Follow @screenit

"FANBOYS" (2009) (Sam Huntington, Chris Marquette) (PG-13) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Heavy Mild Heavy Minor Mild Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Heavy None Mild Minor Heavy Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Heavy Minor Minor Heavy *Moderate QUICK TAKE: Comedy: A group of fans obsessed with "Star Wars" set off on a 1998 road trip to California in hopes of stealing a preview copy of the latest upcoming film in the series. PLOT: It's 1998 and longtime friends Linus (CHRIS MARQUETTE), Hutch (DAN FOGLER) and Windows (JAY BARUCHEL) are eagerly awaiting the release of "Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace." In fact, they've been waiting for it since the last "Star Wars" film some 15 years earlier. Now in their early to mid twenties, they're best described as "fanboys," although their friend Zoe (KRISTEN BELL) is just as versed in all things Jedi. Eric (SAM HUNTINGTON) used to be like them, but has moved on, now working for his dad's automotive chain, and seeing himself as the only one who's grown up. That's driven home when he attends a party where his past friends arrive dressed like Darth Vader and his storm troopers, but Eric has a change of heart toward them and their fixation when he learns that Linus has cancer. Accordingly, he helps resurrect his former friend's 5th grade plan to break into "Star Wars" creator George Lucas' Skywalker Ranch and steal an advance print of the upcoming film. Traveling in Hutch's van, the guys set off from Ohio for California, with Zoe joining them when she has to bail them out of jail. As they continue on their trip to get their hands on the film, they must contend with various obstacles along the way, including rival sci-fi fans who are just as fanatical about "Star Trek" as they are about "Star Wars." WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? If they're fans of the "Star Wars" movies and/or anyone in the cast, they might just be interested in it. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13 For pervasive crude and sexual material, language and drug content. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: SAM HUNTINGTON plays a young man who thinks he's the only of his childhood friends who's grown up and lives like an adult. Yet, upon hearing of Linus' illness, he leads the effort to drive to Skywalker Ranch, break in, and view an early cut of the movie. He also uses profanity. CHRIS MARQUETTE plays his former friend who's bitter at him for his belief that Eric bailed out on their dream of creating comic books, and thus initially isn't crazy about him returning into his and their friends' lives. While suffering from cancer, he doesn't let that control his mindset. He also accepts a bag of peyote from a stranger after the latter gets him and his friends high the night before, and is a fanatic about all things "Star Wars" related. DAN FOGLER plays the wildest of the friends, prone to overacting, lying and bluffing, etc. and is the most vocal about his "Star Wars" obsession (including verbally and physically sparring with "Star Trek" fanatics). He also uses profanity and briefly fools around with a hooker, although he's initially unaware of her profession. JAY BARUCHEL plays the nerdiest of the friends who laments having only slept with one woman in his 24 years, and initially isn't aware of Zoe being attracted to him. It's later implied that they've fooled around to some degree. KRISTEN BELL plays the lone female in the group. She has a snarky attitude, uses profanity, and secretly likes Windows, eventually ending up in some sort of relationship with him (with whom she presumably fools around). 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 comedy that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of at least 1 "f" word, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Sexually related dialogue, behavior and other material is present (including references to erections, and a guy thinking he's getting lucky with what turns out to be a scantly clad hooker), while bare butts (male and female) are seen while mooning others. Other nudity is present, but viewed in full by others and not the camera, while some gay related humor is also present. Violence consists of some comedy-based fighting and striking of others, bad attitudes are present, and there's all sorts of behavior that might be enticing for kids to imitate. A major character is noted as having cancer, and various scenes feature crude humor. Various people end up high after unknowingly ingesting peyote, while drinking and alcohol content occur in other scenes, and there's brief tobacco content. 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 concerned with bright flashes of light on the screen, there's some of that from police cruiser lights, and later from campfire flicker. For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, there's some handheld camerawork in the film. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Various young people drink at a party. When Eric comments on Hutch bringing up their 5th grade plan at the party the night before, Hutch replies that he was "Six Zimas to the wind" when he said that. People drink in a bar. A stranger befriends the guys, giving them dip that's apparently laced with peyote as they all experience drug hallucinations (demonstrated by visions and distorted audio, as well as a "Star Wars" type of text scroll stating they're very high). When they leave the next morning, the stranger gives Linus a bag of the same (with Linus telling him, "You're cool as balls, you old hash head"), and he later freaks out (as do the others upon hearing the news), knowing it's in his possession, when a police officer tries to pull them over. While trying to pick up two young women with Windows, Hutch says they'd like to buy them a beverage, but we never see that occur. A pimp retrieves a bottle of wine from a fridge, but Hutch later breaks that over his head so that he and Windows can flee. Hutch distributes beer to his friends in a movie theater. BLOOD/GORE Zoe's party costume is covered in blue tampons, with her stating she's Picasso's blue period. Hutch tells Windows, "I will corn-hole you with a light saber." Taunting some Trekkers, Linus asks what Sulu found in Captain Kirk's bathroom, answering that with "a captain's log." Hutch jokes about Windows "crapping" his robe during an earlier encounter. While unintentionally high, one of the guys imagines his hand being sliced off with a light saber (we see the severed hand, but no blood, and it's played for laughs). We see all four guys with their backs to the camera, urinating on an electric fence (we see a few streams, as well as some sparks). Hutch says he has to use the bathroom in jail, taking the guys' sandwiches and spreading out the bread and meat as a toilet seat cover of sorts. Windows later complains that Hutch "took a dump" in front of them, with Hutch apologizing for Windows' sock, saying he had to wipe. At the same time, Zoe complains that an old guy on the bus next to her traveling there appeared to have a full diaper. Zoe complains about Hutch stinking, saying he smells like something "sh*t" in her nose. A pimp tells one of the guys that he's going to rip their tongue out and lick their "ass" with that. Windows runs to use a public restroom, but finds the door locked, with a stranger commenting on that being bad when one has to go, and uses the term "turd" during that. About the earlier ham sandwich used as a toilet seat cover, one friend tells Hutch that his "ass" still smells like ham and cheese. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE The comment "social retard" is used. Eric's brother is a jerk who makes fun of Hutch and the others, referring to them as "penis face" and "d*ck head" as attached to "Star Wars" character names. Linus isn't happy to see Eric, stemming from thinking the latter bailed on their comic book collaboration and friendship in the past. The friends, and especially Hutch, have bad attitudes for fanboys who are into "Star Trek" rather than "Star Wars" (and the feeling is mutual the other way). One of the guys taunts a Trekker, asking to name a gay person in "Star Trek" besides the Trekker, and then makes fun of Capt. Picard being gay. A person uses the comment "tardo." A mean bartender drinks from a glass of water before handing it to one of the guys, saying it will cost $100, while a beer bottle is broken as part of a threat (but not held on anyone). In the same scene, Hutch tries to act tough by stating he's raped guys in prison. One of the guys refers to the police as "Imperial bacon." Rather than pull over, Hutch tries to elude a police cruiser after them (since they have a bag of peyote with them). About being in prison, Hutch admits that he shouldn't have called the cop "a fag." To describe something (non-gay related), Zoe states, "This is so gay." While trying to pick up two young women with Windows, Hutch tries to hush his friend and refers to him as "my socially retarded friend" to them. The friends break the law by breaking and entering George Lucas' private property. Zoe punches a guard in the face for an inappropriate comment he made to her. Eric's brother refers to some less than nice fans of Eric's as "fags." FRIGHTENING SCENES The friends end up sliding down a chute into a garbage room where the walls briefly start to close in on them, compactor style (played for laughs). GUNS/WEAPONS Various "Star Wars" weapons props are seen or carried from time to time in the film, including laser blasters, light sabers and such, while large battle blades from "Star Trek" are also seen and used in one brief battle. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "So you can get f*cking Strawberry Shortcake," an incomplete "What the f..?" "I bailed on that sh*t," "I can't listen to this sh*t," "Sh*t-box," "Holy sh*t," "Clean up this sh*t-hole," "Who cares about this sh*t?" "Jedi mind-sh*t," "Piece of sh*t," "Oh sh*t," "You smell like something sh*t in my nose," "Check this sh*t out," "Gonna be the sh*t," "Dip sh*t," "A man package," "I would sell my left nut," "Penis face," "D*ck head," "Sweet yams" (breasts), "Do you have the nut-sack to go through with it?" "No jerking it in my van," "Wakey, wakey, hands off snakey," "Want to d*ck with me? I can d*ck," "I'm sorry, I don't speak jack-off," "You p*ssies owe me," "Hotties on the slotties," "I would knock the nickels out of that p*ssy," "You smoking hot whore," "Such a d*ck," "WTF" (written), "Bitches" (guys), "Bad ass," "I will corn-hole you with a light saber," "Social retard," "Why the hell not?" "Way to douche up the party," "You're an idiot," "Suck it," "Jackass," "What the hell /is he doing here?" "One miserable son of a bitch," "You sick bastard," "Geeking out," "Sorry, Garfunkel," "Trekkie bitches," "Get the hell off our land," "Get the hell out of here," "Dude," "Pimp slap," "Whores," "(You're a) Douche bag," "Han Solo's a bitch," "My ass," "Tardo," "What in Greedo's name is that?" "Hell no," "Tight ass," "Kick ass," "Son of a whore," "You're cool as balls you old hash-head," "Scruffy nerf herder," "Imperial bacon" (police), "Big ass," "Fag," "Criminal ass germs," "Took a dump in front of us," "Shut up," "Hey, Spice Girls," "Ladies," "My socially retarded friend," "Jesus, Murphy," "Skinny little idiot friend," "You little sons of bitches," "Screw" (nonsexual), "Freaking sick," "Screw it," "Turd," "Your ass still smells like ham and cheese," "Where the hell are we?" "Your uni-ball," "God, you're sexy," "Freezing your nuts off," "Let's move it, Boba fags" and "What if the movie sucks?" Some kids may want to imitate the friends' obsession with "Star Wars" (or something else), including spouting trivia, dressing up in costumes, etc. Zoe's party costume is covered in blue tampons, with her stating she's Picasso's blue period. Zoe gives "the finger" to Hutch after he tries to use mind control to make her show him her breasts. About their plan, Hutch says, "We'll get laid" and then grabs Linus' feet (in shoes, lying down) and starts humping them while standing (until Linus tells him to stop, with Hutch joking he was getting into it). Moments later, Hutch playfully starts humping Windows (with the latter telling him to stop as well). As they race away from Trekkers in Hutch's van, Eric moons them in the back window (we see his bare butt). Various people have tattoos (in several scenes). Windows holds up a "Flash if you like Wookies" sign to two young women in a car next to the van. One nearly does, but then playfully gives the guys "the finger" with both hands, while the driver does so with just one hand. We see all four guys with their backs to the camera, urinating on an electric fence (we see a few streams, as well as some sparks). As Windows goes to see his dream Internet girl (who unknowingly turns out to be a 10-year-old girl), Eric playfully humps the window looking in, Linus rubs his clothed chest, and Hutch does some wiggling of his hips. Hutch makes some sort of penis reference by putting his hand down his thigh as if indicating the length. To prove she's tough, Zoe jumps on Hutch's back and then has him in a headlock. After getting away from a pimp with her friends, Zoe moons the man from the back window of the van (we see her bare butt). A woman lifts her shirt and flashes her bra (with cleavage) at Windows. Hutch does a ninja roll and then crawls along the ground like a commando. Hutch distributes beer to his friends in a movie theater. JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) A mild amount of playfully presented, suspenseful music plays in the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) A song includes use of what sounded like "assholes." PROFANITY At least 1 "f" word, with another possible one, an incomplete one, and one used in the acronym "WTF"), 17 "s" words, 1 slang term for sex ("laid"), 6 slang terms using male genitals ("d*ck," "snakey" and "man package"), 3 using female ones (variations of "p*ssy"), 2 for breasts ("yams"), 16 hells, 15 asses (2 used with "hole"), 8 damns, 3 S.O.B.s, 2 variations of crap, 31 uses of "Oh my God," 6 each of "God" and "Jesus," 3 of "Oh God," 2 each of "G-damn" and "Oh Jesus," and 1 use each of "For God's sakes," "Jesus Christ," "My God" and "Oh dear God." SEX/NUDITY About feeling something unexpected, Eric tells Hutch he hopes that's just his laser blaster poking him. Hutch jokes that Windows' unmet "girlfriend" has a "man package" and goatee. Hutch states he'd sell his "left nut" to see the upcoming film, adding that he only has one. We briefly see Eric's dad in a TV ad for his automotive business where he's surrounded by bikini-clad young women. About a painting or similar image of Princess Leia on the side of his van, Hutch says she's got it where it counts, all as he rubs the image's clothed chest. Eric's brother is a jerk who makes fun of Hutch and the others, referring to them as "penis face" and "d*ck head" as attached to "Star Wars" character names. Hutch tries to do a "Jedi mind trick" on Zoe by telling her, "You want to take your shirt off" and comments on her "sweet yams." She tells him she won't fall for that, but to prove that Windows is completely absorbed in something else, she pulls up her shirt and reveals her breasts to him (he doesn't see them, nor do we as her back is to the camera and then foreground objects block our forward view). About their plan, Hutch says, "We'll get laid" and then grabs Linus' feet (in shoes, lying down) and starts humping them while standing (until Linus tells him to stop, with Hutch joking he was getting into it). Moments later, Hutch playfully starts humping Windows (with the latter telling him to stop as well), while the question is asked, "Do you have the nut sack to go through with it?" (the plan). Among the three rules Hutch tells the others, one is "no jerking it in my van." Later, while driving, he wakes up the others with the announcement, "Wakey, wakey, hands off snakey." As they race away from Trekkers in Hutch's van, Eric moons them in the back window (we see his bare butt). The guys inadvertently end up in a gay bar where Hutch tries to put on the tough guy act (when they're threatened) by telling one man he's raped guys in prison many times bigger than the one who's in their face, adding that he used to "pound asses." We then see that the guys have been forced to do a strip tease to a Menudo song up on the stage. Windows strips down to his boxers from which he pulls a sock, while Hutch strips down fully nude (we only see his bare chest, just like the other two friends) and everyone reacts in horror, apparently at the sight of his scrotum ("He's got one ball"), but we don't see it. While unintentionally high, one of the guys imagines seeing a "Star Wars" Ewok humping Hutch's leg. The morning after unintentionally getting high, Windows is spooning with Hutch. The latter wakes up in shock and asks what he's doing poking him from behind, but Windows says it's just his R2D2 lucky piece, with Hutch saying Windows wishes he had the girth of that character. Windows holds up a "Flash if you like Wookies" sign to two young women in a car next to the van. One nearly does, but then playfully gives the guys "the finger" with both hands, while the driver does so with just one hand. As Windows goes to see his dream Internet girl (who unknowingly turns out to be a 10-year-old girl), Eric playfully humps the window looking in, Linus rubs his clothed chest, and Hutch does some wiggling of his hips. Hutch makes some sort of penis reference by putting his hand down his thigh as if indicating the length. A guy says that something is the worst idea since director Joel Schumacher put "nips" on the Batman character. One of the guys states, "I'm sorry, I don't speak jack-off." We briefly see Hutch shirtless and Zoe reacts in disgust to his hairiness. Windows laments that he's 24 and has only "copulated" with one woman. Hutch spots two young women in a casino and refers to them as "hotties on the slotties" and says, "I would knock the nickels out of that p*ssy." He and Windows go up to hit on them, and we next see Hutch lying on a hotel bed next to one (both clothed, although she shows some cleavage), exaggerating himself, prompting her to state that there's nothing sexier than a man with power. He then tries his standard Jedi mind trick on her, telling her she wants to sit on his lap (she does) and wants to remove her shirt (she does, revealing more cleavage, and Hutch stares in amazement at that). At the same time, Windows is in a hotel room with the other woman, but they're only chatting about him and Zoe, when the woman lets it out that she's an escort. When Windows rushes into Hutch's room, we see the first woman in her panties and camisole (or something similar) on top of Hutch, and that's when Windows informs his friend that the two women are hookers ("a smoking hot whore"). Eric and Linus ending up meeting William Shatner who tells them he can score anything. One asks what about Jeri Ryan's panties, and Shatner repeats his claim. After getting away from a pimp with her friends, Zoe moons the man from the back window of the van (we see her bare butt). When trying to encourage the continuation of their quest, Eric asks if others named their right hand "Leia" like they did (a masturbation reference to the character Princess Leia) and Hutch says he named both of his hands that. Linus grabs and kisses a middle-aged emergency room doctor (the joke being that it's Carrie Fisher who played Princess Leia). Windows runs to use a public restroom, but finds the door locked. Two guys come out, with gay sex implied as one pays for the other who isn't happy with his friend (a third guy) who was waiting outside and apparently arranged the encounter. A woman lifts her shirt and flashes her bra (with cleavage) at Windows. While diving for cover from guards, Windows lands on Zoe on a sofa. He states that a hooker gave himself, she's taken aback, but he says it's the truth about her (Zoe) and the two kiss while there. When he gets up, he adjusts the front of his pants (a possible erection joke). During a round of trivia questioning by Skywalker Ranch security, the guy asking questions suddenly turns to the sexual, asking Windows where a woman's G-spot is located, followed by questions/comments about various sexual acts with unusual names ("Louisiana pile-driver," etc.). There's a reference to Hutch's "uni-ball." While camping in a tent, Zoe tells Windows (who's behind her), "That better be your lucky R2" poking her, but he says no, it's his penis. We see Zoe dressed in a Princess Leia style bikini. SMOKING There's brief smoking in a bar (including a guy holding a cigar). TENSE FAMILY SCENES Eric's dad tells his son that his mother would have been proud of Eric (but we don't know what happened to her). TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT There's talk that Linus is dying from cancer. People who become ultra-obsessed with films, film series and such. Eric stating his belief that he's the only one of the friends who's grown up. The comment that you need one thing (here, the notoriety of breaking into Skywalker Ranch to watch the film in advance) to live on forever. Windows laments that he's 24 and has only "copulated" with one woman. It's implied that a person has died from cancer. VIOLENCE All of the following is played for laughs. Hutch and a Trekker take turns shoving each other, followed by a brawl (comedy style) between the "Star Wars" and "Star Trek" fanboys. That includes a knee to a crotch, hitting another with the base of a large show prop, and one biting off the fake Vulcan pointy ear from another. That ends with Eric picking them up in the van and driving off, running into and breaking a "Trek" statue. Hutch's van gets a flat, followed by the sudden stop of a crash on the side of the road (no one is hurt). While unintentionally high, one of the guys imagines his hand being sliced off with a light saber (we see the severed hand, but no blood, and it's played for laughs). Harry Knowles throws Windows to the ground, repeatedly smashes him to the side of the van, and slaps him several times (for meeting Knowles' 10-year-old niece, although Windows didn't know her age beforehand). Harry then grabs Eric by the throat, and kicks Hutch backwards. He then kicks Windows on the ground. Rather than pull over, Hutch tries to elude a police cruiser after them (since they have a bag of peyote with them). They hit the nitro booster and race down the road, but blast through a billboard and then crash to a halt (none are hurt). A cop or jail guard throws the guys' food at them. To prove she's tough, Zoe jumps on Hutch's back and then has him in a headlock. A pimp grabs Hutch by the throat, but moments later Hutch breaks a wine bottle over the man's head so that he and Windows can flee. A "Star Wars" loving pimp struggles with some Trekkers before eventually pushing them to the floor. He then chases after Hutch and his friends, eventually jumping onto the van's hood, but he flies off that during their escape. We then see, however, that Linus also fell from the van, but we don't see the impact (he's taken to the hospital but is released). A guard grabs Zoe, but she stomps down on his foot and kicks him in the crotch to escape. Zoe punches a guard in the face for an inappropriate comment he made to her. Reviewed February 17, 2009 / Posted February 20, 2009

Other new and recent reviews include:

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,
©1996-2016 Screen It, Inc.