Finding Amanda

2008 R 1h 27m DVD

Finding Amanda

2008 R 1h 27m DVD
  • Overview
  • Details
To impress his wife (Maura Tierney) and save his marriage, Taylor Peters (Matthew Broderick), a struggling sitcom writer with a serious gambling problem, hatches a plan to go to Las Vegas; find his troubled niece, Amanda (Brittany Snow); and safely deliver her to rehab. But Amanda's enjoying her new life as a prostitute and isn't interested in cooperating with her uncle, who's finding it hard to resist the temptations of Sin City.
Cast
Matthew Broderick, Brittany Snow, Maura Tierney, Peter Facinelli
Director
Peter Tolan
Format
DVD
Screen
Widescreen Anamorphic 1.78:1
Subtitles
Spanish (Neutral)
CC
Yes
Audio
English: Dolby Digital 5.1, English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Rating
R - Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. Contains some adult material. Parents are urged to learn more about the film before taking their young children with them.
age 17+
Common Sense rating Not for kids
age 17+

Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that teens probably won't be clamoring to see this mature dramedy. Which is just as well, since it attempts to put a light sheen on serious topics like prostitution but ultimately comes across as somewhat dismissive. There's a fair amount of swearing -- within the first 15 minutes alone, a panoply of cuss words (including "f--k") lets fly -- and a whole host of vices, from gambling to drinking and drug use. There's also some partial nudity (breasts) and implied sex. And even though he's lying through his teeth almost every time he opens his mouth, the lead character doesn't seem to feel much remorse about it.

Sexual Content

Bare breasts in a strip club. Some sex acts are implied, as when a woman is shown performing oral sex on a man (no genitals shown) while people casually hang out and conduct a drug deal. A lead character is a prostitute and talks candidly about what she does "at work." Pretty explicit descriptions of sex acts and references to body parts, as well as to infidelity.

Violence

A woman attacks a man after he spits on her face and insults her; a man threatens the lead character after he's caught cheating; a pimp bloodies a man's nose and later breaks his by smashing a Dumpster lid on it. A man roughs up his girlfriend. A father allows his two young sons to play with guns; the only admonition is to aim below the waist.

Language

Everything you can think of, all used early and often: "crap," "s--t," "f--k," "c--t," "dick," and more -- sometimes in front of children.

Social Behavior

A young prostitute appears untroubled by her profession, except when a client insults her to her face. Even then, she appears to recover quickly; in the end, there doesn't seem to have been much of a change in her thinking, except perhaps about relationships. A man constantly lies to his wife and to himself about his addictions and appears to have little remorse about it, except for when he seems on the verge of losing everything. Men hurt women both physically and emotionally; women deceive and accept all forms of abuse; people take drugs, drink too much, and gamble away their lives. Some of this is played for comedy (laughing yet?).

Consumerism

Vegas signage; constant mention of Taylor's TV sitcom.

Drugs / Tobacco / Alcohol

A lead character relapses into previous drinking and drugging ways (Ecstasy is identified, as well as weed); dealers sell their wares; Vegas casinos ply visitors with drinks so they'll gamble more, and visitors are happy to imbibe, even if some of them are supposed to be on the wagon.

  • Age appropriate
  • Not an issue
  • Depends on your child and your family
  • Parents strongly cautioned
  • Not appropriate for kids of the age

This information for parents is provided by Common Sense Media, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving kids' media lives.

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