SCREEN IT! PARENTAL REVIEW: JET LAG

"JET LAG"
(2003) (Jean Reno, Juliette Binoche) (R)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Minor	Minor	Heavy	None	None

Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Minor	None	None	None	Heavy

Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Extreme	Minor	Mild	Moderate	Minor

QUICK TAKE:: Subtitled Romantic Drama: Two stranded airline passengers begin to develop feelings for one another when they keep running into each other at the airport.

PLOT:

Félix (JEAN RENO) is a businessman and former chef who's headed to Munich to meet his ex-girlfriend Nadia to attend a family funeral. Beautician Rose (JULIETTE BINOCHE) is also traveling, but she's trying to get away from her abusive boyfriend, Sergio.

When both of their flights are delayed due to bad weather and strikes, Félix and Rose end up meeting at Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport. Despite them being polar opposites in terms of personality - she's an extrovert and he's a nervous hypochondriac -- she agrees to a platonic invitation to share his hotel room overnight so that she doesn't have to sleep at the airport.

From that point on, and as various delays keep reuniting them, the two begin to learn about and eventually have feeling for each other.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: Unless they're fans of someone in the cast, it doesn't seem too likely.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R: For language and brief sexuality.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: JEAN RENO plays a stranded businessman who ends up inviting Rose to share his hotel room, but in a platonic fashion. He uses some strong profanity, is a neurotic hypochondriac and briefly fools around with her.
JULIETTE BINOCHE plays a beautician who's running from an abusive relationship and hides beneath a great deal of makeup. She uses strong profanity, apparently had an abortion in the past, and briefly fools around with Félix.; JULIETTE BINOCHE plays a beautician who's running from an abusive relationship and hides beneath a great deal of makeup. She uses strong profanity, apparently had an abortion in the past, and briefly fools around with Félix.

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 romantic dramedy that's been rated R. Profanity consists of at least 4 uses of the "f" word, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also used. Some sexually related dialogue is present, a pornographic TV program is briefly seen twice (with movement and sounds), a couple briefly fools around (and sex is somewhat implied) and some nudity (a woman's bare butt and partial bare breasts) is present.
Some bad attitudes are present, some brief drinking occurs and some thematic material includes abusive relationships, neurotic behavior and talk of a past abortion. 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.

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE: Félix and Rose have wine with dinner. He later has more wine.
Félix and Rose have wine with dinner again.
Félix tells a story of his father with a drink (but that he wasn't drunk).

BLOOD/GORE: We hear Rose urinating.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: Rose's long-time boyfriend is a manipulative jerk with a short temper who says that the best day he had was when he had her abort their child. He also calls her names, but is only briefly present in the film.
Félix and Rose look through the other's belongings when they're not present. He also breaks her hand mirror and then tries to hide it (but later tells her the truth).

FRIGHTENING SCENES: None.

GUNS/WEAPONS: None.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: Phrases (in English subtitles): "F*ck you, bitch," "F*ck off," "F*ck logic," "F*ck fine cuisine," "Bullsh*t," "Screwed" (sexual), "Whores," "Pain in the ass," "Shut up, bitch," "Slut," "What a bitch," "Broad" (woman), "Don't give a damn," "Sucks," "Screw up," "Bastards," "Busted your balls," "Jerk," "Nuts" (crazy), "It sucks" and "Freaking out."

JUMP SCENES: None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): None.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): None.

PROFANITY: At least 4 "f" words, 2 "s" words, 1 slang term for sex ("screwed"), 2 damns, 1 ass, 1 crap, 1 S.O.B., and 1 use each of "G-damn," "My God" and "Oh my God" as exclamations (in English subtitles).

SEX/NUDITY: Rose states that her line of work takes two people (thus making us think she's a prostitute), but she then laughs and says she's a beautician.
Félix changes channels on the TV and briefly comes across a porno film that shows rear entry intercourse (with movement of the man behind the woman and sounds of the woman's moans). He accidentally comes across that channel again, but the view is only for a few seconds just like the first time.
Félix and Rose talk about her faking orgasms with her long-term boyfriend (this is mentioned several times). She then says that she thought Félix invited her back to his hotel room for sex (he didn't) and that they should take advantage of their situation since they're strangers and will never see each other again. After another faked orgasm comment, she asks him the last time he touched a sensitive spot (innuendo) other than the TV remote control (he says about 9 months).
When Félix complains about women and mornings, Rose sarcastically asks that "what gets it up at night" does nothing in the morning for him.
Félix states he was married twice before, and that one of his wives "screwed the maitre d."
We see views of Rose's bare breasts in bed (as the sheet around her rides down to reveal them down to the nipples).
We see Rose swimming alone at night in an indoor hotel pool and can see through the water that she's nude (but no details). She then gets out of the water and we see a brief, full rear nude view of her.
Félix nuzzles Rose's neck, she makes some pleasured sounds (but says that she doesn't want to sleep with him) and he partially gets on top of her on a table while she's in just a robe (seen in a series of quick cuts that are mostly of the head and shoulders variety). She says she's only been with one man, but a phone call interrupts them and nothing else happens.
We see Félix and Rose in the "spoons" position while asleep and clothed on a hotel bed (we don't know if they had sex or not).

SMOKING: A person is seen smoking on TV.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: We hear that Félix's ex's grandparent has died and he's on the way to the funeral (we never see the ex or the funeral).
We hear that Félix left home at the age of 17 (after being upset with his dad) and that he hasn't seen him or his mother's grave since then. He does later see his father.
Félix states he was married twice before, and that one of his wives "screwed the maitre d."

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: Relationships (including abusive ones).
Women who use lots of makeup.
Abortion (there's brief talk that Rose's boyfriend made her have one sometime in the past).
Rose mentions that her parents were communists.
Nervous breakdowns.

VIOLENCE: Rose accidentally opens a hotel bathroom door into Félix's head as he lies on the bathroom floor (he's okay).

Reviewed June 6, 2003 / Posted June 27, 2003

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