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"THE HOUSE BUNNY"
(2008) (Anna Faris, Emma Stone) (PG-13)

Alcohol/
Drugs
Blood/Gore Disrespectful/
Bad Attitude
Frightening/
Tense Scenes
Guns/
Weapons
Mild Minor Heavy None None
Imitative
Behavior
Jump
Scenes
Music
(Scary/Tense)
Music
(Inappropriate)
Profanity
Moderate None None Heavy Heavy
Sex/
Nudity
Smoking Tense Family
Scenes
Topics To
Talk About
Violence
Extreme Minor Minor Moderate Mild


QUICK TAKE:
Comedy: After being kicked out of the Playboy mansion, a ditzy "bunny" ends up as the house mother for an unpopular sorority and gives the girls a makeover in hopes of attracting enough new pledges to keep their charter from being shuttered.
PLOT:
Having grown up unwanted in an orphanage until she blossomed into a sexy young woman, Shelley Darlingson (ANNA FARIS) lives a blissful, if seemingly dimwitted life in the Playboy mansion, dreaming of one day being named a Playmate centerfold. That dream is unexpectedly shattered, however, when she receives a letter -- supposedly from Playboy founder Hugh Hefner (HUGH HEFNER) - informing her that she's being kicked out. She can't believe it, especially since she just turned 27, but as her mansion bartender friend Marvin (OWEN BENJAMIN) informs her, that's the equivalent of 59 in bunny years.

After a misunderstanding briefly lands her in jail, Shelley happens across the local university where she walks in -- scantly clad -- on a meeting of sorority house-mothers. While the likes of Phi Iota Mu house-mother Mrs. Hagstrom (BEVERLY D'ANGELO) looks down her nose at the former bunny, another informs Shelley that the Zeta Alpha Zeta house is in search of a new matron.

They're the decidedly less than cool or popular sorority with just seven members who are facing their charter being revoked by Dean Simmons (CHRISTOPHER McDONALD) if they can't attract 30 new pledges. And that seems unlikely, what with unofficial leader Natalie (EMMA STONE) coming across as nerdy; Idaho farm girl Carrie Mae (DANA GOODMAN) appearing a bit too masculine; Harmony (KATHARINE McPHEE) being quite pregnant; multi-pierced Mona (KAT DENNINGS) always sporting a sarcastic scowl; Joanne (RUMER WILLIS) wearing a full upper body brace; Tanya (KIMBERLY MAKKOUK) making little to no impression; and Lily (KIELY WILLIAMS) living in the closet and only communicating through text messages.

With Shelley needing a place to live and Natalie thinking this new addition might be able to draw boys and thus new pledges to their sorority, the former bunny moves in as their new house mother and immediately sets out to give the girls a makeover in hopes of helping them be more attractive to the guys, such as Colby (TYSON RITTER) for whom Natalie has a secret crush.

Yet, as that transformation begins and Shelley finds herself attracted to nursing home manager Oliver (COLIN HANKS), they must contend with Mrs. Hagstrom and the girls of Phi Iota Mu, including Ashley (SARAH WRIGHT), who want to undermine their efforts so that the Zeta charter is rescinded and they can take over their house.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
The Playboy angle might draw some teenage boys, while fans of anyone in the cast or movies about college and sorority life might also be interested.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13
For sex-related humor, partial nudity and brief strong language.
CAST AS ROLE MODELS:
  • ANNA FARIS plays a former orphan turned Playboy bunny who's shocked when she's kicked out of the mansion. Prone to appearing ditsy and wearing scanty/revealing attire, she craves an extended family and thus becomes the unlikely house mother to the Zetas. She then gives them a physical and mental makeover so that guys find them more attractive and sexy, but finds herself going the opposite direction (trying to appear smarter) in hopes of landing Oliver. She briefly uses strong profanity and makes various sexually related comments.
  • EMMA STONE plays the unofficial and smart, but nerdy leader of the Zetas who blossoms under Shelley's tutelage, but briefly becomes something of a snob like some of the other sisters.
  • COLIN HANKS plays the manager of a nursing home who takes a liking to Shelley, but is confounded by her odd and ever-changing behavior.
  • KAT DENNINGS plays the heavily pierced and most sarcastic member of the sorority who can't believe that Shelley is now their house mother, what with her superficial sexiness and such.
  • KATHARINE McPHEE plays the pregnant member of the sorority.
  • RUMER WILLIS plays one of the girls who wears an upper-body brace but eventually breaks free from that, both physically and psychologically.
  • KIELY WILLIAMS plays the sorority sister who spends most of her time in the house closet, communicating via text messages, but eventually shows herself and speaks for the first time.
  • DANA GOODMAN plays the somewhat masculine Idaho farm girl in the sorority who lacks finesse when it comes to interacting with boys.
  • SARAH WRIGHT plays a rival sorority member who looks down on the Zetas and repeatedly tries to undermine their efforts to recruit enough new pledges to retain their charter.
  • KIMBERLY MAKKOUK plays another of the sorority sisters.
  • OWEN BENJAMIN plays the Playboy mansion bartender and friend to Shelley who usually wears nothing but an open vest up top and likes another bunny getting kinky with him.
  • TYSON RITTER plays the guy Natalie likes.
  • CHRISTOPHER McDONALD plays the dean of the college who must decide whether to revoke the Zeta charter.
  • BEVERLY D'ANGELO plays the Phi Iota Mu house-mother who looks down on the Zetas and especially Shelley who she belittles.
  • 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 comedy that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of at least 1 "f" word (and another partially heard one in a song), while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Sexually related dialogue, lyrics and various gags are present (including a visual oral sex reference/misunderstanding).

    The same holds true for the sight of various young and shapely women (some of whom are porn models) in all sorts of very skimpy and revealing attire. Full rear female nudity is briefly seen, another's frontal nudity is blocked by a strategically placed foreground object in a calendar photo, and a college student is pregnant, while much is made about another still being a virgin.

    A few women punch other women on their clothed breasts, while slapstick and other mild comedy-based violence is present. Some behavior and the wearing of that scanty attire might be enticing for some kids to imitate, various characters drink and there's a brief reference to chew, there's some crude humor, and various characters have bad attitudes.

    Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

    For those concerned with bright flashes of light on the screen, there's briefly some of that from a fake volcano at a night party.


    ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE
  • Hef, various men and various bunnies have drinks at the mansion.
  • About a new bunny, Shelley states that she never throws up on anyone while drunk.
  • Due to her ditzy nature, a cop suspects that Shelley might be intoxicated (she's not), asks her to step out of the car, and says, "I'm gonna need you to blow on this" (meaning a breathalyzer). She's surprised (thinking he's meaning something else), says, "Okay, I guess..." and then kneels down in front of him.
  • Shelley overhears some college students talking about Marvin's tasty margaritas.
  • People drink in a club where Shelley has a kamikaze, while the sorority girls all have virgin drinks.
  • Miscellaneous people drink at a party.
  • BLOOD/GORE
  • About a new bunny, Shelley states that she never throws up on anyone while drunk.
  • Trying to flirt with guys, but without any tact, Carrie Mae asks if they know where the "crapper" is, stating that she needs to drop a load. When Shelley says guys like mystery, Carrie Mae repeats the same question and comment, but amends the end to needing to drop "a mysterious thing."
  • About doing some karaoke, Carrie Mae says she might puke, but doesn't.
  • When Ashley states, "Excuse me," a miscellaneous person replies, "Why, did you fart?"
  • Shelley tries to recreate the famous skirt being blown up, Marilyn Monroe moment, but the steam rising from a manhole cover ends up burning her legs (and she's later seen with what look like burn marks on her skin there -- played for laughs).
  • DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE
  • Marvin says he added something (meaning healthy) to Shelley's morning beverage, with her stating she usually doesn't find out about such things until later (a liquor and/or date rape drug joke - and some viewers might not like that).
  • Unbeknownst to Shelley, another bunny has forged a letter from Hef to her, kicking her out of the mansion.
  • Ashley looks down on the Zetas, as does Mrs. Hagstrom, and actively tries to undermine their efforts to recruit 30 new pledges.
  • A miscellaneous guy makes fun of Joanne (and her upper body brace), acting like the Tin Man from "The Wizard of Oz" asking for oil.
  • After a guy sarcastically asks if all of Mona's body piercings are a Hannibal Lecter thing, she bites him on the shoulder.
  • We hear that the sorority girls are going to sing a karaoke version of "Like a Virgin," but the lyrics have been changed by Ashley to embarrass the girls, including "a big bag of poop" and "Like a loser, so retarded..."
  • A rival sorority girl is mean toward a short member of Zeta, Tanya, saying she could sweep their chimney and then asks if she speaks human.
  • A rival sorority sends a loose pig into the Zeta house wearing something reading "losers," and we then see the same thing written on an inside wall.
  • Some viewers might not like jokes about Joanne and her upper body brace, including a "Forrest Gump" visual reference where she runs in an awkward way, but then breaks free from her metal apparatus (although she earlier admits that she could have removed that years ago).
  • Mrs. Hagstrom refers to Shelley as "a whorey little tart like you."
  • When one of the girls says that it's possible Oliver is interested in conversation before "hooking up," Shelley is shocked and asks, "He's gay?"
  • The girls of Zeta turn into snobs, condescendingly talking about some pledges. When Lily calls them on that, they all turn on Shelley and are mad at her.
  • Ashley has a guy distract Lily so that she can throw away the pledge invitation letters Lily is supposed to mail out (all so that no pledges show up, resulting in Zeta likely having its charter rescinded). Later, at a college meeting, Ashley and Mrs. Hagstrom (who says "Enough of the freak show" and "Can she really be this stupid?" about Shelley) encourage Dean Simmons to hurry and make that decision final.
  • FRIGHTENING SCENES
  • None.
  • GUNS/WEAPONS
  • None.
  • IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR
  • Phrases: "I'm the m*therf*cking princess" (song lyric, with the "f" word part partially silenced), "It's f*cking hot," "I pinky promise," "I'm a dude," "You do like look an older, sluttier version of a girl we'd want," "That's so dope," "That's even dopier," "Drama queen," "Do sexy," "Wash those cars, you sexy bitches," "You old grumpy," "Crapper" (toilet), "Loser," "Retarded," "You want to get cut, bitch?" "The eyes are the nipples of the face," "What the hell were you thinking?" (song lyric), "Excuse me," followed by someone else saying, "Why, did you fart?" "Run, Joanne, run," "My heart's pounding like a nail," "A whorey little tart like you," "Bad ass," "I know that, dip-switch," "I like that word, manhole," "You can't even tell if I have boobs," "Sweet balls," "Booyah snub," "A bunch of snooty bitches," "You're a back-stabbing bitch," "Kick-ass," "Enough of the freak show," "Ass cheeks," "You had me at ass cheeks," "Are you out of your mind?" and "I gotta meet this freakin' bird."
  • Some kids might be enticed to act like Shelley (ditzy, sexy, etc.) and/or dress like her (skimpy/revealing attire).
  • Shelley brushes her teeth in her car and rinses with a mouthful of Coke.
  • A miscellaneous guy has a tattoo.
  • Mona has various piercings (chin, nostril, etc.) with another implied at her crotch area (when Shelley runs a metal detector over her clothed body and detects something there, telling her she can keep that one).
  • Upon first meeting people, Shelley repeats their names using a deep, gravely voice (as a means of helping her remember them).
  • When Natalie goes to allow Colby to drink from a garden hose, Mona unexpectedly turns it on full blast, soaking his face.
  • A rival sorority sends a loose pig into the Zeta house wearing something reading "losers," and we then see the same thing written on an inside wall.
  • Ashley whacks another sorority girl hard on her clothed breast (non-sexually). Later, Mrs. Hagstrom punches Ashley hard on her clothed breast.
  • We see miscellaneous tattoos.
  • Shelley tries to recreate the famous skirt being blown up, Marilyn Monroe moment, but the steam rising from a manhole cover ends up burning her legs (and she's later seen with what look like burn marks on her skin there -- played for laughs).
  • JUMP SCENES
  • None.
  • MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)
  • None.
  • MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)
  • A song repeats the lyric, "I know what boys like. I know what guys want."
  • Sexually related lyrics are heard in the "Baby Got Back" song (heard as karaoke).
  • We hear that the sorority girls are going to sing a karaoke version of "Like a Virgin," but the lyrics have been changed by Ashley to embarrass the girls, including "a big bag of poop" and "Like a loser, so retarded..."
  • A song has a partially silenced use of the word "m*therf*cking" as well as a fully heard "What the hell were you thinking?"
  • A song has lyrics about "I wanna touch you...you wanna touch me."
  • A song has the lyric, "I'm not faking this, shut up and let me go" (a possible orgasm reference).
  • PROFANITY
  • At least 1 "f" word (while another partially silenced one, used with "mother," is heard in a song), 2 slang terms for sex ("hooked/hooking up"), 4 for breasts ("boobs"), 6 asses, 3 variations of crap, 2 hells, 7 uses of "Oh my God," 4 of "God" and 1 use of "Oh good God."
  • SEX/NUDITY
  • Shelley is usually seen in small and/or revealing attire, including short skirts, tight shorts, a bustier and a tiny bikini ensemble that closely resembles panties and a bra, all of which show a lot of skin, including a great deal of cleavage.
  • We see various bunnies in very skimpy bikinis and such, as well as shirtless men.
  • Shelley states that she has her list of turn-ons available for whenever she's named as the next centerfold, and says that appearing naked in the magazine would be the ultimate dream for her.
  • Some male gardeners stare at Shelley and other bunnies as they exercise (including bending over) in very scanty attire (one whose bottom shows part of her bare butt cheeks).
  • We see Shelley and other bunnies doing line dancing at a party while dressed in skimpy clothing.
  • A song repeats the lyric, "I know what boys like. I know what guys want."
  • Marvin is usually seen wearing just an open vest up top.
  • Marvin says he added something (meaning healthy) to Shelley's morning beverage, with her stating she usually doesn't find out about such things until later (a liquor and/or date rape drug joke). When he says that will envelop her taste, she replies (in a double entendre on the part of the film) that she likes having her mouth enveloped.
  • Due to her ditzy nature, a cop suspects that Shelley might be intoxicated (she's not), asks her to step out of the car, and says, "I'm gonna need you to blow on this" (meaning a breathalyzer). She's surprised (thinking he's meaning something else), says, "Okay, I guess..." and then kneels down in front of him. We next see her in jail along with various hookers (dressed in standard, cleavage and skin revealing garb, while one is a guy in drag) who think she's a novice prostitute.
  • We see Shelley in a tiny skirt and bustier that shows cleavage, her bare midriff, and lots of leg, especially when she sits down. When she meets a sorority member, that young woman says that Shelley looks like an "older, sluttier version" of the kind of girl they want. When she meets Mrs. Hagstrom, the latter says this isn't a brothel, with Shelley misunderstanding that as "broth" and says she's not making soup.
  • About the letter Z having fallen off their "Zeta" sign and the E missing, Shelley tells Natalie that at least they still have "T and A."
  • Shelley admits that she hasn't been a centerfold, but has appeared in various pictorials, including "The Girls of Charlie Sheen."
  • We see that Harmony is pregnant, but don't know any details.
  • Various college guys (at least one of which is shirtless) stare and/or lust after Shelley while she does bent over yoga poses in her bra and panties. That increases when she innocently hugs Natalie (the guys seeing it as girl-on-girl action despite the latter being frumpily dressed).
  • Mona has various piercings (chin, nostril, etc.) with another implied at her crotch area (when Shelley runs a metal detector over her clothed body and detects something there, telling her she can keep that one).
  • Shelley talks about the various things she used to do with the other bunnies, including painting their bodies and baking penis cookies.
  • Shelley walks out topless in front of the other girls with a towel around her waist. The others are shocked and avert their eyes (and Natalie comments on Shelley's perfect "boobs," but we just see her bare back). She then drops her towel and walks off (we see her full bare butt, briefly), with her bare crotch (not seen) ending up right at one of the girl's faces at the top of a stairwell (the girl is horrified and rushes off).
  • About charity events, Shelley says she once let Bob Saget grind on her during a slow dance.
  • We see Shelley standing on a car in a bikini (that looks like panties and a bra) for a sorority car wash, thus drawing the attention of various guys. She says the girls need to be seen as fun and sexy, while we see Harmony squeegee her bare, pregnant belly. Shelley then suggestively asks the guys if they want to see wet t-shirts, but Natalie takes that another step and asks if they want to see wet pants, and thus lets water from the hose soak her crotch area (inadvertently making it appear as if she's peed her pants).
  • Shelley hugs Oliver (who's fully clothed) while dressed in her bikini (that looks like a bra and panties).
  • Shelley says she and the sorority girls should go to a club and do some dirty dancing together to bond.
  • Sexually related lyrics are heard in the "Baby Got Back" song (heard as karaoke).
  • We see Harmony in a bikini top that shows her bare pregnant belly.
  • Shelley equips the sorority girls with various makeover items, including water bras to increase their bust sizes.
  • About a makeover, Shelley tells the girls that the eyes are "the nipples of the face."
  • Harmony shows cleavage and then again while posing for a calendar shoot.
  • The girls pose for a sorority calendar, with one working as the photographer and telling Harmony to make love to the camera. We then see the various pics, including one girl dressed in a sexy Santa outfit with the words "naughty or nice" on the page, while Carrie Mae is seen with her legs spread, fully nude save for the topiary she's trimming that blocks the view of her crotch or chest.
  • To convince Marvin to keep up the ruse about Shelley leaving the mansion, a bunny twists his bare nipples, causing him pain that he enjoys.
  • A song has lyrics about "I wanna touch you...you wanna touch me."
  • A guy asks for two sorority girl calendars in case there's an accident (a masturbation joke on the part of the film).
  • When one girl states a guy is interested in doing research with her, Harmony rubs her pregnant belly and tells the girl to be "careful what you 'research.'"
  • In public, Shelley loudly asks Natalie if the latter is a virgin, and when that's confirmed, says they should have an Aztec party where a virgin is "sacrificed." She says they tried to have such a party at the Playboy mansion, but could never find a virgin.
  • Joanne shows cleavage.
  • Mrs. Hagstrom refers to Shelley as "a whorey little tart like you."
  • We see shirtless guys and scantly clad young women at a party. One sorority girl gives a guy a verbal quiz, asking if he prefers her bent over or upright (showing him the options) and then asking if he'd put up with several minutes of some annoying trait for the chance to "hook up" with her (he says yes). Natalie, who shows cleavage, is then presented as the sacrificial virgin, tells Shelley that they might both lose their virginity this year (Shelley knowingly replies "Yeah..." since she isn't a virgin), is led to walk into some Jell-O "lava," and then slides down a water ramp to Colby who sees her in wet and scanty attire.
  • A song has the lyric, "I'm not faking this, shut up and let me go" (a possible orgasm reference).
  • Shelley tries to recreate the famous skirt being blown up, Marilyn Monroe moment, but the steam rising from a manhole cover ends up burning her legs (and she's later seen with what look like burn marks on her skin there -- played for laughs).
  • Shelley states, "I like that word, manhole."
  • Trying to entice Oliver on their date, Shelley keeps repeating various references about her butt.
  • When one of the girls says that it's possible Oliver is interested in conversation before "hooking up," Shelley is shocked and asks, "He's gay?"
  • About being in a standard sweater for a date with Oliver, Shelley complains, "You can't even tell I have boobs."
  • There's a comment about "all boobs and no brains."
  • Natalie and Colby kiss, and then do so again
  • After a guy helps Ashley undermine the Zetas, he asks if he can now see what sounded like her "pasanties" (presumably her panties) but she says no.
  • We see Shelley in very small skateboarding shorts for her Playboy photo shoot. When she says she can't do this and walks off the set, the male photographer tells her maybe they should take a shower and talk about it (but she leaves).
  • Shelley talks about getting a rash in the past, including on her "ass cheeks."
  • SMOKING
  • About the possibility of kissing a boy, Carrie Mae asks Shelley what she's supposed to do with her chew (we don't see any).
  • TENSE FAMILY SCENES
  • We hear from Shelley through voice-over narration and various old photos that she grew up as an unwanted orphan.
  • TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT
  • People who pose for pornographic publications, pornography in general, and what it says about those who view it.
  • We hear from Shelley through voice-over narration and various old photos that she grew up as an unwanted orphan.
  • We see that Harmony is pregnant, but don't know any details.
  • The notion that boys don't like girls who are too smart.
  • Shelley deciding to educate herself to try to impress Oliver.
  • The sorority girls enjoying their makeover, and then realizing that it's caused them to change for the worse on the inside as well.
  • VIOLENCE
  • Shelley's cat doesn't want to leave the mansion and thus sinks its claws into Marvin's chest (we see them pulling the skin out -- played for comedy).
  • The letter Z falls from the house and hits Shelley on the head, causing her to fall over backwards into the shrubs (played for laughs).
  • After a guy sarcastically asks if all of Mona's body piercings are a Hannibal Lecter thing, she bites him on the shoulder.
  • To convince Marvin to keep up the ruse about Shelley leaving the mansion, a bunny twists his bare nipples, causing him pain that he enjoys.
  • Ashley whacks another sorority girl hard on her clothed breast (non-sexually).
  • Shelley tries to recreate the famous skirt being blown up, Marilyn Monroe moment, but the steam rising from a manhole cover ends up burning her legs (and she's later seen with what look like burn marks on her skin there -- played for laughs).
  • Wearing glasses to try to make her look smarter, Shelley ends up falling over a restaurant table and then banging her head on the bottom of another (played for comedy).
  • Marvin swipes a blender off a counter and to the floor in frustration.
  • Mrs. Hagstrom punches Ashley hard on her clothed breast.



  • Reviewed August 20, 2008 / Posted August 22, 2008

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