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"BRATZ" (2007) (Nathalia Ramos, Janel Parrish) (PG) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons None *None Heavy None Minor Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Heavy None Minor Mild Minor Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Mild None Mild Moderate Mild QUICK TAKE: Comedy: Four girls must contend with the conceited student president and the various high school cliques she oversees that threaten to undermine the students' friendship. PLOT: It's the beginning of freshman year for lifelong friends Yasmin (NATHALIA RAMOS), Jade (JANEL PARRISH), Sasha (LOGAN BROWNING) and Cloe (SKYLER SHAYE) at Carry Nation High School. Little do they know, they're about to run afoul of Meredith Dimly (CHELSEA STAUB), the self-appointed leader of the student body and daughter to the principal (JON VOIGHT). Along with her minions Avery (ANNELIESE VAN DER POL) and Quinn (MALESE JOW), Meredith assigns incoming freshmen to whatever clique she deems is appropriate for them, and thus isn't happy when the four friends buck that unofficial rule. Even so, the four girls end up doing their own thing, and two years later Sasha is on the cheerleading squad, Jade alternates between fashion design and hanging out with the school's brainiacs, Cloe plays on the soccer team, and Yasmin is still trying to get over her stage fright and thus follow her dream of becoming a singer. Helping her do that is jock Dylan (IAN NELSON) who gave up piano playing due to going deaf, while the dreamy Cameron (STEPHEN LUNSFORD) takes a liking to Cloe. The latter, and just about everything else about the four girls doesn't sit well with Meredith. From that point on, and as she has her sweet sixteenth birthday party again before hosting the school's talent contest, the spoiled rich girl does everything in her power to undermine the quartet and ruin their friendship. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? If they're fans of the Bratz empire (toys, cartoons, etc.) or anyone in the cast, they just might. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG For thematic elements. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: NATHALIA RAMOS plays the one girl of the quartet who doesn't really join a clique and thus feels a bit left out. She also tries to overcome her stage fright about singing in public and does so with Dylan's help. She, like her friends, must contend with Meredith and her efforts to undermine and split up the friends. JANEL PARRISH plays her friend who's both a brainiac and a fashion designer. LOGAN BROWNING plays their friend who's into cheerleading and has a falling out with the others, just like the rest of them. SKYLER SHAYE plays the fourth girl in the group who's into soccer and must contend with having just one parent and not much money. CHELSEA STAUB is the student body president who thinks she runs the school (despite her father being the principal). She's spoiled, conceited and demanding, and has a bad attitude toward most everyone. ANNELIESE VAN DER POL and MALESE JOW play Meredith's two subordinates who assist her. STEPHEN LUNSFORD plays the dreamy guy in Meredith's social circle who takes a liking to Cloe, thus drawing Meredith's wrath. IAN NELSON plays a school jock who gave up piano after going deaf. With a new appreciation of music via the beat he can feel, he helps Yasmin and her public performance issues. JON VOIGHT plays the school principal who lets his teen daughter get away with unofficially running the school and putting him in his place. 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 PG-rated comedy. Beyond some religious phrases, various colorful ones are also present, as are some possible, non-explicit, sexually related song lyrics and dialogue. Some teens are seen in bikinis, others show a little cleavage, and some slightly sexualized dancing occurs. Slapstick style material is present, while one student defends himself from another by striking another. Other potentially imitative behavior is present, as are bad attitudes, and various thematic elements (including about having divorced parents, just one parent, and dealing with high school cliques and peer pressure). 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 camera movement (fluid rather than shaky) in the film. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE None. BLOOD/GORE None, but Yasmin talks of vomiting from stage fright back in kindergarten (referenced, but not seen). DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Meredith is a spoiled and conceited rich girl who always wants and usually gets her way, at least until she encounters the four friends. Thinking it's her role, she assigns new kids to the school's various cliques, and becomes quite upset if no one follows her rules. Accordingly, when the new girls don't, she sets out to undermine them and their friendship (and does this throughout the movie). Jade dresses conservatively for her parents before leaving for school, but then changes before getting there. Meredith tells her father, the school principal, that he may not speak to her during school hours. Yasmin accidentally bumps into Dylan in the hallway, with her asking if he's blind. He says no, but that he's deaf. She says he doesn't sound deaf, prompting him to reply she doesn't look ignorant. Meredith tells her younger sister that she can't speak to her before noon. After growing apart and exacerbated by a food fight, the four girls all have bad attitudes toward each other (including Sasha saying Cloe doesn't have any money or a dad), but that's soon put aside. Yasmin's brother secretly videotapes her and her mom doing some silly singing. Later, he shows that video to Meredith who later uses it to try to embarrass Yasmin. A jock has a bad attitude toward Jade's classmate and pushes him backwards. Meredith sarcastically asks her younger sister, "Can't you find somewhere else to be a freak?" and calls her "Munchkin." Meredith has an even worse attitude toward the four girls when they serve as assistants to Cloe's mom who's handling the catering for Meredith's second sweet sixteen party. She then threatens (to Cloe) to fire her mom for the second time (the first, we hear, was for an incorrect allegation of theft). Meredith surprises Yasmin by calling her up on stage to sing, knowing she suffers from stage fright and will thus be embarrassed in front of other partygoers (she then shows the tape Yasmin's brother made of his sister and mom singing and clowning around - all for the same purpose). The cheerleaders tells Sasha that if she doesn't sit with them, she's off the squad, while the science geeks do the same to Jade. Meredith tells Yasmin she threatens to blackmail the girls if they continue on their quest to enter the talent show. Accordingly, Yasmin drops out without explanation (trying to protect them), but they only get mad at her (but not for too long). As students confess things at school, one says he cheated on various tests. FRIGHTENING SCENES None. GUNS/WEAPONS Meredith briefly holds a ceremonial sword removed from a display. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "You little toad," "Don't get your (something) in a twist," "BFF" (Best Friends Forever), "Don't lose your passion for fashion," "Dorks," "Nerds," "Whatever," "You're seriously stupid," "She's hot," "That's just awesome," "My bad," "Yo, listen up," "Freaks," "Word," "Frump chic," "Dawg," "(You're a weird) Dude," "Evil soccer freak," "You stupid cheerleader," "Clumsy," "Princess perfect," "Queen of the dorks," "Geeks," "Soccer joke," "Bim-bats," "Moron," "I love the smell of retail in the morning," "Are you kidding me?" "Oh, MG," "Super awkward," "Hottie," "I'm such a klutz," "Can't you find somewhere else to be a freak?" "Munchkin," "Sucking up to you," "Snotty girls," "It's a total chick farm," "Me likey," "Me thinky you're a twerp," "Don't you need a license to be that ugly?" "That is truly gross," "Total losers," "I look so hot," "That's what I call clown couture," "Oopsies," "Shut up," "Make sure your friends put a cork in it," "Cloe the klutzy clown," "You brats," "Now you're talking, sister," "It's over with a capital over," "Bag it," "Here's the dealio" and "Two words: Uh, duh." The girls' fashion and/or behavior and sayings might be enticing for some kids to imitate. The four girls along with other young women purposefully or accidentally wear midriff-revealing attire in various scenes. Jade dresses conservatively for her parents before leaving for school, but then changes before getting there (including in a huddle of her friends on the school grounds). Jade has blue streaks in her hair, as does Yasmin later in the film. To undermine Cameron liking Cloe, Meredith sends her small dog to intervene. The little pooch then grabs Cloe's pants leg on the steps, causing her to spill her lunch tray over the stairwell and down onto Sasha by accident. That sets off a chain reaction (including two of the girls tripping on a skateboard) that eventually leads to a full-scale food fight among many students (that also involves people and things being knocked over). We briefly see some contortionists at school. We briefly see some students dressed up in Goth attire. Yasmin's brother swims over to Meredith in a pool while he's fully clothed. Meredith makes the finger to the open mouth gag gesture to show her displeasure with some clothing choices offered to her. During talent show tryouts, we see a close-up of an undulating bare belly. During talent show tryouts, we see a male student injure his hand while trying to chop a number of boards in half. Later, he does the same with the other hand, similarly injuring it. Sasha appears to have a pierced navel. Meredith and then the four girls do some slightly sexualized dancing while performing in the school talent show (nothing explicit or raunchy, but perhaps more than some parents would like their young kids to see or later imitate). JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) A brief bit of suspenseful music (presented comically) plays in one scene. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) Some songs had lyrics that we couldn't fully hear and/or understand, thus presenting the possibility of them potentially containing objectionable material. A song has the lyrics "Can't stop this feeling" and "You won't get no sleep tonight" (that some could take as innuendo). A song has the lyrics "Gonna flaunt it" and "Gotta make you want it" (that some could take as innuendo). Meredith sings songs that show how conceited she is. PROFANITY At least 8 uses of "Oh my God." SEX/NUDITY About Cloe, Cameron says, "She's hot." A girl briefly kisses a guy at school. Yasmin shows a little cleavage. A jock calls Jade a "hottie" in class and suggestively says they could do a science experiment that doesn't involve a Bunsen burner. We see Meredith and her two female minions lounging about, sunbathing in bikinis (nothing explicit). Seeing that, Yasmin's brother says, "It's a total chick farm." Jade shows a little cleavage. About her appearance, Meredith states, "I look so hot." A song has the lyrics "Can't stop this feeling" and "You won't get no sleep tonight" (that some could take as innuendo). A song has the lyrics "Gonna flaunt it" and "Gotta make you want it" (that some could take as innuendo). Dylan nearly kisses Yasmin, but they're interrupted. During talent show tryouts, we see a close-up of an undulating bare belly. Yasmin shows a little cleavage. We briefly see glimpses of Meredith's leotard type bottom as she dances about on stage and her short dress occasionally flies or rides up. Meredith and then the four girls do some slightly sexualized dancing while performing in the school talent show (nothing explicit or raunchy, but perhaps more than some parents would like their young kids to see or later imitate). Yasmin shows cleavage while bending over to take a bow. SMOKING None. TENSE FAMILY SCENES We learn that Sasha's parents are divorced and don't seem to talk to each other about who's taking their daughter to an appointment. That prompts her to ask why they can't just talk to each other. Later, however, and sporting two guilt-based shopping gift certificates, she jokes that divorce isn't all bad. In another scene, when Sasha's dad says he's proud that she and her friends put their differences behind them, she tells him that maybe he and her mom will do the same thing. .Even later, we see her parents together watching her in the school talent show, and they seem to be getting along. Meredith tells her father, the school principal, that he may not speak to her during school hours. Meredith tells her younger sister that she can't speak to her before noon. We hear that Cloe doesn't have a dad. Meredith sarcastically asks her younger sister, "Can't you find somewhere else to be a freak?" and calls her "Munchkin." TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT High school cliques and peer pressure. How friends can grow apart. Having divorced parents. Having just one parent. Being deaf. Extravagant sweet sixteen parties. Stage fright. VIOLENCE Yasmin accidentally bumps into Dylan in the hallway, and both fall to the floor. To undermine Cameron liking Cloe, Meredith sends her small dog to intervene. The little pooch then grabs Cloe's pants leg on the steps, causing her to spill her lunch tray over the stairwell and down onto Sasha by accident. That sets off a chain reaction (including two of the girls tripping on a skateboard) that eventually leads to a full-scale food fight among many students (that also involves people and things being knocked over). That ends when the bust of Principal Dimly falls off its pedestal and breaks upon impact. When he and his bodyguard arrive to check on the ruckus, the latter pushes some students out of the way. A soccer player falls to the ground while trying to walk in high heels. A jock has a bad attitude toward Jade's classmate and pushes him backwards. The smaller kid is upset with a crude comment the jock made to Jade, thus confronts him, and avoids a punch. He then does several martial arts poses before kicking the jock in the crotch, grabbing, and then flipping him over to the floor. Cloe kicks a soccer ball that hits Cameron hard in the crotch or gut, sending him to the ground, despite him seeming confident he could catch the ball. While shopping, Cloe gets into a brief tug of war over something with another shopper, sending that other women flying over a table when the latter loses her grip on it. Meredith pushes a juggler off a stage at her party. Moments later, she falls into her birthday cake and then accidentally knocks her two subordinates into the pool, followed by the party elephant knocking her into the pool. During talent show tryouts, we see a male student injure his hand while trying to chop a number of boards in half. Later, he does the same with the other hand, similarly injuring it. Reviewed July 28, 2007 / Posted August 3, 2007

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