKSON plays Kennedy's campaign manager who works closely with Dwayne, assigns the volunteers their duties, and briefly smokes. NICK CANNON plays an idealistic, young campaign worker working with Wade. SVETLANA METKINA plays a reporter from Czechoslovakia who wants to interview RFK but gets interference from Wade since she's from a socialist country. SHIA LaBEOUF and BRIAN GERAGHTY play young campaign volunteers on Kennedy's team who look to score some pot but are then introduced to LSD by Fisher and thus spend much of the film high. They also use profanity. ASHTON KUTCHER plays a philosophical hippie drug dealer in the hotel who turns on Jimmy and Cooper to LSD (while also taking some himself). MARY ELIZABETH WINSTEAD plays the waitress and aspiring actress who's amused by their first foray with strong drugs since she's done them before. LINDSAY LOHAN plays a young woman who's getting married to a classmate to keep him from going to Vietnam, despite it breaking her ideal wedding dream and causing a falling out with her father. She fools around and/or has sex with William right before their wedding. ELIJAH WOOD plays the young man who's appreciative of her sacrifice but isn't sure if it's the right thing for her. They fool around and/or have sex right before they get married. MARTIN SHEEN plays a depressed East Coast socialite who wishes his younger wife wasn't so preoccupied with looks and appearances. HELEN HUNT plays his wife who's obsessed with such superficial matters since she thinks they matter. 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 R-rated drama. Profanity consists of at least 8 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Some non-explicit, sexually related dialogue is present, off-screen sex is implied (including that involving an affair), and a young man's bare butt is seen while he's high on LSD. Violence includes a man opening fire on a presidential candidate in a crowded hotel kitchen, mortally wounding him and badly wounding others (with very bloody results). Archival war footage is also occasionally seen, while a man punches another man. Various bad attitudes are present, while various characters smoke and/or drink (one being an alcoholic), while three characters do LSD and react accordingly (there's also related dialogue about such drug use). All sorts of thematic elements are present (including racism), while tense family material involves the aftermath of a discovered affair as well as spouses worried about their badly injured loved ones following a shooting. 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 are varying amounts of handheld camerawork in the film (sometimes with a lot of movement). ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Tim finds an open bottle of booze on the bedside table next to Virginia who appears to be passed out in bed. Jimmy and Cooper go to Fisher to buy some pot, but he gets philosophical on them, asking why. They say to get stoned, because it feels good, but he corrects them by saying it's to get closer to God. He then asks if they're familiar with LSD, followed by placing drops of the hallucinogenic on sugar cubes, with all three then taking them. We then see blurry camerawork representing their drugged state (as well as a hallucination Fisher has where he appears to be riding a motorcycle). Tim sees a TV set crash down onto the lawn near him, a result of Cooper being high on LSD. We then see the latter try to throw a large chair out the hotel window, but he falls down. There's a song about LSD. We see Cooper -- high on LSD -- squatting in a litter box while fully nude (we see his bare butt and he has his hand over his crotch, but we don't see any bodily function). We then see Jimmy standing in just his underwear staring into a closet (seen from behind) and he's then joined by Cooper who stands next to him, fully nude (we see full rear nudity). Virginia has a drink. When Tim comments on her drinking, Virginia angrily tells him to take "your f*cking judgment and check it at the door." She then lets him know that she rather than he is the reason they have fame and fortune and tells him, "Shut the f*ck up." She then says she deserves a drink and thus has another. Jimmy and Cooper try to play tennis while high on LSD. Nelson talks of hating getting old, having memory loss, and that retirement makes him feel useless. After John asks if he'd like to have some tea (which Nelson says is for old white folks), Nelson wonders about scotch, commenting on a double one on the rocks. About the LSD they took, Jimmy says they should get more of it, with Cooper stating it would be cool to watch the movie "Planet of the Apes" on acid. Virginia, who drinks, apologizes for saying something demeaning to Miriam, adding that she's "a drunk, an awful drunk." Jimmy and Cooper are still high in a restaurant and making a scene, prompting Susan to ask if this is the first time they've "turned on," commenting on their pupils being dilated. When they comment on where she grew up, she asks if they think California is the only place people drop acid. After having just had drinks with John, Nelson says it makes him feel "like I still have a pair" (of testicles). Virginia drinks before going onstage. We see Fisher doing another drug deal, but then getting busted by the cops. Miriam holds a drink while she cries about Paul cheating on her. Miscellaneous people have champagne at an election party. Cooper tells Wade that they dropped acid and watched Planet of the Apes while high, but he thinks they're joking. Later, when Susan meets him and Jimmy at the election party, she jokingly asks, "How are my little drug addicts?" Virginia has a drink. BLOOD/GORE John jokes about catching Will Rogers "taking a piss" in the hotel's greenhouse in the past. John and Nelson half-jokingly lament about getting old and their new peeing habits. We see archival footage of a man being led away, with some blood on his face. Timmons has a red mark on his mouth and face from where Paul earlier punched him. Sirhan Sirhan suddenly opens fire on RFK in the hotel's very crowded kitchen. We see the gun, hear shots, and see blood splatter onto another person's face. We then see a frenzy of struggling and hear more shots, and then see the results of several people having been hit (in various places -- the head, belly, leg, etc. -- with very bloody results on them, their clothing and on the floor and wall). Others who help the wounded also have blood on them, mostly on their hands. This is a several minute sequence where the shooting is shown with lots of frantic camera movement, while the results are seen for longer periods. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Miguel tells Jose that they're the "new niggers" and to get used to it. Timmons is a racist who won't let his mostly immigrant staff time off to go vote in the primary (stating that many are illegal and/or can't speak English). As a result, Paul fires him, but Timmons later uses the term "wetbacks." We learn that Paul is having an affair with Angela, one of his employees. He later tries lying about that to his wife, but she already knows. Miguel says he's not voting since he's a felon, but then states that he's joking. As Jose does some translation work for Timmons having to type up a memo, Timmons sarcastically says that it's like those who speak Spanish just add the letter E to every English word. Miguel and Edward are somewhat antagonistic toward each other, with some racial slurs bandied back and forth. Miguel talks of black women with big "backyards" (butts), Edward replies, "We ain't brothers, amigo," and Miguel then calls Edward a "negro" and "stepnfetchit m*therf*cker." When Lenka states that she's from a socialist rather than communist country, Wade says that red is red (Timmons later says something similar). Paul tells Miriam how to vote, but she calls him on that. When Tim comments on her drinking, Virginia angrily tells him to take "your f*cking judgment and check it at the door." She then lets him know that she rather than he is the reason they have fame and fortune and tells him, "Shut the f*ck up." She then says she deserves a drink and thus has another. Virginia asks Miriam if she's ever been called "tootsie," "cupcake" or "twinky." When Miriam says she hasn't, Virginia says that's because they (as middle-aged women) don't have the same shelf life as those snacks. She then says, "We're all whores," adding "some of us just get paid" (which is demeaning to Miriam being a blue-collar type worker). Virginia then apologizes for that, adding that she's "a drunk, an awful drunk." Sirhan Sirhan suddenly opens fire on RFK in the hotel's very crowded kitchen, mortally wounding him and badly injuring others. FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed under "Violence" may also be unsettling or suspenseful to younger viewers and/or those with low tolerance levels for such material. We see Sirhan Sirhan (RFK's assassin) enter the hotel, but don't see anything more of him until the shooting. Sirhan Sirhan suddenly opens fire on RFK in the hotel's very crowded kitchen. We see the gun, hear shots, and see blood splatter onto another person's face. We then see a frenzy of struggling and hear more shots, and then see the results of several people having been hit (in various places -- the head, belly, leg, etc. -- with very bloody results on them, their clothing and on the floor and wall). Others who help the wounded also have blood on them, mostly on their hands. This is a several minute sequence where the shooting is shown with lots of frantic camera movement, while the results are seen for longer periods. GUNS/WEAPONS We see a montage of footage from Vietnam, including bombs dropping and exploding, machine gun fire, a soldier being shot (no blood), and people protesting back in the States and struggling with police and/or National Guardsmen. We also see filled body bags as well as flag-draped coffins, while some protestors throw items from a balcony down toward unseen people and some police or guardsmen hold bayonet equipped rifles on protestors. We see more Vietnam military footage of bombs dropping and exploding. Sirhan Sirhan suddenly opens fire on RFK with a handgun in the hotel's very crowded kitchen, mortally wounding him and badly injuring others. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "You're a f*cking Mexican," "Stepnfetchit m*therf*cker," "Take your f*cking judgment and check it at the door," "Shut the f*ck up," "We f*cked off today," "Bullsh*t," "Screwing the boss has its advantages," "We're all whores," "A hell of a lot better," "You can put out my fire anytime," "We're the new niggers," "Taking a piss," "Moron," "What a bitch," "Damn near impossible," "I'm doubly screwed," "Wetbacks," "Stoned" (high on drugs), "Driving me nuts," "Backyard" (butt), "We ain't brothers, amigo," "Whitey's afraid of your black ass," "Negro," "Can you dig it?" "Damn right," "What the hell is this?" "I'm freaking out right now," "Head shrink gibberish," "It's too G*ddamn late" and "Drop acid." Tim sees a TV set crash down onto the lawn near him, a result of Cooper being high on LSD. We then see the latter try to throw a large chair out the hotel window, but he falls down. Jimmy and Cooper try to play tennis while high on LSD. JUMP SCENES Sirhan Sirhan suddenly opens fire on RFK with a handgun in the hotel's very crowded kitchen, mortally wounding him and badly injuring others. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) A brief bit of ominous music plays in the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) There's a song about LSD. PROFANITY At least 8 "f" words (1 used with "mother"), 7 "s" words, 1 slang term for sex ("screwing"), 2 for breasts ("t*ts" and "boobs"), 7 damns, 5 hells, 3 S.O.B.s, 2 asses, 2 uses each of "G-damn" and "Oh God" and 1 use of "Christ." SEX/NUDITY Virginia playfully but suggestively tells some firemen (after a fire alarm) that they can put out her fire anytime. Jimmy and Cooper talk about whether Anne Bancroft showed her "boobs" in the movie "The Graduate." Their waitress, Susan, overhears them, and says she figures it was a body double since that's what she would have done if her. When she leaves, one of the guys jokes that if Hitchcock asked Susan to show her "t*ts" she would. After Angela says they're going to the Kennedy party, Patricia says she thought hotel employees couldn't go. Angela then says that "screwing the boss" has its advantages. As Angela walks away from sharing an elevator with Timmons, he stares at her clothed butt. We see Paul and Angela meet in a hotel room, with them kissing and him starting to undress her (we see a little cleavage before the door closes). After apparently having sex, we see Angela getting dressed (pulling up her dress, but not before we see the top of her slip and her full bra), and Paul seated shirtless (we see his bare back). Both seem unhappy and we later hear their affair is over. We see Cooper -- high on LSD -- squatting in a litter box while fully nude (we see his bare butt and he has his hand over his crotch, but we don't see any bodily function). We then see Jimmy standing in just his underwear staring into a closet (seen from behind) and he's then joined by Cooper who stands next to him, fully nude (we see full rear nudity). We see Samantha in a period bikini (nothing explicit). Diane passionately kisses William and they then drop down onto a bed out of the camera shot (and the scene ends there). It's implied that Diane and William had sex right before their marriage (when he says he knows nothing about her -- including whether her belly button is an innie or outie -- she replies it's an innie and that she's surprised he didn't know, presumably from just having had sex or at least fooled around). Seeing Susan at the election party, Jimmy and Cooper comment on having never seen her out of her uniform (meaning outside of the restaurant), but that they fantasize about that. SMOKING Virginia, Wade and Phil each smoke several times, Patricia, Timmons and Miguel each smoke at least once, and a number of other people smoke (mostly cigarettes, but also 1 pipe) in many different scenes. TENSE FAMILY SCENES We hear that Diane's veteran father refuses to come to her wedding since he thinks William is a coward for trying to avoid going to Vietnam. John states that his wife died in the past year. Paul tells Miriam how to vote, but she calls him on that. When Tim comments on her drinking, Virginia angrily tells him to take "your f*cking judgment and check it at the door." She then lets him know that she rather than he is the reason they have fame and fortune and tells him, "Shut the f*ck up." While cutting his hair, Miriam asks Paul, "What's she like? The woman you're sleeping with." He lies about that, but she knows and says, "We don't do this -- other people do." Later, Miriam holds a drink while she cries (alone) about Paul cheating on her. Various spouses worry about their loved ones after they're shot in Sirhan Sirhan's surprise gun attack. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT The film's historical accuracy and/or artistic license taken with the real stories. Bobby Kennedy. How much of what's addressed in the film is relevant today. Drug use and LSD. Affairs. Racism and race relations in the U.S. in the late '60s and now. Alcoholism. Vietnam. There's talk of Martin Luther King, Jr. being assassinated, and we see the famous still photo of him lying on the balcony as others point in the direction of the gunmen. Miguel tells Jose that they're the "new niggers" and to get used to it. We hear that Diane's veteran father refuses to come to her wedding since he thinks William is a coward for trying to avoid going to Vietnam. The belief that if Willie is married, he'll serve in Germany rather than in Vietnam if single. Miguel tells Edward that "whitey's afraid of your ass," but Edward tells Miguel that he used to be angry like him. He then says that whites aren't trying to put down Mexicans and other minorities, but just don't want to be pushed into a corner and will eventually come around to racial equality, as long as the whites think it was their idea. When Lenka states that she's a from a socialist rather than communist country, Wade says that red is red (Timmons later says something similar). Dwayne is upset upon reports that the police put up checkpoints in Watts' neighborhood polling places. Dwayne stating that after Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination, they only have Bobby Kennedy left. Nelson talks of hating getting old, having memory loss, and that retirement makes him feel useless. Jack admits that he suffers from depression. Virginia asks Miriam if she's ever been called "tootsie," "cupcake" or "twinky." When Miriam says she hasn't, Virginia says that's because they (as middle-aged women) don't have the same shelf life as those snacks. She then says, "We're all whores," adding "some of us just get paid" (which is demeaning to Miriam being a blue-collar type worker). Virginia then apologizes for that, adding that she's "a drunk, an awful drunk." Samantha being obsessed with how she looks compared to other women, and Jack trying to tell her that she's more than just that. VIOLENCE We see a montage of footage from Vietnam, including bombs dropping and exploding, machine gun fire, a soldier being shot (no blood), and people protesting back in the States and struggling with police and/or National Guardsmen. We also see filled body bags as well as flag-draped coffins, while some protestors throw items from a balcony down toward unseen people and some police or guardsmen hold bayonet equipped rifles on protestors. Tim sees a TV set crash down onto the lawn near him, a result of Cooper being high on LSD. We then see the latter try to throw a large chair out the hotel window, but he falls down. We see more Vietnam military footage of bombs dropping and exploding. Paul punches Timmons in the face, flooring him, and the two have to be separated. Sirhan Sirhan suddenly opens fire on RFK in the hotel's very crowded kitchen. We see the gun, hear shots, and see blood splatter onto another person's face. We then see a frenzy of struggling and hear more shots, and then see the results of several people having been hit (in various places -- the head, belly, leg, etc. -- with very bloody results on them, their clothing and on the floor and wall). Others who help the wounded also have blood on them, mostly on their hands. This is a several minute sequence where the shooting is shown with lots of frantic camera movement, while the results are seen for longer periods. Upset about RFK being shot, Dwayne throws a chair against a wall. Reviewed November 7, 2006 / Posted November 23, 2006

Advertising Info

Info/FAQ

Mail

Sneak Previews

Parenting Food Health Home Pregnancy Beauty News

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,
©1996-2010 Screen It, Inc.