A movie from writer-director Judd Apatow. Think of it as a Borat goes to labor and delivery…
Parents need to know that, like The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up earns its R rating with drug use, strong language (it’s constant, particularly “f–k”), nudity, and nonstop explicit conversations about sex. Naturally, most teenagers will want to see it, especially if they saw Virgin. But be advised — the main character and his roommates spend nearly all of their time high on marijuana, and the physiological aspects of pregnancy — from conception to crowning — are front and center. (On the bright side, after watching all of that, it’s a good bet that teens will be much less likely to risk having unprotected sex and may even appreciate what their mothers went through to give birth…)
Families can talk about the consequences of having sex — including pregnancy and parenthood. How do movies and TV shows usually depict unplanned pregnancy? How is this movie different? Does the fact that it’s a comedy make the issues seem less serious? Do you think Alison and Ben made the right decisions? Why or why not? Families can also discuss the “return” of the R-rated comedy. Do the raunchy bits make movies like this funnier, or do they go overboard?
Sexual Content
Fairly graphic sex scenes — not in terms of nudity (although Rogen’s bare butt is visible), but in the positions and conversation depicted. Everyone discusses sex, whether it’s a married couple casually discussing whether to have it or a group of guys debating whether Ben’s gonna get some, etc. There’s also a realistic representation of pregnancy that includes a woman’s hormonal shifts and sexual needs. At the end, there’s an almost documentary-style childbirth scene. There’s even movie-within-a-movie nudity (Ben’s job is to record whenever an actress gets naked on screen).
Violence
Some pushing and shoving.
Language
Lots and lots of cursing — think Tarantino levels but in a funnier context: F-bombs galore (plus all the other “standards”); the “c” word; various euphemisms for sex and genitalia; colorful insults.
Social Behavior
Yes, there’s unprotected sex and rampant drug use, but the consequences of both are made very apparent. Ben and Alison not only decide to have their baby but also to really get to know each other for the child’s sake.
Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco
Ubiquitous marijuana use and pot paraphernalia among Ben and his friends. Ben and Pete do mushrooms and hallucinate. Alison and Ben get incredibly drunk before their one-night stand. Clubgoers are shown drinking.