Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that Talladega Nights includes relentless commercial product placements, by way of parodying professional racing's tendency to slap logos on every available surface. The film also features lots of bawdy chatter concerning a wayward father's lusty behaviors and his son's cheating wife. The hero's two young sons spend half the movie behaving badly -- talking back to elders, cursing, and damaging property -- as their father, a stereotypical "redneck" parody, encourages them. An arm-breaking scene includes loud bone-breaking noise; several car crashes are violent (cars flipping and smashing and catching on fire). Same-sex and opposite-sex couples kiss; one gay character is portrayed very flamboyantly (continuing the movie's trend of stereotypical characterizations). Characters refer to drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes.
Sexual
Content
Women appear in skimpy clothing; references to Ricky's daddy's sexual appetites; kissing between both opposite-sex and same-sex couples; Ricky's best friend sleeps with and steals his wife; frequent references to "balls"; graphic reference to posing for Playgirl ("spreading cheeks").
Violence
Slapstick falls (no blood); several car crashes are a bit harrowing (cars flip over, bang each and walls, catch on fire, with some disturbing point-of-view camerawork); Jean breaks Ricky's arm (loudly); Ricky's attacked by a cougar, who leaves bloody scratches and a ripped shirt.
Language
One bleeped-out "f--k"; Ricky gives rival the finger; repeated uses of "s--t" and other obscenities.
Social
Behavior
Parodies NASCAR "culture" stereotypes, targeting Christianity and those who are homophobic.
Consumerism
The movie features racing's relentless endorsements; products named and pictured include Wonder Bread, Coca-Cola, Power-Ade, Sunoco, Old Spice, Mountain Dew, Domino's pizza, Taco Bell, KFC, Fig Newtons, Sprint, Applebees, Lucky Charms, Perrier, Hardees, Sprint, Sony Vaio, Visa, Sunoco, QVC, Kodak, Halliburton.
Drugs / Tobacco /
Alcohol
References to drugs (weed, peyote, crack); frequent drinking (team sponsor is malt liquor; champagne popped after races; race team owner's wife is always drunk) and some cigarette and cigar smoking.
