SCREEN IT! PARENTAL REVIEW: OUT OF TIME

"OUT OF TIME"
(2003) (Denzel Washington, Eva Mendes) (PG-13)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Mild	Moderate	Extreme	Heavy	Extreme

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

Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Heavy	Moderate	Moderate	Heavy	Extreme

QUICK TAKE:: Suspense/Thriller: A cop tries to clear his name and stay ahead of the law when he's framed for a double murder he didn't commit.

PLOT:

Matt Lee Whitlock (DENZEL WASHINGTON) is the local law in the small town of Banyan Key, Florida. All but technically divorced from his wife, Alex Diaz-Whitlock (EVA MENDES), Alex has been seeing Anne Merai Harrison (SANAA LATHAN) -- whose husband, Chris (DEAN CAIN), reportedly abuses her -- and recently executed a successful and high profile drug bust.

Matt's friend, Chae (JOHN BILLINGSLEY), the medical examiner, jokingly wants them to use the recovered money from that bust to go into business together. Matt, however, decides to bend the rules and loan it to a person in a life or death situation. When that money presumably goes up in flames in a house fire that kills two people, however, Matt finds himself in a mountain of trouble.

For not only is that money now gone, but varying levels of circumstantial evidence seem to point to him as the prime suspect. With the Feds soon arriving to pick up the now lost cash and Alex serving as the lead detective in the homicide investigation, Matt races to stay ahead of the game and cover his tracks as he tries to figure out what's happened.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: If they're fans of someone in the cast or suspense thrillers, they just might, although this one likely seems most attractive to older teenagers.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13: For sexual content, violence and some language.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: To avoid giving away various developments (and thus surprises) in the film, certain characteristics are not noted below.; DENZEL WASHINGTON plays the local police chief who's having an affair with Anne while technically still married to Alex. He uses profanity, illegally borrows some recovered money to assist a person in need and then tries to figure out who's framed him for murder.
SANAA LATHAN plays a married woman who's having an affair with Matt.
EVA MENDES plays Matt's nearly divorced detective wife who's on the murder case that makes her work with him.
DEAN CAIN plays a former pro quarterback turned security guard who uses strong profanity and roughs up his wife.
JOHN BILLINGSLEY plays the medical examiner who smokes, drinks and assists Matt in clearing his name.; SANAA LATHAN plays a married woman who's having an affair with Matt.
EVA MENDES plays Matt's nearly divorced detective wife who's on the murder case that makes her work with him.
DEAN CAIN plays a former pro quarterback turned security guard who uses strong profanity and roughs up his wife.
JOHN BILLINGSLEY plays the medical examiner who smokes, drinks and assists Matt in clearing his name.; EVA MENDES plays Matt's nearly divorced detective wife who's on the murder case that makes her work with him.
DEAN CAIN plays a former pro quarterback turned security guard who uses strong profanity and roughs up his wife.
JOHN BILLINGSLEY plays the medical examiner who smokes, drinks and assists Matt in clearing his name.; DEAN CAIN plays a former pro quarterback turned security guard who uses strong profanity and roughs up his wife.
JOHN BILLINGSLEY plays the medical examiner who smokes, drinks and assists Matt in clearing his name.; JOHN BILLINGSLEY plays the medical examiner who smokes, drinks and assists Matt in clearing his name.

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 suspense/thriller that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of what sounded like 2 uses of the "f" word, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also used. Some sexually related dialogue is present, as are some sexual encounters (one with movement and sounds but no nudity).

Violence consists of several people being shot to death, one falling to their death, and other fighting and threatening. Some of those moments and others (including the brief sight of two charred bodies in a burned out house) may be unsettling or suspenseful to some viewers, while various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes.

Several characters drink, one smokes a number of times and some tense family material (including a pending divorce, an affair and an abusive husband) is also present. If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE: Matt drinks beer.
We see a newspaper headline about a drug bust that Matt worked.
Chae drinks with Matt and Matt tells him he thinks Chae's had enough. Chris then comes in and orders beer.
Chae has a beer.
Matt lies about calling Chae to go drinking and Chae then comments about being passed out in bed with his wife.
Chae has a beer in a suspect's house and asks Matt if he wants one. He then says that a beer in the hand is worth two in the fridge.
Matt drinks a beer and then shares it with Alex.

BLOOD/GORE: We see a house completely engulfed in flames and then later see some quick shots of two charred bodies in the wreckage.
Anne has some blood on her face.
A person fires two warning shots, with one grazing another person's head (with a little blood).
A person is shot in the leg and we briefly see a little blood there.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: We hear that Chris allegedly beats up Anne Merai, while we see that she's having an affair with Matt, who's not quite yet divorced from Alex.
Although he's trying to help a person with their medical treatment, Matt illegally takes money obtained from a drug bust (that he's holding awaiting a pending trial) and gives it to them.
Hoping to cover his tracks until he figures out what's going on, Matt lies and does various bad and/or illegal things to keep the murder trail off him.
Those who set up Matt (taking money and framing him for murder) have bad attitudes.
An older white witness keeps pointing out various black men as the perpetrator (played somewhat as a joke by the filmmakers regarding black men always being pointed out as criminals).
A man comments, "You should see the rack (breasts) on this chick who walked by.
Chae sees Matt covering his tracks (lying) and then covers for him.
Matt performs an illegal entry into a suspect's house.
Alex covers for Matt.

FRIGHTENING SCENES: Scenes listed under "Violence" might also be tense or suspenseful to some viewers.
Matt and Chris have a highly charged and tense confrontation in a bar.
We see a house completely engulfed in flames and then later see some quick shots of two charred bodies in the wreckage.
As Matt gets deeper into potential trouble and things progressively spiral out of control for him, the suspense factor (of him getting caught or discovered) increases.
Matt races against time to change a fax telephone record on his computer before a new one arrives on the fax machine.
Matt performs an illegal entry into a suspect's house with his gun drawn.
Matt enters a hotel room with his gun drawn and then encounters a suspect who tackles him onto a bed and punches him. Matt kicks him back against a wall and the two then struggle over a gun. The suspect then drives Matt back through the closed sliding glass door (breaking it) and onto the balcony where the railing partially gives way. Matt tries to hold onto it (many stories above the street) as the suspect strikes at his hand holding onto the railing. Both then end up hanging onto the railing, with the man eventually falling to his death (we don't see the impact). Matt then scrambles to get back onto the balcony.
Matt tries to avoid Alex and other cops spotting or catching him in a hotel (in the elevator, stairwell and hallways, etc.).
Matt slowly boards an old, but large ship at night and in the dark to make a money for person switch.

GUNS/WEAPONS: Handguns: Carried and/or used to threaten, wound or kill others. See "Violence" for details.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: Phrases: "I thought I was the sh*t," "Balls" (testicles), "Pissed off," "Chick" (woman), "Took a piss" (urinate), "What the hell is your problem?" "Shut up," "You little bastard," "Damn man," "Knucklehead" and "Pissed."
Anne wears a midriff-revealing top.

JUMP SCENES: None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): A heavy amount of suspenseful music plays in the film.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): None.

PROFANITY: At least 2 possible "f" words, 7 "s" words, 3 slang terms for sex ("banging" and "screwing"), 2 using female genitals ("p*ssy"), 1 using male genitals ("pr*ck"), 1 for breasts ("rack"), 7 hells, 3 asses (all used with "hole"), 3 damns, 3 uses each of "G-damn," "Jesus" and "Oh my God," 2 uses each of "God" and "Oh Jesus" and 1 use of "Oh God."

SEX/NUDITY: Anne shows cleavage.
Anne calls Matt about a break-in at her house. But as she describes what occurred in her bedroom, we realize the two are just role playing and Matt emulates what she says the intruder did, such as forcing himself on top of her and ripping her shirt off (we then see her in her bra with more cleavage). They do some passionate kissing and heavy breathing with her on top of him. We then hear the sounds of her undoing his belt and his pleasured reaction. A call on his phone, however, interrupts them with, "We need you to come quick" and he replies, "I'm coming now" (double entendre). As he leaves, a joke is made about the "crime" tomorrow being "assault with a deadly weapon" and "breaking and entering."
We hear sexual sounds and then see Matt and Anne having sex while standing in a head and shoulders shot. Movement (thrusting) is suggested by their bodies, but there's no nudity. We later see them in bed under the covers.
Knowing that Anne is cheating on him with Matt, Chris says something about "banging your wife" and Matt then rhetorically replies, "I'm banging your wife good."
Alex, who's unaware of Matt being involved with Anne, wonders if either of the Harrisons was "screwing around on the side."
A man comments, "You should see the rack (breasts) on this chick who walked by.
Chae comments on another cop being the love child of Barney Fife and Joe Friday.
Matt admits to Chae of sleeping with Anne. Chae then jokingly asks Matt if he would have given him the money if he had slept with Matt.
We see miscellaneous, bikini-clad women (with varying amounts of cleavage).
Matt and Alex passionately kiss and then go inside (presumably to have sex). Chae says that he'll still be there when they're done.

SMOKING: Chae smokes more than 5 times.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: We hear that Chris allegedly beats up Anne Merai, while we see that she's having an affair with Matt, who's not quite yet divorced from Alex (they have various scenes involving the divorce papers, etc.).
A person states that their mom died of cancer at 33.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: Being conned/duped by others.
Being innocent and trying to prove that when the opposite appears true to others.
Terminal cancer.
Affairs.
Abusive spouses.

VIOLENCE: Chris pushes Anne and we then hear more sounds of violence.
Anne throws something in anger, causing it to break upon impact.
Matt kicks something in anger.
We see a house completely engulfed in flames and then later see some quick shots of two charred bodies in the wreckage.
Matt enters a hotel room with his gun drawn and then encounters a suspect who tackles him onto a bed and punches him. Matt kicks him back against a wall and the two then struggle over a gun. The suspect then drives Matt back through the closed sliding glass door (breaking it) and onto the balcony where the railing partially gives way. Matt tries to hold onto it (many stories above the street) as the suspect strikes at his hand holding onto the railing. Both then end up hanging onto the railing, with the man eventually falling to his death (we don't see the impact). Matt then scrambles to get back onto the balcony.
A person knocks down a maid and her cart in a hotel hallway during a chase.
It's implied that Matt punches a man in the face during a chase (we see the man afterwards).
Alex kicks open a locked door to gain entry into a bathroom.
Matt pushes a door into a suspect who fires several shots. He then grabs the suspect and pulls him through a window and the two struggle over a gun that then fires.
Matt chases a suspect where a foot is grabbed, punches are thrown and Matt bashes the suspect back into a wall.
A person shoots and kills another person (no impact or blood) and then aims their gun at a third person.
We see a flashback of a person self-inflicting a wound by bashing their face.
A person fires two warning shots, with one grazing another person's head (with a little blood).
A person is shot in the leg and we briefly see a little blood there.
A person shoots and kills another person (no impact or blood).

Reviewed August 12, 2003 / Posted October 3, 2003

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