Kickin' It Old SkoolMovie Reviews

Poster art for "Kickin' It Old Skool."

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Avg. Critic Score: 18 out of 100 Overwhelming dislike Metascore® based on all critic reviews
Information for Parents:
14 Iffy for 14+
Read Common Sense Media review

Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 42
    The Onion A.V. Club | Nathan Rabin

    For a film that has nothing to offer but lazy '80s nostalgia, Kickin' It Old Skool doesn't even bother to get the details right. Read full review

  • 40
    The New York Times | Neil Genzlinger

    A romantic subplot is formulaic, and, most disappointing, the break-dance sequences don't sizzle, though the film's director, Harvey Glazer, is known for his music videos. Keep an eye out, however, for some nutty cameos. Read full review

  • 38
    Boston Globe | Wesley Morris

    Probably as tolerable as it can be for a comedy with no obvious creative aim. You can imagine the crew cracking up on some outtake reel, which honestly is what this movie feels like. Read full review

  • 30
    Variety | Dennis Harvey

    An inauspicious feature debut for director Harv Glazer and all three scenarists, the "Big"-meets-breakdancing comedy will be kickin' it to ancillary by swimsuit season. Read full review

  • 25
    San Francisco Chronicle | Peter Hartlaub

    A very stupid movie, with many more failed jokes than successful ones. Worse yet, much of the comedy is kind of mean. Read full review

  • 20
    The Hollywood Reporter | Frank Scheck

    Fails to live up to even the feeble potential of its premise. Read full review

  • 12
    New York Daily News | Elizabeth Weitzman

    As appealing as acid-washed jeans, Kickin' It Old Skool exists solely to provide employment for aggressively abrasive comic actor Jamie Kennedy. Read full review

  • 10
    L.A. Weekly |

    This ostensible comedy may be a new depths-of-hell low in the Emmanuel Lewis filmography, but for star Jamie Kennedy it's par for the coarse. Read full review

  • 10
    Los Angeles Times |

    A witless, mind-numbingly inert comedy. Read full review

  • 0
    Austin Chronicle |

    Kennedy's humor comes from the broad, brainless, lowest-common-denominator school (in other words, he was born to play a grown man with the intelligence of an boy). Read full review

View more reviews for Kickin' It Old Skool on Metacritic

Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says Iffy for 14+ Kennedy's lowbrow comedy best for '80s veterans.
What Parents Need to Know Parents need to know that this Jamie Kennedy comedy has crude humor and language. The "equal opportunity" jokes make light of coma patients, the mentally ill, homosexuals, Jews, African Americans, Latinos, and Asians, but not in an over-the-top way. A few scenes show Kennedy's character (a 30-year-old who miraculously comes out of a 20-year coma) "learning" about sex on the Internet (nothing is shown) and practicing moves on a male buddy who's wearing a wig and a bra. It's not a complete raunchfest like Borat or South Park; most teens are now used to this kind of humor -- as long as they're interested in the '80s, that is.
  • Families can talk about how no group is considered off-limits when it comes to Kennedy's mild ridicule. What did you think of the various racial jokes -- like the "Jewbiks Cube" or the "Ghetto Grabber" inventions? What's the purpose of jabs like these -- is it just pure mockery, or is there a more subtle message underneath? Parents should discuss how, over time, some words become socially unacceptable ("retard," for example). Is that a sign of extreme political correctness or simply increased sensitivity? Lastly, just for nostalgia's sake, parents can share their favorite '80s pop-culture trends.
The good stuff
  • message true0 Positive messages: It's debatable whether Justin is a role model for revived coma patients, but his dedication triumphs over his nemesis' selfishness.
What to watch for
  • violence false0 Violence: Dancers push and shove each other, and Darnell's girlfriend "bitch slaps" him.
  • sex false3 Sex: Two 10-year-olds kiss; another 10-year-old prepares for a kiss by sticking his tongue out. Justin learns about sex by, presumably, watching 12 hours of Internet porn. Justin practices how to touch a woman's "breasteses" on his male friend. Various characters give advice on how to touch a woman. Jen opens her shirt, but there's no nudity. Jen and Justin kiss.
  • language false3 Language: Several uses of "s--t" and "bitch," as well as "ass" and one "f--k." Characters (one African American, one Caucasian) say the "N" word to each other. Justin says "retard," not realizing that it's no longer considered acceptable. Other problematic words: "homo," a "Jewbiks cube" (features a menorah, a dollar sign, a star of David and circumcised penises), and referring to Asian and Latino friends as "rice and beans."
  • consumerism false3 Consumerism: Featured '80s brands/products include the show Knight Rider and the car KITT (as well as David Hasselhoff), Hammer pants, Pop Rocks, Garbage Pail Kids, and a ton of decade-symbolic movies and shows -- The Karate Kid, The Smurfs, Sixteen Candles, Transformers, Miami Vice, Diff'rent Strokes, etc.
  • drugsalcoholtobacco false0 Drinking, drugs and smoking: Even at a club party, there's no obvious drinking or smoking.
An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology. © Common Sense Media Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.

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