SCREEN IT! PARENTAL REVIEW: KATE & LEOPOLD

"KATE & LEOPOLD"
(2001) (Hugh Jackman, Meg Ryan) (PG-13)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Mild	Minor	Moderate	Mild	None

Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Mild	None	Minor	None	*Heavy

Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Moderate	Mild	Minor	Mild	Mild

QUICK TAKE:: Romantic Comedy: A 21st century marketing executive finds herself falling for a charming and polite duke who's inadvertently traveled through time from 1876 to modern day New York.

PLOT:

It's 1876 and Leopold (HUGH JACKMAN), the third Duke of Albany, is a charming and handsome aristocrat who's been brought to New York in hopes of marrying him to a young socialite from a wealthy family. A man of fine standards who's also an inventor, Leopold is intrigued by his repeated sightings of Stuart (LIEV SCHREIBER), a man who doesn't seem to fit in with his surroundings.

Racing after him one night trying to learn who he is and what he wants, Leopold suddenly find himself, along with Stuart, transported through a time portal into present day New York. Leopold is obviously shocked by his new surroundings, and learns that it was Stuart who discovered the rip in the fabric of time that's allowed their travel.

As he quickly becomes accustomed to this new world, Leopold meets Kate McKay (MEG RYAN), Stuart's ex-girlfriend and a marketing executive who still lives one floor down from Stuart. Cynical about men after a failed four-year romance with Stuart, Kate doesn't believe his or Leopold's accounting of what's happened. Her out of work actor brother, Charlie (BRECKIN MEYER), believes Leopold to be a convincing, if nonstop thespian.

With Stuart hospitalized after a fall in the elevator, Kate gets to know Leopold and is eventually won over by his charming, debonair, and decidedly old-fashioned ways. In turn, he finds himself falling for her, even though he doesn't necessarily agree with her profession. As she tries to land a promotion from her boss, J.J. (BRADLEY WHITFORD), with the aide of her assistant, Darci (NATASHA LYONNE), Kate must decide what to do about Leopold who Stuart needs to return to the 19th century in less than a week.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: If they're fans of old-fashioned romantic comedies, time travel stories, or anyone in the cast, they just might.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13: For brief strong language.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: MEG RYAN plays a N.Y. marketing executive who's cynical about love after a failed relationship with Stuart. Although initially cold and/or standoffish toward Leopold, she eventually finds herself falling for him and his old-fashioned ways. She briefly smokes and uses some profanity.
HUGH JACKMAN plays the 19th century duke who wins over Kate via his charming and gentlemanly ways, all while quickly mastering his new world. He uses some brief profanity.
LIEV SCHREIBER plays Kate's ex-boyfriend who inadvertently brings Leopold back to the 21st century. Having to spend most of his time in a hospital after injuring himself and then being labeled mentally unstable, he tries to leave so that he can return Leopold to the past. He also uses some profanity.
BRECKIN MEYER plays Kate's unemployed actor brother who quickly befriends Leopold and learns a few pointers from him about women. He also uses some profanity.
NATASHA LYONNE plays Kate's assistant who tries to convince her that Leopold is the right guy for her.
BRADLEY WHITFORD plays Kate's boss whose behavior toward her borders on sexual harassment (in the more benign and not physically aggressive form).; HUGH JACKMAN plays the 19th century duke who wins over Kate via his charming and gentlemanly ways, all while quickly mastering his new world. He uses some brief profanity.
LIEV SCHREIBER plays Kate's ex-boyfriend who inadvertently brings Leopold back to the 21st century. Having to spend most of his time in a hospital after injuring himself and then being labeled mentally unstable, he tries to leave so that he can return Leopold to the past. He also uses some profanity.
BRECKIN MEYER plays Kate's unemployed actor brother who quickly befriends Leopold and learns a few pointers from him about women. He also uses some profanity.
NATASHA LYONNE plays Kate's assistant who tries to convince her that Leopold is the right guy for her.
BRADLEY WHITFORD plays Kate's boss whose behavior toward her borders on sexual harassment (in the more benign and not physically aggressive form).; LIEV SCHREIBER plays Kate's ex-boyfriend who inadvertently brings Leopold back to the 21st century. Having to spend most of his time in a hospital after injuring himself and then being labeled mentally unstable, he tries to leave so that he can return Leopold to the past. He also uses some profanity.
BRECKIN MEYER plays Kate's unemployed actor brother who quickly befriends Leopold and learns a few pointers from him about women. He also uses some profanity.
NATASHA LYONNE plays Kate's assistant who tries to convince her that Leopold is the right guy for her.
BRADLEY WHITFORD plays Kate's boss whose behavior toward her borders on sexual harassment (in the more benign and not physically aggressive form).; BRECKIN MEYER plays Kate's unemployed actor brother who quickly befriends Leopold and learns a few pointers from him about women. He also uses some profanity.
NATASHA LYONNE plays Kate's assistant who tries to convince her that Leopold is the right guy for her.
BRADLEY WHITFORD plays Kate's boss whose behavior toward her borders on sexual harassment (in the more benign and not physically aggressive form).; NATASHA LYONNE plays Kate's assistant who tries to convince her that Leopold is the right guy for her.
BRADLEY WHITFORD plays Kate's boss whose behavior toward her borders on sexual harassment (in the more benign and not physically aggressive form).; BRADLEY WHITFORD plays Kate's boss whose behavior toward her borders on sexual harassment (in the more benign and not physically aggressive form).

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

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).

OUR WORD TO PARENTS:: Here's a brief summary of the content found in this romantic comedy that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of a possible "f" word, along with at least 6 "s" words, other expletives and some colorful phrases. Some brief and non-explicit, sexually related dialogue is present, while a present day man knowingly misinterprets a 19th century man's comments about a bridge being an erection.
Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes, while some drink and/or smoke. A few scenes might be just a tad suspenseful for some viewers, while a few moments of violence (of the slapstick, accidental or not overly malicious variety) are also present. Should you still be concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information about the content.

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE: Leopold has a glass of what may be brandy.
Leopold and others drink at some sort of social gathering.
Kate, Charlie and Leopold have wine in front of them with dinner and Kate then pours herself more wine.
Charlie has a beer.
People have wine in a restaurant where J.J. orders a bottle of wine for Kate and himself. We later see J.J. with a drink.
Various people drink in a club where Charlie takes Leopold. Later, Leopold comments that Charlie is intoxicated (but he doesn't really appear that way).
Various people have drinks at two separate receptions.

BLOOD/GORE: We see a fresh pile of dog excrement on the ground (from Stuart's dog) that a cop insists Leopold pick up (he refuses).

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: Kate has a bad attitude toward Stuart, her ex-boyfriend.
A thief momentarily steals Kate's bag.
J.J. somewhat sexually harasses Kate by commenting - at what she thinks is a business dinner - that she haven't even kissed him yet.

FRIGHTENING SCENES: Leopold chases after Stuart in the past, eventually resulting in both being on some 19th century construction scaffolding where Stuart accidentally knocks over a barrel that nearly hits Leopold who's below him. Stuart then gets onto a suspended construction lift and tries to jump from this (and into the time portal), but Leopold grabs him just in time. The lift then breaks free from one end, resulting in Leopold holding onto it with one hand and having Stuart dangling from the other. Stuart then pleads for him to let go and sprays something into his eyes and both then fall into the portal and disappear.
Stuart unknowingly steps into an empty elevator shaft when the doors open and then finds himself dangling from his dog's leash that slowly begins to slip through the now closed doors.
Kate must walk across a narrow girder - high above passing traffic - to get to the other side of a bridge and nearly slips while doing so.

GUNS/WEAPONS: None.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: Phrases: "You don't give a sh*t," "Oh, sh*t," "Where the hell /am I/do you think you're going?" "What the hell /are you talking about/am I supposed to do/is that?" "Drop a bomb" (defecate - referring to a dog), "Jeez," "Shut up," "Nobody gives a rat's ass," "Whore" and "Piss you off."
Kate activates a dog's obedience collar and then does so again when she knows that Stuart is holding it, thus giving him a shock.

JUMP SCENES: None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): A tiny bit of adventurous and suspenseful music plays in a few scenes.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): None.

PROFANITY: What sounded liked 1 possible "f" word, as well as at least 6 "s" words, 1 slang term for sex ("laid"), 8 hells, 2 asses (1 used with "hole"), 1 damn, 4 uses of "Oh my God," 3 of "My God," 2 of "G-damn" and 1 use each of "For Christ's sakes," "Jesus," "Jesus Christ," "Oh God," "Oh Jesus," "Good Lord" and "Dear Lord" as exclamations.

SEX/NUDITY: Stuart laughs at a 19th century man's comments about the bridge he's built and that his "glorious erection" shall represent their culture in perpetuity. The man also states, "Behold, rising before you, the greatest erection on the continent," the "greatest erection of the age" and the "greatest erection on the planet" (in other words, Stuart hears a sexual connotation when none is really present).
Kate goes upstairs to check on a ruckus in Stuart's place and spots him moving Leopold's clothed legs on the sofa. While he's just maneuvering the unconscious man, from Kate's limited vantage point she thinks it's a woman that Stuart is fooling around with.
When she later confronts him about this, Stuart tries to explain and states, "It's a him if that's any consolation" and then adds, "I am not getting laid." She still doesn't believe him and adds that he can tell her the truth that he picked up a transvestite.
J.J. asks Kate if she's sleeping with Leopold (she says she isn't).
Charlie comments on some performance where a female character said "Un-sex me" (or something like that).
Upset over seeing how J.J. is treating Kate, Leopold announces that romancing a woman under one's employ is a serpentine effort to turn a lady into a whore.
After Leopold tucks Kate into bed, she sleepily asks him to stay, so he takes off his shoes and climbs under the sheets with her (both are clothed) and they snuggle (we don't know if anything else occurs, but it doesn't seem like it does).

SMOKING: Kate briefly smokes a few times, while a few miscellaneous people also smoke (some cigarettes, some cigars).

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: We hear that Leopold's parents are dead.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: Time travel.
How manner, behavior and the world have changed from 1876 to today.
Product testing with focus groups.

VIOLENCE: Leopold's uncle slaps him on both sides of the face for not taking advantage of his social standing and then states that he washes his hands of him.
Stuart sprays something into Leopold's eyes to make him let go of him (as Leopold holds him by one arm while dangling from a broken construction lift).
Kate activates a dog's obedience collar and then does so again when she knows that Stuart is holding it, thus giving him a shock.
After stepping into an elevator shaft and briefly dangling from his dog's leash, Stuart falls down the shaft (we hear but don't see his impact several stories below and later see him in the hospital with various injuries).
Someone opens a door that accidentally smashes into Stuart, knocking him backwards and causing him some pain from his previous injuries.

Reviewed December 13, 2001 / Posted December 21, 2001

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