"17 AGAIN"
(2009) (Zac Efron, Leslie Mann) (PG-13)

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

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QUICK TAKE:

Comedy: An unhappy 37-year-old husband is magically rewound back to the age of 17 where he tries to reconnect with his estranged wife and teenage kids.

PLOT:

Back in 1989, Mike O'Donnell (ZAC EFRON) was the star basketball player at Hayden High School. But when he learned that his girlfriend, Scarlett (ALLISON MILLER), was pregnant, he decided to give up his dreams and marry her instead. Now, 20 years later, Mike (MATTHEW PERRY) isn't happy with any part of his life.

Beyond being passed over for a promotion at work, Scarlett (LESLIE MANN) has filed for a divorce that will be complete in a few weeks, while his teenage kids, Maggie (MICHELLE TRACHTENBERG) and Alex (STERLING KNIGHT), don't want much to do with him either. Accordingly, he's been staying with his friend, Ned Gold (THOMAS LENNON), who might be just as nerdy as he was back in high school, but now is an ultra-rich software developer.

While trying to connect with his kids who attend his old school, Mike has a meeting with an old janitor who somehow causes the unhappy man to be transported through a vortex where he comes out still in the present day, but back in his former 17-year-old body. After getting over that shock, he and Ned come up with the idea that Mike will pose as Mark, Ned's son and a new student at Hayden High.

While Ned tries to hit on Principal Jane Masterson (MELORA HARDIN), Mike tries to help Maggie and Alex who obviously don't recognize them. That's complicated by the fact that school bully Stan (HUNTER PARRISH) routinely torments Alex but is also Maggie's bad-boy boyfriend. By befriending Alex, Matt then meets Scarlett who's shaken by his appearance, but thinks nothing more of that. From that point on, and while trying to help out his kids, Matt tries to reconnect with Scarlett and stop her from going through with the divorce.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?

If they're fans of Efron (the "High School Musical" movies), anyone else in the cast, or "body swap" movies ("Big," "13 Going on 30") they just might.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13

For language, some sexual material and teen partying.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:

ZAC EFRON plays Mike as a 17-year-old, both in 1989 (when he's gotten Scarlett pregnant and gives up his basketball dreams to marry her) and then again in the present where he tries to reconnect with his estranged wife and kids. In doing so, he must balance being fatherly with pretending to be a teen, all while dealing with Stan the bully and Ned's outrageous courting of Jane. He uses some profanity and fights Stan a few times.

LESLIE MANN plays his wife who wants to move on with her life away from Mike, but finds herself strangely drawn to the 17-year-old version of him, not realizing it's really him. She's intoxicated in one scene.

MATTHEW PERRY plays Mike as an unhappy 37-year-old whose personal life and career are disappointments to him. He must contend with Scarlett wanting a divorce and his kids wanting nothing to do with him.

ALLISON MILLER plays her as a high school teenager who reveals that she's pregnant by young Mike.

THOMAS LENNON plays Mike's nerdy but ultra-rich friend who poses as his fake father, mainly so that he can hit on Jane, and he's prone to outrageous behavior (and it's implied he sleeps with her late in the film), while TYLER STEELMAN plays him as a nerdy and picked-on high school student in the past.

MICHELLE TRACHTENBERG plays Mike's daughter with a typical teenage attitude who wants little to do with him. She's dating bad-boy Stan and plans on dropping her other dreams to be with him.

STERLING KNIGHT plays her slightly younger brother who must contend with Stan bullying him, but brightens up when young Mike comes to his aid.

HUNTER PARRISH plays the school jock and bully who torments and belittles Alex, tries to intimidate and fights with young Mike, and makes out with Maggie, trying to pressure her to have sex with him.

MELORA HARDIN plays the school principal who wants nothing to do with Ned until she learns they have common, nerdy interests. It's implied she sleeps with him late in the film.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

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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).

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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 "s" word (heard in a song), while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Sexually related dialogue, innuendo, and song lyrics are present, as is related sexual material (erection talk, condoms handed out at school, some suggestive high school cheerleader moves), implied sex (including a teen ending up pregnant), various scenes of making out, partial nudity, and varying amounts of viewable cleavage (including by high school students).

There's some brief fighting and other such contact, as well as some destruction of property. Drinking occurs (including by teens at a party), while a woman is intoxicated after returning from happy hour. Bad attitudes are present, including bullying, while tense family material (failed marriage, teen kids wanting little to do with their dad, etc.) and potentially imitative behavior are also present.

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 lightning, and later a scene set in a hallway where the lights are flashing.

For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, there's a spin-around camera shot, as well as some handheld camera footage in the film.

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ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE

Young Mike takes a beer from the fridge, but Ned takes it away, jokingly stating that young Mike isn't old enough, and then drinks from that.

Scarlett and her friend Naomi return home, with Naomi sarcastically joking that she hasn't been to happy hour in a week and a half. Scarlett then appears to be intoxicated, and moves young Mike's face about like rubber.

Teens drink at a party, and young Mike comments on Stan being drunk.

Ned does some exaggerated smelling and tasting of wine in a restaurant. He and Jane then have wine, as do others around them.

BLOOD/GORE

Scarlett comments on being left with manure under her fingernails (not seen, and from working in the backyard).

Young Mike starts to stand at a urinal, but stops when he hears sounds coming from the stall (that turn out to be Alex duct taped there).

A teacher states that high school seniors abstaining from sex is just as likely as a porcupine "pooping goat cheese."

Stan makes a fake vomiting gesture while listening to young Mike.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE

Other players make fun of young Ned, with one saying, "It's Merlin the girlin," while even the coach refers to him as "Boy George."

After Mike's boss passes him over for a promotion in favor of a young woman, that boss checks out her clothed butt as she leaves the room. In turn, Mike takes the man's cell phone earpiece and smashes it against a wall.

Maggie tries to ignore her dad while he talks to her.

Stan is the school bully who not only picks on Alex (leaving him wrapped in duct tape in the bathroom when not belittling, harassing and intimidating him) but also tries the same with young Mike. He also steals food from another student's cafeteria tray.

Ned states that he made software to prevent illegal music downloads, but also made some that allowed that.

Some girls at school mock young Mike due to his appearance (that he quickly rectifies).

Ned pretends to be young Mike's dad to get him into high school, while young Mike doesn't let on about his real identity, thus telling various white lies.

As young Mike is bewildered at the normal crowded chaos in a school hallway, a cop angrily asks him, "What are you looking at, punk?"

Stan calls Alex "Hey, twinkle douche" and bounces his basketball off the teen's head. When young Mike takes that, Stan says, "Give me my ball back, bitch."

About Scarlett's date who he's never met, young Mike states (loud enough for the man to hear), "What a douche-bag" and "He's a tool."

Maggie cries when she says that Stan dumped her because she wouldn't have sex with him.

Stan tells Maggie he needs her to show that she loves him (sex), and when she refuses, he tells young Mike he can have the "nun," adding that she doesn't "put out."

Young Mike has a party at Ned's place without informing him, and lets it get out of control, with teen drinking and such.

FRIGHTENING SCENES

Matt spots an older man standing on the railing on a bridge at night in the rain. When a truck passes by, the man is gone, so Mike runs over there, but doesn't see the man. However, he does see a vortex into which he then falls and disappears.

GUNS/WEAPONS

None.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR

Phrases: "Because he's a d*ck," "Stan has a small wiener," "That's slutty," "You can plunder my dungeon anytime" (followed by "I'll bring my long bow"), "Alright, jock-straps," "It's Merlin the girlin," "Stone cold fox," "What's crack-a-lacking?" an incomplete "You little..." "What the hell are you doing?" "It's freaking me out," "Shut up," "'Sup?" "Are you kidding me?" "Watch where you're going, tool-bag," "I think our hands just made a baby," "Mark's a bastard," "A total douche," "What a douche (bag)," "What are you looking at, punk?" "Where the hell are you?" "If that boy were an apple, he'd be a delicious," "It's taped to my ass," "Hey twinkle douche," "You little punk," "Give me my ball back, bitch" (said to a guy), "Psychopathic jackass," "You little turd," "You little snot," "My bad," "Head screwed on straight," "Got your ass kicked," "Idiot," "Peacocking," "That's super inappropriate," "That's sick," "He's a tool," "Screw" (nonsexual), "There's no way in hell that's happening," "Who the hell do you think you are?" "You're a freak," "I'm a dork," "Sweet baby Jesus," "Your lair or mine?" "You're a weirdo little man-child," "Glorified midget wrangler" (crossing guard) and "Ladies" (men).

Some sexy cheerleader moves (in 1989, with young Mike participating, and in the present) might be enticing for some kids to imitate.

Some kids might want to imitate Ned's exaggerated nerdiness, including wearing pointy ears, dressing in an exaggerated fashion, etc. as that's all played to generate laughs.

Mad at his boss for passing him over for a promotion, Mike takes the man's cell phone earpiece and smashes it against a wall.

Mike finds Scarlett grinding up some of his belongings in a big wood chipper out in the backyard.

Ned does a combat roll on the floor.

Stan has a tattoo on his neck.

Various high school girls showing varying amounts of cleavage (sometimes a lot).

Young Mike finds Alex duct taped in a bathroom style (the handiwork of Stan -- not seen).

With a revived and revved up metabolism, young Mike is very hungry and thus shoots spray cheese into his mouth, and then makes a sandwich out of various food items that normally don't go together.

Stan makes a fake vomiting gesture while listening to young Mike.

Trying to teach Alex to shoot basketballs under pressure, young Mike repeatedly fires an air horn with each shot.

We see Stan and Maggie making out on a sofa (clothed), with young Mike then holding up a candle to a smoke detector to set it off and interrupt them.

Ned does some exaggerated smelling and tasting of wine in a restaurant.

Ned has young Mike hold up a fake police siren so that they can speed down the road.

JUMP SCENES

None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)

A little bit of suspenseful music plays in the film.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)

Lyrics in the song "Bust a Move" include "Wish you could sex her."

A song, "Nookie," has the line "Stick it up your..." and "I did it for the nookie" (heard playing from a car).

A song, "Fergalicious," includes one use of the "s" word as well as some suggestive lyrics.

PROFANITY

At least 1 "s" word (heard in a song), 5 slang terms using male genitals ("d*ck," "wiener," "tool" and "long bow"), 2 slang terms for sex ("do it" and "nookie," the latter heard in a song), 6 hells, 2 asses, 7 uses of "Oh my God" and 1 use each of "Godforsaken," "Jesus," "Oh God" and "Sweet baby Jesus."

SEX/NUDITY

We see young Mike shirtless while shooting basketballs.

As lyrics in the song "Bust a Move" include "Wish you could sex her," we see high school cheerleaders doing some sexy dance moves (one's covered butt is seen when her skirt briefly flies up), while young Ned does a butt slapping gesture while watching them.

Young Scarlett informs young Mike that she's pregnant (we don't hear the conversation, but moments later he states that the baby is their future and the two passionately kiss).

We see Mike at a meeting for the pharmaceutical company where he works, and the product they're discussing is for erectile dysfunction (we see a few ads with related wording, but no explicit visuals). Mike's boss comments that a 4-hour erection isn't necessarily a bad thing, and Mike jots down the note "Erection = good." After Mike's boss passes him over for a promotion in favor of a young woman, that boss checks out her clothed butt as she leaves the room.

Scarlett's friend, who wears a cleavage-revealing top, says that Scarlett has "the butt of a 12-year-old boy" (implying that's good).

We briefly see Ned in his boxers and a shirt.

Trying to prove that he's himself at a younger age, Mike tells Ned that he knows the latter has an undescended testicle.

Ned is smitten with Jane, and after they shake hands, he excitedly states, "I think our hands just made a baby." He then states that Mark (young Mike posing as his son) is a "bastard," adding that he had him out of wedlock. He then asks if he can smell her hair, but Jane is taken aback and states that she doesn't get involved with her students' parents.

Various high school girls showing varying amounts of cleavage (sometimes a lot).

About young Mike, an enticed female student at school says, "If that boy were an apple, he'd be a delicious."

The cheerleader Alex likes, Nicole, shows cleavage.

Stan and Maggie make out.

Young Mike states that one of the reasons Stan is a bully is that he has a small "wiener."

Scarlett's friend shows cleavage, and states that Scarlett needs to "hook up" with someone new.

Stan and Maggie make out.

Young Mike attends science class where the topic is human sexuality, and the female teacher states the official school policy is abstinence. Young Mike (as Maggie's dad) thinks that's a great idea and says so to the students, while the teacher says she realizes the chances of that with seniors is unlikely, so she hands out a box of condoms and Maggie and others each take one, while Stan takes a handful. After young Mike makes another plea and comments on "making love" meaning you "do it" with someone you love to create a child, all of the girls are smitten with his sensitivity and put the condoms back. Stan then grabs those and says that's more for him and that they'll last a weekend, lecherously stating that toward Maggie.

Ned is dressed flamboyantly and states he's "peacocking" to try and impress Jane. When he then goes to sit down in front of her, he makes sure he does a turn where he sticks his clothed butt out a bit in her direction (all of which disturbs her).

Thinking young Mike is just a teenager smitten with her (while it's really her husband back in 17-year-old form), Scarlett comments on being aware of the "cougar hunting" and "mom you'd like to..." longing (without completing the last part that's usually the sexual use of the "f" word).

Stan and Maggie make out.

We see Stan and Maggie making out on a sofa (clothed), with young Mike then holding up a candle to a smoke detector to set it off and interrupt them.

Scarlett and young Mike nearly kiss, but Alex interrupts them.

A song, "Nookie," repeats the line "Stick it up your..." and "I did it for the nookie" (heard playing from a car).

Various high school girls come on to young Mike, with one saying she'd have to unwrap him, while another suggestively states she was kicked off the cheerleading squad for being too flexible, prompting her friend to say, "That's slutty."

Maggie cries when she says that Stan dumped her because she wouldn't have sex with him. When young Mike tries to make her feel better, she then starts to come on to him (not realizing it's her father in 17-year-old form).

We see miscellaneous cleavage at a party, followed by various teens in the pool, including at least one in a bikini (while guys are shirtless). We also see some shirtless guys inside, while one walks by completely nude, save for a shield he holds at his crotch area (we see the side of his butt).

Stan tells Maggie he needs her to show that she loves him (sex), and when she refuses, he tells young Mike he can have the "nun," adding that she doesn't "put out."

When young Mike comes to on a bed after being knocked out, he finds Maggie (not realizing it's her father in 17-year-old form) coming on to him (her hands down his shirt, while showing her own cleavage). He tries to avert this, with her then suddenly thinking he's gay.

After realizing they're fellow nerds, Jane suggestively asks (in subtitles), "Your lair or mine?" with Ned hurriedly asking for the restaurant check.

Young Mike kisses Scarlett, but she then slaps him.

A song, "Fergalicious," includes some suggestive lyrics, while high school cheerleaders dance and do suggestive moves to that while wearing standard outfits (bare midriff, short skirts, etc.).

Jane suggestively tells Ned, "You can plunder my dungeon any time," with him replying that he'll bring his "low bow."

Mike finds Jane in Ned's bed, as she comes out from under the covers (in night clothes), and Ned then pops up from under the covers as well, suggesting sex or fooling around.

SMOKING

None.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES

We hear that Mike has been kicked out of the house and Scarlett and their kids want nothing to do with him.

Maggie tries to ignore her dad while he talks to her.

Mike finds Scarlett grinding up some of his belongings in a big wood chipper out in the backyard. We then hear that their divorce will be final in a few weeks. She also comments on him never finishing things and blaming her for his failures.

Scarlett is upset that Mike is not at their divorce proceedings (he isn't because he's now in the form of young Mike).

While in the form of his teen self, Mike tries to convince Scarlet from going through with the final divorce proceedings.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT

Young Mike giving up his dreams in order to marry young Scarlett who he's gotten pregnant.

Abstinence and high school students (a scene involves talk of that, as well as the female teacher handing out condoms to male and female students).

Failing or failed marriages and their effect on families and kids.

The notion of "If I only knew then what I know now."

A janitor talks to Mike about the people who revisit their high school to think about their glory days, and Mike says his life was better back then.

How some people peak in their high school years, while others do so later in life.

Bullies and how to deal with them.

VIOLENCE

Mad at his boss for passing him over for a promotion, Mike takes the man's cell phone earpiece and smashes it against a wall.

Mike finds Scarlett grinding up some of his belongings in a big wood chipper out in the backyard.

Thinking young Mike is an intruder, Ned tries to attack him. That includes with an ax (with the blade planting into a wall), and young Mike defends himself with a shield, while Ned ends up falling over a railing to the floor below. Young Mike also pulls a rug out beneath Ned that sends him to the floor, while Ned also comes at him with a sword (that breaks a stick young Mike is holding and goes through a chair in which he ends up seated), while young Mike pushes the handle on a table top game that hits Ned in the crotch. The two also battle with prop light sabers, with young Mike using his to flip Ned off his feet, but Ned then kicks young Mike in the crotch. We later see young Mike with ice on his head and covered crotch. All of the above is played for light comedy.

Various students accidentally bump into young Mike in a crowded school hallway, while others purposefully do the same or shove him.

Stan bounces his basketball off Alex's head.

Mad about Stan making a sexual remark about Maggie, young Mike tackles him, but Stan gets the upper hand and punches him several times while on top of him on the floor.

Alex's pants leg accidentally catches on fire (played for comedy and he's okay).

After Stan makes another sexual comment about Maggie, young Mike tries to punch him but misses. Stan, however, connects a punch to young Mike's face, knocking him out.

One young person falls down some stairs at a party and accidentally knocks down others.

Young Mike kisses Scarlett, but she then slaps him. Various female students who saw that then also slap young Mike, followed by Ned slapping his face four times (for having a party at his place without telling him).

Reviewed April 14, 2009 / Posted April 17, 2009

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