"CHARLIE'S ANGELS"
(2000) (Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz) (PG-13)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Moderate	Mild	Heavy	Mild	Heavy
Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Moderate	Minor	Moderate	Moderate	Mild
Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Moderate	Moderate	Minor	Mild	Extreme

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QUICK TAKE:

Action/Adventure: Three beautiful and sexy detectives are hired to find a kidnapped software executive only to uncover an elaborate murder-revenge plot that threatens worldwide privacy as well as their very existence.

PLOT:

Dylan (DREW BARRYMORE), Natalie (CAMERON DIAZ) and Alex (LUCY LIU) are three beautiful and sexy private investigators who work for Charlie Townsend (voice of JOHN FORSYTHE), a reclusive figure they've never met and who delivers their assignments to them via speakerphone. Proficient in espionage through their use of various high-tech tools, martial arts and disguises, the "Angels" - along with Charlie's front man, Bosley (BILL MURRAY) - always get the job done.

Their latest assignment involves finding Eric Knox (SAM ROCKWELL), the founder of Knox Technologies who's just been kidnapped. He's recently designed a voice-identification program that's more accurate than fingerprinting and Vivian Wood (KELLY LYNCH), the president of his company, believes that rival Roger Corwin (TIM CURRY), who runs Red Star Systems, may be behind the crime.

As the Angels begin to investigate Corwin, have various violent encounters with a mysterious character known only as the Thin Man (CRISPIN GLOVER), and deal with various significant others in their lives such as Jason (MATT LeBLANC), Chad (TOM GREEN) and Pete (LUKE WILSON), they deploy all sorts of disguises and tools while trying to solve the crime. What they uncover, however, soon puts their, Bosley's and Charlie's lives in dangers.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?

Preteens probably won't (unless they're fans of someone in the cast), but this hip retreading of the old 1970s TV show will probably have many teens wanting to see it.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13

For action violence, innuendo and some sensuality/nudity.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:

DREW BARRYMORE plays one of the private investigators who's proficient at martial arts and disguises. She does sleep with Knox and it's implied that she also slept with Chad.

CAMERON DIAZ plays another one of the Angels who's similarly proficient at disguises and fighting. She's the more exuberant member of the trio and enjoys having a good time (and occasionally dances around - once in her underwear which is also how she opens the door to a delivery man).

LUCY LIU plays the third angel who has the same abilities as her cohorts, but is the more serious/intent of them all, and dresses and does something of a dominatrix bit in one scene.

BILL MURRAY plays Charlie's front man and the angel's immediate boss.

SAM ROCKWELL plays a kidnapped software executive who sleeps with Dylan and turns out to be a bad guy.

KELLY LYNCH plays the President of his company who also turns out to be a villain and fights the Angels.

TIM CURRY plays the egotistical owner of a telecommunications company who's believed to be responsible for Knox's kidnapping.

CRISPIN GLOVER plays a mysterious hit man who constantly smokes and tries to harm or kill the Angels on various occasions.

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:

The following is a brief summary of the content found in this PG-13 rated film. A great deal of action-based, martial arts fighting occurs, with many punches and kicks (some of them rather brutal) being delivered to both men and women. Other violence includes some lethal moments (a helicopter exploding, an off-screen murder, etc.), attempted lethal ones (several scenes where people shoot at others with handguns and machine guns) and well as the non-lethal variety (explosions, punches, etc.).

The various Angels occasionally dress or act provocatively (revealing outfits and acting in feigned, amorous ways) and the camera often focuses on their clothed body parts; it's implied that one sleeps with two different men (we see her in bed the morning after each); some verbal sexual innuendo is present; one woman is seen completely nude from a distance as she accidentally rolls down a hill and then later holds an inflatable pool toy that covers any explicit nudity; and a couple goes into an airplane bathroom presumably to have sex.

Profanity consists of a few expletives and colorful phrases, while a few songs have lyrics/subject matter that might be objectionable/offensive to some viewers. Since many young girls might look up to the three main stars of the film as role models, the impressionable ones among them may want to imitate the way the Angels dress, speak and behave (including all of the martial arts fighting).

Beyond that, the villains have the standard bad attitudes (including attempts at killing people), while various characters smoke and drink. If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for anyone in your home who may wish to see it, we suggest that you more closely examine our detailed content listings for specific examples of what occurs in the film.

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ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE

Some people have drinks on a plane, including one "man" who orders Scotch.

People, including Corwin, have drinks at a party/reception where Pete works as a bartender.

Corwin has a drink at a racetrack.

A man drinks a beer in a belly-dancing venue.

Alex and Jason have wine with a meal.

Vivian has wine (and spikes Bosley's with some unknown substance).

Knox has champagne.

The Angels have drinks while lounging on the beach and they state that Bosley has had too many drinks (we see him tip over in his chair).

BLOOD/GORE

We see blood splatter out from the front of a man's shirt as well as the back of a woman's clothing as both are shot, but we then quickly see that it's just a scene from a movie that's being filmed.

A man has a little bit of blood on his head after being kicked several times.

Rockwell's face is a little bloody after being in a fight.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE

A man has a bomb strapped around his chest, presumably to blow up the plane he's on.

We see brief flashback footage of Dylan as a recruit and she punches her "drill sergeant" instructor in the face (after tiring of him badgering her).

Some viewers may be offended by a scene where Alex is dressed like a stereotypical Japanese masseuse and her two cohorts join her (dressed the same way) as the song, "Turning Japanese" plays on the soundtrack.

Knox turns out to be a bad guy who tries to kill Dylan (and thinks he's succeeded), and Vivian turns out to be his criminal accomplice who fights the Angels. Meanwhile, the mute Thin Man works for them and fights/tries to harm/kill the Angels.

FRIGHTENING SCENES

It's possible that some viewers might find some of the scenes listed under "Violence" as tense or unsettling, but most are played strictly for action and/or laughs.

GUNS/WEAPONS

Bomb: Seen worn around a man's chest (to blow up a plane) and later detonated in midair.

Handgun: Repeatedly fired by the Thin Man at the Angels.

Knife/Sword: Used by the Thin Man to threaten the Angels and presumably to kill someone else.

Machine guns: Used to riddle a trailer in an attempt to kill someone.

Explosives: Not seen, but used to blow up a large building.

Fake gun: What Bosley has whittled some material into the shape of while held captive.

Missiles: Used to destroy a brick/stone tower and blow up a helicopter.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR

Phrases: "Bastard," "Crazy bitch," "Jerk," "And that's kicking your ass" and "Sucks."

Some kids, and in this case, girls, may want to imitate anything and everything the Angels do, such as dressing/acting provocatively or engaging in acrobatic martial arts moves.

We see Dylan at a younger age and she gives "the finger" to the camera.

We see a young couple sneak into an airplane bathroom (presumably to have sex), but we don't see anything more concerning them.

Natalie dances around in a cropped shirt and her underwear at her place, often vigorously shaking her panty-clad rear end.

Posing as a masseuse, Alex gets rough with Corwin (he thinks its part of the massage) by jumping and landing on his back.

We see a human fire breather do his thing at a party (hold a flame to his mouth and spit alcohol over it to create a fireball).

JUMP SCENES

A building suddenly blows up.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)

A moderate amount of suspenseful and occasionally ominous music plays (sometimes in a playful manner) during the film.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)

The song "Undercover Angel" has lines with wording such as "I never had a dream that made sweet love to me."

Another song repeats the lyric, "Smack my bitch up."

A song has a lyric something along the lines of "do you do me baby."

Another song, "Baby Got Back," is all about the singer's preoccupation with women's butts (that he likes them and wants women to shake them, etc.) and includes the word "hell."

PROFANITY

At least 1 "s" word, 2 asses, 2 damns, 1 hell, 5 uses of "Oh my God," 2 of "God" and 1 use each of "G-damn," "Jesus" and "Oh God" as exclamations.

SEX/NUDITY

We see a young couple sneak into an airplane bathroom (presumably to have sex), but we don't see anything more regarding them.

We see Natalie in a small and revealing bikini.

We see part of Dylan's bare hip (as well as lipstick smeared across her face) as she sleeps in Chad's bed (suggesting they slept together). When she gets up, he states that they can have breakfast and then maybe "a little Chad."

Natalie dances around in a cropped shirt and her underwear at her place, often vigorously shaking her panty-clad rear end. When she then answers the door to accept a package from a deliveryman, she tells him that after she signs a release waiver, he can feel free "to stick things in my slot" (innuendo from the movie and not intentionally from the character).

Alex and Jason rehearse some lines from a movie (although we don't know this at first, thus leading to the following innuendo), with her stating that it's going to be long, hard and rough and him replying that he likes it rough and it just gets him there faster.

Alex shows cleavage.

We see Alex in a small, formfitting dress as she poses as a masseuse. Later, as she gives a massage to Corwin, he says that she's good with her hands and that he could use someone like her on his staff (of employees). She replies that her hands aren't going anywhere near his "staff" (a reference to his genitals that we don't see).

The camera briefly focuses on Alex's clothed butt.

While talking to Pete about this being her first time acting as a waitress at a party, Natalie tells him that she's like a virgin, and that it's her first time (more innuendo).

Dylan shows a great deal of cleavage while dressed in an auto racing jump suit that's zipped down quite a ways in the front (she isn't wearing a shirt). She then tries to distract a limo driver by stating that it's "hot" and then suggestively licking his steering wheel.

The camera briefly focuses on Natalie's clothed butt.

We see Natalie and Alex dressed and performing like traditional belly dancers and then later see the three women dressed in cleavage-revealing outfits where one of them smacks the clothed butt of the other while performing a song for a man they're trying to dupe.

The camera briefly focuses on Alex's clothed butt while she wears a tight, leather miniskirt. She then acts like something of a dominatrix while addressing an assembly of software engineers who are mesmerized by her, her appearance, and her repeating cracking of what looks like a riding crop.

The camera briefly focuses on Natalie's clothed butt as she bends over wearing a formfitting outfit.

Wearing what looks like a tight, leather dress, Vivian visits Bosley and then aggressively comes on to him, kissing him and then moving partially on top of him on his sofa.

We see Dylan get out of Knox's bed with just a sheet wrapped around her, suggesting that they had sex. When Vivian later spots her that way and comments on working undercover, Dylan snidely remarks that hers is a "full service job." Later, Knox states that Dylan was (what sounded like) "a tomcat in the sack."

Moments later, Dylan hangs from that sheet and then falls to the ground below and rolls down a hill completely nude (seen from a distance and without any detail, but you can tell she's nude). She then picks up an inflatable, donut shaped pool tool that she holds up to her body (thus covering her breasts and crotch, but we see her bare belly and the sides of her bare hips from a frontal view) while knocking on a sliding glass door to ask two boys for help.

Natalie shows some cleavage in a scuba outfit and when she and her two cohorts begin to remove those wetsuits, we see their bare backs but the camera pans up before we see anything else.

SMOKING

The Thin Man smokes more than 5 times, Knox smokes a few times, Dylan does so once in a flashback to her rebellious years, some miscellaneous/background characters smoke (one uses a cigar), and we see a still smoking cigar in an ashtray (that belongs to Charlie).

TENSE FAMILY SCENES

Knox mentions that his father was killed in the past when his Green Beret partner turned on him.

Dylan then mentions that her mom died when she was six and that she never knew her father.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT

The way in which the women resolve their problems and the situations in which they find themselves.

Drew Barrymore's character sleeping with two different men over the course of the film.

VIOLENCE

A man grabs another man by the neck, moves over to the exit door on their plane that's in flight, and opens the door. They're sucked out of the plane and plummet toward the ground, while a bomb is pulled off the second man's chest and then explodes in midair (no one is hurt).

We see brief flashback footage of Dylan as a recruit and she punches her "drill sergeant" instructor in the face (after tiring of him badgering her).

Natalie turns around and accidentally slams into a doorframe.

Dylan playfully throws a rock hard muffin at Natalie, hitting her in the chest. In turn, Natalie heaves it back at Dylan, missing her, but it becomes embedded into the door behind her.

We see videotape surveillance footage of someone coming up behind Knox and hitting him on the head, knocking him out, while someone else struggles with Vivian.

Posing as a masseuse, Alex gets rough with Corwin (he thinks its part of the massage) by jumping and landing on his back and then later rendering him unconscious with her feet.

The Thin Man pulls out his gun and repeatedly shoots at the three Angels who were chasing him. Natalie then races up and kicks him backwards into a fence. He then pulls a long knife/sword from his cane and comes at them, but the women kick him and they then get into a prolonged fight with more acrobatic martial arts moves and kicks. He then kicks Natalie and Alex back into or through fences and after Dylan jumps on his back, he smashes her into a wall, throws her down to the street and tears out a handful of her hair. They then kick him in the face many times, but he gets away.

As Natalie chases after the Thin Man (both are in race cars), various other cars wreck into each other (and become airborne while doing so). Eventually, the two face each other on a bridge and then race toward each other in a game of chicken with the Thin Man's car hitting hers, becoming airborne and then falling a long distance into the water below them.

While dressed like a cross between an efficiency expert and a dominatrix, Alex hits one of cohorts with what looks like a riding crop that she also smacks around on other items.

We see blood splatter out from the front of a man's shirt as well as the back of a woman's clothing as both are shot, but we then quickly see that it's just a scene from a movie that's being filmed.

We see the Thin Man raise his knife/sword and it's implied that he kills a man with it.

A person grabs Natalie around the neck. She then pokes him in the eyes, and then spins around and kicks him. She then holds her foot against his neck and then kicks him again, knocking him out.

People shoot machine guns into a trailer where Alex is staying, ridding it with bullets (but she's unharmed).

Vivian holds a gun on Dylan. Knox then takes it from her and shoots at Dylan, presumably hitting her as she falls backwards through a large window that shatters from the impact (but she isn't hurt).

A building suddenly blows up and knocks the three Angels backwards and against a car's windshield (no one is killed, however).

Vivian aims her gun at the back of Dylan's head.

Natalie kicks and hits several men who tried sneaking up on her.

The Thin Man pulls out his large knife/sword and comes at Alex. He tries to strike her with it but misses and she knocks him backwards. They then fight and continue doing so (with kicks, punches, etc.) with some severe impact.

Vivian throws an ax at Natalie and it sticks in the door/wall next to her. They then fight (with more hand to hand/foot to body combat, etc.) and Vivian destroys Natalie's cell phone.

A large bell falls down through a bell tower, ripping through some of its structure and nearly hits two women.

While briefly tied to a chair, Dylan fights several men, kicking and hitting them with the chair (and even kicking a bucket that strikes one on the head). When she's done, she's knocked out all of them.

A helicopter-fired missile hits a brick/stone tower, causing it to explode and nearly kill several people.

After dangling from a helicopter with her cohorts, Dylan climbs inside and hits the pilot (causing Alex to nearly fall off the landing rung). Dylan then kicks the pilot several times in the face and in turn, he elbows Dylan in the gut. He then fires a missile toward a house.

A missile blows up a helicopter, presumably killing the person inside it.

Reviewed October 26, 2000 / Posted November 3, 2000

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