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(About Our Ads) "FUNNY GAMES" (2008) (Naomi Watts, Michael Pitt) (R) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Minor Heavy Extreme Heavy Extreme Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Moderate None None None Heavy Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Moderate Minor Extreme Moderate Extreme QUICK TAKE: Suspense/Horror: A vacationing family must contend with two proper-looking young men who end up abducting and torturing them just for the fun of doing so. PLOT: It's supposed to be a relaxing time for Anna Farber (NAOMI WATTS), her husband, George (TIM ROTH), and their young son, Georgie (DEVON GEARHART), as they arrive at their fairly remote lakefront vacation home. With thoughts of playing tennis with the distant neighbors, taking the sailboat out onto the lake, and basically unwinding, the family has no idea what's in store for them when Peter (BRADY CORBET) arrives. He's a proper-looking, seemingly upper-class young man who says he's staying with the neighbors and has been sent over to borrow some eggs. Things slowly but progressively become a bit odd, especially when Peter's older but strikingly similar friend, Paul (MICHAEL PITT), shows up. Before long, the family dog goes missing and Anna wants the young men out of the house. When they feign confusion over how they offended her, George orders them out, and smacks Paul when the young man gets smart with him. That prompts Peter to crack George on the leg, breaking it, and allowing the two men to take the family hostage in their own home. From that point on, Anna, George and their son must contend with the increasingly psychopathic behavior of the two young men who seem intent on playing various sadistic and deadly games with them. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Older teens might be interested, as might anyone who's a fan of anyone in the cast. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R For terror, violence and some language. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: NAOMI WATTS plays a wife and mother who's the first to suspect something isn't right with the young men. She must then contend with their actions, and worries about her own well-being as well as that of her husband and son. She uses strong profanity and briefly smokes. TIM ROTH plays her husband who initially thinks she's overreacting, but then learns she wasn't when they wound him. He must then contend with being unable to help his wife and child as the torture games begin. He uses profanity. DEVON GEARHART plays their son, shocked and frightened by what occurs. At one point, he risks his safety by fleeing and trying to find help. MICHAEL PITT plays a seemingly upper-class, polite and nice young man who uses such attributes to get his intended victims to drop their guard just enough so that he and Peter can abduct, torture and kill them. He also uses strong profanity. BRADY CORBET plays his slightly younger partner in crime who possesses the same disarming attributes, only to engage in similarly violent and sadistic, antisocial behavior. He uses some profanity. 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 suspense/horror flick. Profanity consists of at least 8 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also used. Brief, sexually related dialogue is present, as are repeated views of a woman in her bra and panties (after being forced to strip and then be bound by her captors). Violence consists of several murders by various means, other implied murders, and sadistic torture. Much of that takes place just off camera, but does have bloody results, and those scenes and moments of potential peril might be unsettling and/or suspenseful to viewers. The captive family must endure their predicament and witnessing the torture and murder of various loved ones. The sadistic killers obviously have bad attitudes, while some troubled kids might be enticed to imitate their actions. A character briefly smokes, some liquor is seen in the background of a shot, and brief drug-related comments are made. 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 Paul states that Peter's siblings are all on drugs, and that their dad is an alcoholic, but we don't know if that is true or not. He also states that both he and Peter are drug addicts, but then says he's lying about that. We see some bottles of wine and perhaps liquor in the background of a shot behind George. BLOOD/GORE We see a wet bloodstain on George's pants leg after Peter strikes him there with a golf club. One of the young men complains that Georgie has soiled himself, but we don't see any visual indication of that. Spoiler alert: We see Peter loading a shotgun, but the camera follows Paul into the kitchen as he gets himself some food. We then hear the sounds of struggling and then a shotgun blast and then yelling and other such chaos. When we return to the living room, we see blood all over the TV and wall. We later see a pool of blood next to the body lying on the floor (the head is not seen). We see a now larger and wet bloodstain on George's pants leg. We also see a stain on his shirtsleeve. Anna vomits and some of that comes through her fingers as she puts her hand over her mouth. George covers his son's body on the floor with a sheet, and we see a pool of blood on the floor. We see a lot of blood on George's face after Paul throws a golf ball at him (we don't see the impact). Spoiler alert: Anna grabs the shotgun and shoots Peter, blasting him back against the wall, with very bloody results. Paul then finds the TV remote and rewinds this scene back to the point before Anna grabs the shotgun. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE The young men obviously have extreme cases of bad attitudes for their behavior and actions. It's implied that the young men murdered the neighbors in their home. Paul repeatedly calls Peter "tubby," although the latter is not overweight. FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed under "Violence" may be unsettling or suspenseful to younger viewers and/or those with low tolerance levels for such material, while a sense of dread pervades most of the film once the young men abduct the family. After Paul asks if he can try out George's golf club and then walks outside with it, we hear the family dog barking off in the distance, followed by whimper sound, more barking, and then another pained sound (making us believe something bad has happened to the dog). Paul plays a game of you're hot, you're cold, with Anna as she tries to find the family dog. She eventually stops at their car, opens the tailgate on the back, and the dog's limp body falls out onto the tailgate, and then down to the ground. Paul says they're going to play a game with the family where they must be on whether they will be alive or dead the following morning. Georgie manages to escape, races upstairs, and then slowly climbs down the outside of the house, at night. He then cautiously makes his way over to the neighbor's house, where the automatic light sensors come on and he sees Paul approaching from a distance. He then races inside and tries to hide in various places as he hears Paul moving about inside the neighbor's house. He also sees the legs of the owners on the floor in another room. While moving about, he spots a shotgun on the floor, grabs it, and then is confronted by Paul. He tells Georgie to cock the shotgun, and the boy does, with Paul then slowly approaching him. On Paul's command, the boy pulls the trigger, but the shotgun is empty. Spoiler alert: We see Peter loading a shotgun, but the camera follows Paul into the kitchen as he gets himself some food. We then hear the sounds of struggling and then a shotgun blast and then yelling and other such chaos. When we return to the living room, we see blood all over the TV and wall. We then see the boy's body lying on the floor, George's legs on the floor (the rest of him is behind the sofa), and Anna looking distraught about what has occurred (as she is still bound with tape around her legs and wrists). After the young men have left the house, Anna frees herself, but then she and George discover that the door's deadbolt is locked and they can't get out that way. Anna then climbs out a window and runs to get help. When no one is at a neighbors house (where she screams out for help and thus potentially draws attention to herself), she runs down a road, hoping to find someone. When a car approaches, she wonders if it might be the young men, so she hides. That vehicle passes by, and then she sees another one approaching, and ponders what to do (the scene ends there so we don't immediately know what happens). While in the house by himself, George hears a sound, and then sees a golf ball roll out in the hallway in front of the door. He then sees that the young men have returned, and they have Anna bound and gagged. Paul then throws the golf ball at George, but we don't see the impact (although we later see George with a lot of blood on his face). Peter apparently stabs George off camera (we hear the latter scream in pain), all as Paul tries to get Anna to play a game of choosing which weapon (a shotgun or a knife) will be used to kill her husband. Spoiler alert: Paul shoots George on the floor with a shotgun, but we don't see the impact. The young men take a bound Anna out onto the sailboat, and she finds a knife there that she tries to use to cut herself free, but the young men catch her and throw the knife overboard. Spoiler alert: Paul pushes a bound and gagged Anna off the side of the sailboat, and she presumably drowns. Paul shows up at the home of what are presumably his next victims. GUNS/WEAPONS Shotgun/Knives: Used to threaten, wound or kill people. See "Violence" and "Frightening/Tense Scenes" for details. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "He's f*cking her," "Piece of sh*t," "Stop this bullsh*t," "P*ssy husband," "Nuts" (crazy), "What the hell is going on here?" "Jesus, what a drama...(queen)," "You're an asshole," "Hey Beavis, Hey Butt-head," "Tubby," "Crap out" and "Where the hell are we?" The young men's behavior might be enticing for some kids to imitate, including taking a family hostage and playing sadistic games with them, such as putting a pillowcase over a young boy's head, and calling that the "cat in the bag." Anna spits at Paul. JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) None. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least 8 "f" words (1 used sexually), 8 "s" words, 1 slang term using female genitals ("p*ssy"), 1 for breasts ("t*tties"), 2 hells, 1 ass (used with "hole"), 1 crap, 1 damn, 2 uses each of "Jesus" and "Oh God" and 1 use each of "God," "Jesus Christ" and "Oh my God." SEX/NUDITY Paul states that Peter's parents divorced when he was younger but we don't know if that is true or not. He then says that Peter is "f*cking" his mother, but we similarly don't know if that's true or not. Paul places a pillowcase over Georgie's head and pulls that tight (so that he won't see his mother undress under the young men's command). The young men want to see if Anna has any "jelly rolls" (fat), with Paul saying, "Now let's see if mommy's t*tties sag." When Anna refuses to strip from their verbal command, Paul pulls the pillowcase tighter around Georgie's head and/or causes him other pain that makes the boy scream. Accordingly, she reluctantly removes her dress and we initially only see her bare shoulders and the top of her bare back, but then see her in her cleavage-revealing bra and her panties. Following that, we see many views of her, standing and seated, in just those undergarments (but the scene is not sexual in any way). SMOKING Anna smokes once. TENSE FAMILY SCENES Paul states that Peter's parents divorced when he was younger but we don't know if that is true or not. He then says that Peter is "f*cking" his mother, but we similarly don't know if that's true or not. The overall situation and its various ramifications (abduction, torture, murder) obviously put a great deal of strain on Anna and her family. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT What causes psychopaths to act the way they do. Dealing with strangers, no matter how polite or "civilized" they may appear. The director playing with the usual conventions of the "torture porn" genre. Directors remaking their own films. Paul states that Peter is gay but we don't know if that is true or not. VIOLENCE After Paul asks if he can try out George's golf club and then walks outside with it, we hear the family dog barking off in the distance, followed by whimper sound, more barking, and then another pained sound (making us believe something bad has happened to the dog). We later learn that's true. When the young men won't leave, Anna tells them to do so, and then tells George to throw them out. Anna then leaves the room, and when the young men continue acting bizarrely, George tells them to leave. When they don't, George slaps Paul across the face, prompting Peter to strike Georgia on the leg with a golf club, seemingly breaking George's leg (he's in a lot of pain, and we see a bloodstain on his pants leg). Georgie then tries to attack the young men but they easily control him. Paul knocks Anna down onto George, thus causing him pain due to his already injured leg. When Georgie tries to attack the young man, Anna rushes toward them, with Peter repeatedly kicking George's injured leg, and Paul punches Anna in the gut, and then pushes her back onto the sofa with George. Paul places a pillowcase over Georgie's head and pulls that tight (so that he won't see his mother undress under the young men's command). The young men want to see if Anna has any "jelly rolls" (fat), with Paul saying, "Now let's see if mommy's t*tties sag." When Anna refuses to strip from their verbal command, Paul pulls the pillowcase tighter around Georgie's head and/or causes him other pain that makes the boy scream. It's implied that the young men murdered the neighbors in their home. Paul pushes Anna down and tapes her legs together, while her arms are already taped behind her back. Spoiler alert: We see Peter loading a shotgun, but the camera follows Paul into the kitchen as he gets himself some food. We then hear the sounds of struggling and then a shotgun blast and then yelling and other such chaos. When we return to the living room, we see blood all over the TV and wall. We then see the boy's body lying on the floor, George's legs on the floor (the rest of him is behind the sofa), and Anna looking distraught about what has occurred (as she is still bound with tape around her legs and wrists). Paul throws a golf ball at George, but we don't see the impact (although we later see George with a lot of blood on his face). Peter apparently stabs George off camera (we hear the latter scream in pain), all as Paul tries to get Anna to play a game of choosing which weapon (a shotgun or a knife) will be used to kill her husband. Spoiler alert: Anna grabs the shotgun and shoots Peter, blasting him back against the wall, with very bloody results. Paul then finds the TV remote and rewinds this scene back to the point before Anna grabs the shotgun. Spoiler alert: Paul shoots George on the floor with a shotgun, but we don't see the impact. Spoiler alert: Paul pushes a bound and gagged Anna off the side of the sailboat, and she presumably drowns. Reviewed March 3, 2008 / Posted March 14, 2008