SCREEN IT! PARENTAL REVIEW: WELCOME TO MOOSEPORT

"WELCOME TO MOOSEPORT"
(2004) (Ray Romano, Gene Hackman) (PG-13)

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

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

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

QUICK TAKE:: Comedy: An unassuming small town plumber faces serious competition for his girlfriend and the local mayoral race when he learns that his opponent for both is the former President of the United States.

PLOT:

Mooseport, Maine is the sort of little town where everybody knows everyone there, including Harold "Handy" Harrison (RAY ROMANO), the amiable and reliable plumber. He's been seeing veterinarian Sally Mannis (MAURA TIERNEY) for six years, but is reluctant -- for a number of reasons -- to pop the question, leaving her increasingly dissatisfied in their relationship.

It and the town are then shaken up with the arrival of former U.S. President Monroe "Eagle" Cole (GENE HACKMAN). The most popular man to hold that office in years, he's looking forward to recovering from a financial beating at the hands of his ex-wife and former First Lady, Charlotte Cole (CHRISTINE BARANSKI), who's taken him for most everything he's worth.

When Cole arrives in town, little does he know that the local council has decided he should succeed the recently deceased mayor. Although his assistant, Grace Sutherland (MARCIA GAY HARDEN) and PR man, Bullard (FRED SAVAGE), think it's a bad idea, the former President gives his word that he will.

Little does he know, however, that Handy already threw his hat into the ring. When the unassuming plumber learns that he's up against the President, he graciously bows out. Yet, when Cole asks out Sally -- unaware that she's seeing Handy -- and she accepts, the plumber reenters the race, determined to get Sally back and win the election.

With Cole's former campaign manager, Bert Langdon (RIP TORN), back on the job, and Handy's friends and co-workers, such as Irma (JUNE SQUIBB), urging him on, the two men prepare to do battle -- campaign style -- for control of Mooseport.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: If they're fans of someone in the cast, they might, but this one doesn't seem too enticing for younger kids.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13: For some brief sexual comments and nudity.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: GENE HACKMAN plays the former President of the U.S. who moves to Mooseport only to find himself in an unexpected campaign against Handy. He does what he must to defeat him, while continuing to pursue Sally, drinks a few times and uses some profanity.
RAY ROMANO plays the unassuming local plumber who's reluctant to wed Sally and then finds himself fighting for her and the job of mayor against the former President. He drinks some and is drunk in one scene.
MARCIA GAY HARDEN plays Cole's top assistant who isn't pleased about the way he's running his campaign and life. She gets tipsy in one scene.
MAURA TIERNEY plays Handy's longtime girlfriend and the local veterinarian. She isn't pleased about his reluctance to marry her and thus starts seeing Cole. She uses some brief profanity and is tipsy in one scene.
CHRISTINE BARANSKI plays the President's brash ex-wife who arrives in town to make his life miserable.
FRED SAVAGE plays the President's PR man who isn't pleased to be working in that capacity.
RIP TORN plays the President's former and re-hired campaign manager who devises ways to defeat Handy.; RAY ROMANO plays the unassuming local plumber who's reluctant to wed Sally and then finds himself fighting for her and the job of mayor against the former President. He drinks some and is drunk in one scene.
MARCIA GAY HARDEN plays Cole's top assistant who isn't pleased about the way he's running his campaign and life. She gets tipsy in one scene.
MAURA TIERNEY plays Handy's longtime girlfriend and the local veterinarian. She isn't pleased about his reluctance to marry her and thus starts seeing Cole. She uses some brief profanity and is tipsy in one scene.
CHRISTINE BARANSKI plays the President's brash ex-wife who arrives in town to make his life miserable.
FRED SAVAGE plays the President's PR man who isn't pleased to be working in that capacity.
RIP TORN plays the President's former and re-hired campaign manager who devises ways to defeat Handy.; MARCIA GAY HARDEN plays Cole's top assistant who isn't pleased about the way he's running his campaign and life. She gets tipsy in one scene.
MAURA TIERNEY plays Handy's longtime girlfriend and the local veterinarian. She isn't pleased about his reluctance to marry her and thus starts seeing Cole. She uses some brief profanity and is tipsy in one scene.
CHRISTINE BARANSKI plays the President's brash ex-wife who arrives in town to make his life miserable.
FRED SAVAGE plays the President's PR man who isn't pleased to be working in that capacity.
RIP TORN plays the President's former and re-hired campaign manager who devises ways to defeat Handy.; MAURA TIERNEY plays Handy's longtime girlfriend and the local veterinarian. She isn't pleased about his reluctance to marry her and thus starts seeing Cole. She uses some brief profanity and is tipsy in one scene.
CHRISTINE BARANSKI plays the President's brash ex-wife who arrives in town to make his life miserable.
FRED SAVAGE plays the President's PR man who isn't pleased to be working in that capacity.
RIP TORN plays the President's former and re-hired campaign manager who devises ways to defeat Handy.; CHRISTINE BARANSKI plays the President's brash ex-wife who arrives in town to make his life miserable.
FRED SAVAGE plays the President's PR man who isn't pleased to be working in that capacity.
RIP TORN plays the President's former and re-hired campaign manager who devises ways to defeat Handy.; FRED SAVAGE plays the President's PR man who isn't pleased to be working in that capacity.
RIP TORN plays the President's former and re-hired campaign manager who devises ways to defeat Handy.; RIP TORN plays the President's former and re-hired campaign manager who devises ways to defeat Handy.

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 "s" word, while other expletives and colorful phrases are used. Some sexually related dialogue is present, two dogs are briefly seen mating, an older male jogger's bare rear is seen on several occasions and a woman throws her various sized and colored panties at her boyfriend while perturbed at him (in a scene with sexual connotations).

Some characters have bad attitudes, a few drink (three to the point of varying degrees of intoxication) and a brief drug reference is made. A divorced couple doesn't get along, while a brief fight, other hitting and some brief slapstick style material (all played for laughs) also occurs.

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: President Cole has a drink.
Miscellaneous people have drinks at a reception.
President Cole and Bert have drinks.
President Cole and Sally have wine in a restaurant, as do others.
Handy says that he's going to go into a restaurant's bar as there might be people drunk enough there to vote for him.
Sally has a drink.
Handy has a beer in a bar where others also drink.
Handy shows up at Sally's doorstep at night and is drunk.
Sally asks a waitress if they have Irish coffee and she gives Sally a bottle of whiskey. Sally then pours some into her coffee and then for Grace. Later, we see that the bottle is empty, both ladies appear to be tipsy and the waitress drinks more liquor straight from another bottle. Later, President Cole asks Grace if she's drunk.
President Cole wonders why his team hasn't found anything on Handy, such as that he "knocked up a local" or grew marijuana. He then adds, "Hell, I grew marijuana."
A woman drinks from a can of what might be beer.
Bert says he tried to bribe the election officials for the final vote tally with, among other things, a year's supply of beer.

BLOOD/GORE: Sally complains that Handy smells after he's worked on a septic tank (not seen).
About being nervous, Handy says that he can't go to the bathroom, as he'd pee all over the place.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: President Cole refers to Handy's office by saying, "What a dump."
Sally agrees to go out with Cole (despite being in a long-term relationship with Handy) just because she's disappointed in him not asking her to marry him.
A press reporter asks Sally, "Have you and the President had sex yet?"
President Cole tells his Secret Service agents to break Bullard's leg, but then says that he's kidding (as they chase after him).
A Secret Service agent states that they can eliminate Handy for President Cole (played for laughs).
President Cole and Handy play a game of golf where the winner gets to date Sally.
President Cole shows various forms of bad attitudes in his quest to defeat Handy in the mayoral race.
Charlotte briefly gropes Bullard's clothed butt as she passes by him.

FRIGHTENING SCENES: None.

GUNS/WEAPONS: There's a brief, imagined scene of President Cole holding a knife and rushing at his ex-wife (played for laughs).

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: Phrases: "Oh, sh*t," "Too damn early," "Wicked witch of the west wing," what sounded like "Turd-port," "Holy crap," "Shut up," "Idiot," "Drop out, you bastard," "I know I can kick your ass," "Wank off," "Call him a horn dog," "I'll be buggered by a bear," what sounded like "Booty poodle-ism" (or something like that), "Get the hell out of here," "Loser," "Don't be a weenie," "What, are you insane?" "Oh, crap," "Blood sucking vampire" and "You son of a bitch."
A person says "Loser" while holding up their fingers to their head in the shape of the letter "L."

JUMP SCENES: None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): There's a tiny bit of suspenseful music in a fantasy scene that's played for laughs.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): None.

PROFANITY: At least 1 "s" word, 5 S.O.B.s, 4 hells, 3 craps, 2 damns, 1 ass, 1 bugger, 3 uses each of "For God's sakes" and "Oh my God" and 1 use each of "God," "Jesus," "My God" and "Swear to God."

SEX/NUDITY: We see several full rear views of an older male jogger as he jogs down the town street. In several shots, a large banner blocks a frontal view of him.
We see Handy's dog mating with another dog (the rear of their bodies, and thus that particular contact is blocked from our view, but there's no doubt what they're doing). After Handy tells the dog to keep its "thing" on its body, he asks one of his young male workers why he didn't do something. The guy replies that he doesn't have cable TV.
After Sally complains that Handy smells (from working), he says he'll take a shower and then enthusiastically adds, "We can take a shower."
A press reporter asks Sally, "Have you and the President had sex yet?"
A young blonde asks Handy, "Do you like it?" while somewhat suggestively showing a campaign button on her clothed chest. Handy sheepishly smiles.
Sally shows a little bit of cleavage.
Handy questions why Sally is wearing black underwear (not seen) on her "date" with President Cole. She asks if he was looking up her dress and he replies that her color choice is an unconscious indicator of her subconscious intentions. She then pulls out many pairs of different colored panties and tosses them at him, asking about each one. She then pulls out a tiny pair and asks if he remembers them. He does, and says that they're locking those up. She then says that she could go out wearing no underwear at all and sarcastically asks what that indicates.
We see that Handy got Sally a pair of panties as a gift (in a box and while she's on her date with President Cole).
We see the above older male jogger's bare butt as he stands nude on the street.
President Cole wonders why his team hasn't found anything on Handy, such as that he "knocked up a local."
As Handy talks about a lava lamp he and Sally had in the past, he says, "Then we...by the light of it" (referring to sex).
Charlotte briefly gropes Bullard's clothed butt as she passes by him.
President Cole and Grace briefly kiss on several occasions.
Handy jokingly comments on noticing that Sally is wearing a thong (we don't see it).

SMOKING: A man holds an unlit pipe in several scenes.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: We hear that President Cole and Charlotte divorced while he was President and the two don't get along (she's after his money and he isn't pleased to see her or learn about her campaigning for Handy).

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: The life of former Presidents.
Sally agrees to go out with Cole (despite being in a long-term relationship with Handy) just because she's disappointed in him not asking her to marry him.
The golf/life metaphor of playing up or "going for the green" in life.

VIOLENCE: When President Cole surprises him in the bathroom, Handy hits his head on the toilet (he was on the floor fixing it). When he stands up, two Secret Service agents rush in and pin him against the wall.
Sally whacks Handy's chest while slightly mad at him.
Sally pushes Handy backwards and he falls to the street along with another man.
President Cole throws his golf club at a tree and then accidentally hits Handy with a ball.
Sally accidentally breaks some glasses or other related items on the floor with a putter (trying to hit a ball between them) while intoxicated.
Handy accidentally punches President Cole in the face. The two then briefly struggle (as others try to separate them), with each grabbing at and/or pushing the other's face. A curtain then falls onto them and others, and Bullard accidentally causes two large ladders to fall onto that curtain (hitting the people beneath it).
Sally playfully pushes Handy and he falls off some porch steps.
Sally playfully punches Handy's shoulder.

Reviewed February 15, 2004 / Posted February 20, 2004

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