SCREEN IT! PARENTAL REVIEW: SUPER SIZE ME

"SUPER SIZE ME"
(2004) (Morgan Spurlock) (Not Rated)

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

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

Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Moderate	Minor	None	Moderate	None

QUICK TAKE:: Documentary: A man conducts an experiment on himself by eating nothing but food from McDonalds for thirty straight days.

PLOT:

After hearing the McDonalds Corporation defend itself against a lawsuit filed by two overweight adolescents who claimed their condition was caused by eating the fast food establishment's offerings, filmmaker Morgan Spurlock decides to conduct an experiment on himself.

After being checked out by a team of doctors and nutritionists to document his current state of health, Morgan sets out on a 30-day course of eating nothing but what's offered on the menu at McDonalds. As his girlfriend and vegan chef Alex watches in horror and worry, Morgan sets out on what he calls an eight-year-old's dream.

Yet, as the days pass and the allure of eating fast food for breakfast, lunch and dinner wanes, Morgan discovers that such an extreme diet can indeed be hazardous to your health.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: Those interested in humorous documentaries along the lines of what Michael Moore makes may just want to see it.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: Not Rated: While not rated, the film is the equivalent of a PG-13 for language, sexual dialogue and views of a medical operation.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: MORGAN SPURLOCK is a filmmaker who performs an experiment on himself by eating nothing but McDonalds food for thirty straight days and in doing so, endangers his health. He uses some profanity and has a live-in girlfriend.

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:

The following is a brief summary of the content found in this unrated documentary that's the equivalent of a PG-13 rating. Profanity consists of at least 1 use of the "f" word, while a handful of other expletives and colorful phrases are uttered. Some sexually related dialogue is present, a man's bare butt is seen during a rectal exam, an artsy wall print shows a bare-breasted woman, while various photos of women in revealing attire are seen as is the filmmaker in a very small and formfitting bathing suit.

Some crude humor is present, as are some brief shots of a surgical procedure and blood being taken for medical testing that may be too much for those who are squeamish. Some drug, drinking and smoking comments are made, some material may be somewhat offensive to some viewers, and kids may be enticed to perform a similar stunt/experiment on themselves.

Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE: There's no actual use, but the following comments are made.
Doctors ask Morgan if he's using alcohol (he says not now), if he smokes (he says no, but that he did) or uses drugs (he says not now, but that he has used them).
Referring to Morgan's love of meat, Alex (his girlfriend) states that she's sure heroin is awesome as well. He then says that ham and heroin are not the same and jokingly comments about being strung out on ham.
A doctor briefly talks about a drug that blocks one's receptors for heroin.
A song has lyrics that say have some coke, have some weed, and I'm your pusher man.

BLOOD/GORE: Morgan comments on getting a rectal exam as part of his overall health evaluation. We then see a shot of him lying sideways on an examination table (we see his bare butt as well as a doctor's hand there).
We see a needle go into Morgan's arm and then blood being drawn out and going through a tube (for testing).
Morgan jokes about having a McStomachache and McGas.
Morgan belches while eating his food and then suddenly vomits out the window. While we don't see the actual act, we hear it and the camera then pans down to show the vomit on the parking lot.
Morgan finds and then pulls out a human hair in his parfait (that might be gross to some viewers).
We see some animated chicken blood in a comedy animation bit about how chickens are chopped up and processed into McNuggets.
We see some blood in a vial during another blood test.
We see more blood in a vial during a test.
We see parts of a stomach bypass surgery procedure, starting with a tube being put down the patient's throat (seen from a distance). We then see various close-up internal shots of the operation where various body organs are manipulated (the easily squeamish will not like this material). We then see a brief shot of the exterior incision being sewn up, as well as various surgical instruments that are through the skin (and moved around in one instance).
We hear a fart sound from Morgan.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: Some viewers may see Morgan as having a bad attitude for taking an extreme action in an attempt to make a corporation look bad, while others will see the company's reluctance to speak to him as proof of their bad attitude.
Some viewers might be offended by a spoof drawing of the Last Supper that features Ronald McDonald, Jesus and some cartoon characters.
Morgan jokes that when he has kids, he'll punch them in the face when they pass by a fast food place to condition them not to want to go there.

FRIGHTENING SCENES: None.

GUNS/WEAPONS: None.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: Phrases: "F*ck you," "Oh sh*t," "Feeling like sh*t," "Bastards," "You fat pig," "Feel like crap" and "Freaked out."
Some kids may be enticed to perform a similar stunt/experiment using McDonalds or other food.
A miscellaneous person has some tattoos.

JUMP SCENES: None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): None.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): A Queen song has the lyric, "Fat-bottomed girls, they make the rockin' world go 'round."
A song has lyrics that say have some coke, have some weed, and I'm your pusher man.

PROFANITY: At least 1 "f" word, 3 "s" words, 2 craps and 1 use each of "For God's sakes" and "Oh Jesus."

SEX/NUDITY: A doctor asks Morgan if he's currently sexually active and he says he is.
Morgan comments on getting a rectal exam as part of his overall health evaluation. We then see a shot of him lying sideways on an examination table (we see his bare butt as well as a doctor's hand there).
An artsy poster on the wall in Morgan and Alex's place shows a bare breasted woman (seen in the background of a shot).
Morgan reports that he now suddenly has a weird feeling in his penis, but nothing more comes of that after a doctor's visit.
As a young woman talks about the pressures of trying to live up to the slim qualities of models and such, we see various still photos of such women in bikinis, lingerie and other such revealing attire (some of which show cleavage).
Alex (Morgan's girlfriend) says that since he's been on his McDonald's diet, he's not as energetic as he used to be when they have sex. She then adds that she has to be on top, that the saturated fats are impeding the blood flow to his penis and that he has problems "getting it up." She then adds that he still does, but that it's different and that she can tell.
We see Morgan in a very small, Speedo-like bathing suit (for his weigh-in) that clearly shows the bulge in the front of it. We then see various still photos of him (from the front and side) showing before and after shots of him. He then comments on various parts of his body in those pictures and a circle is drawn around that bulge in his pants and the word "worthless" is written next to it as he states that his sex life is non-existent.

SMOKING: Doctors ask Morgan if he's using alcohol (he says not now), if he smokes (he says no, but that he did) or uses drugs (he says not now, but that he has used them).
A miscellaneous person smokes.
Morgan equates getting used to such a diet to the 3-day hump of trying to quit cigarettes (that he admits he's been through).
We see a drawing of kid clowns who have cigarettes.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: None.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: Performing such an experiment on oneself, even under medical supervision.
The comment that obesity is the second leading preventable health disease in the United States.
Vegans.
Stomach stapling.
Whether companies such as McDonald's should be liable for people becoming overweight.

VIOLENCE: None.

Reviewed April 21, 2004 / Posted May 7, 2004

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