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(About Our Ads) "THE LUCKY ONES" (2008) (Tim Robbins, Rachel McAdams) (R) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Moderate Mild Heavy Mild Moderate Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Mild Minor None None Extreme Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Extreme *None Heavy Heavy Moderate QUICK TAKE: Dramedy: Three soldiers who've returned from the war become unlikely travel companions as they set off on a cross-country road trip to deal with their various war-related issues. PLOT: Three soldiers are heading back to the States while on leave from the war. For Private Colee Dunn (RACHEL McADAMS) and Sgt. TK Poole (MICHAEL PENA) who've never met before, their break is for thirty days and they're headed for Vegas for different reasons, but Sgt. Fred Cheever (TIM ROBBINS) is headed home to St. Louis for good thanks to a non-battle related injury. When all of their connecting flights end up canceled, they decide to rent a car to make it to their destinations. For Fred, that's to his wife and college-bound son. Colee is going to return her late boyfriend's guitar to his parents, hoping they might unofficially adopt her and give her a home. And TK is planning on meeting a high-end call girl in hopes that she'll be able to "cure" his injury-related impotence, a much-needed remedy since he's says that without sex he and his fiancée will have nothing in common. As they make their way across the country, they must contend with various complications, obstacles and surprises all as they reassess themselves and their roles in the military. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Unless they're fans of someone in the cast or lighthearted dramedies about military personnel, it doesn't seem too likely. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R For language and some sexual content. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: RACHEL McADAMS plays an Army private who's on 30-day leave and thus headed to Vegas where she's going to return her late boyfriend's guitar to his parents and hopefully get them to adopt her, unofficially. She uses strong profanity, drinks, and initially clashes with TK. TIM ROBBINS plays a sergeant who's headed home for good from the military and gives the two youngsters a lift in his rental car. When he gets home, he's shocked to discover his wife wants a divorce just as their son needs money to get into college. He ends up headed to Vegas with his new friends in hopes of coming up with a solution for the latter. He drinks, uses strong profanity, and has sex with a stranger. MICHAEL PENA plays another soldier who thinks he has his career all figured out, but must now contend with a battlefield injury that's left him impotent, making him worried that without sex, he and his fiancée will have nothing in common. Accordingly, he's headed to see a high-end call girl in hopes that she'll be able to "cure" him. He clashes with and somewhat looks down on Colee, drinks and uses strong profanity. 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 R-rated dramedy. Profanity consists of at least 23 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also used. Sexually related dialogue and material are present (including about an injured soldier's impotence), as is the sight of a sexual encounter between strangers, while scantly clad and bare-breasted women are briefly seen in photos on a wall. Violence consists of brief war action resulting in a soldier being injured, while there's a brief fight and confrontation in a bar and a traffic accident. Some of that has bloody results, and that and a tornado scene might be unsettling and/or suspenseful to some characters. Various bad attitudes are present, and drinking occurs in various scenes. Tense family material is also present as are thematic elements. 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. For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, there's some bouncy footage with the camera in a moving car, as well as bouncy, handheld footage throughout other parts of the film. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Colee jokes about planes crashing (while flying with Fred, TK and others), but TK reminds her that's not a good idea, with Fred adding that no one wants to think about drunk pilots and midair collisions. Miscellaneous people drink in a bar. TK says he wishes they had some booze and Colee agrees, with Fred saying he has some as a doctor gave him some schnapps. All three then have some, with TK commenting on different liquors for different moods (whiskey to be mellow, gin for anger, tequila to get crazy, etc.). Colee then says if they had straws and used them to drink the schnapps, they'd get drunker faster, but Fred doubts that. Fred takes prescription medication in the backseat, and when TK and Colee look back at him, he's unresponsive and drooling. Thinking he's overdosed, they try to rouse him, with TK taking his eyes off the road. When he looks back, there's a truck stopped in front of them. He slams on the breaks and stops short of the truck, but not a pole on the truck that smashes through the windshield and barely misses hitting him. People drink (martinis, wine, etc.) at a birthday party, including Colee who holds a glass of champagne. We see a case of beer next to the three soldiers on a picnic table. Later, we see all three with beer, as well as empties on the ground near them. TK orders a double shot of tequila. BLOOD/GORE Following an attack in Iraq, we see blood soaked through TK's pants in the crotch area. We then hear a comment about him having an injury to his penis that now no longer works. Fred admits that a portable toilet fell on him in the service, resulting in his service-ending injury. Colee asks if it was full, and he says it was new and that the "sh*tter saved my life." Colee announces she has to use the bathroom, TK says he'll pull over, but she says she wants to use a real bathroom, not squat by the side of the road. After a traffic accident, we see blood on Colee's pants leg (from her previous injury reopening). TK rushes her to a medical center and then tends to her himself when no doctor is available. He tells her she has to remove her pants (she does and we briefly see her panties while she's seated) and we see an old, blood-soaked bandage there. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE After TK insults Colee's dead friend, she throws her soft drink on him, prompting the two to be mad at each other and nearly come to blows. Some young women act like snobs toward Colee and her injury (one mocks her limp and there's a snarky comment about Colee not being smart about being wounded in the war). As a result, she pushes and attacks the main perpetrator. When a guy tries to control her, she bites him and punches another, with TK and Fred then rushing up and pushing others to keep them at bay. TK lies to his girlfriend over the phone about Colee's gender. A person at a party has a bad attitude toward the soldiers. When one of them says they just try to survive while in Iraq, the man becomes indignant and repeats that comment, adding, "No wonder we're losing" and then, "I don't have to listen to this crap." Colee states her dead friend robbed a casino in the past (SPOILER ALERT -- but we later learn that isn't true). At times, TK looks down on Colee to a degree, telling her she has no plan, and doubts that she'd being going to Stanford like Fred's son wishes to do. Fred tells TK he should go to Canada to avoid his fourth tour (some viewers might not like that advice). SPOILER ALERT: Colee learns that her dead friend lied about the guitar she's now returned to his family. Colee tells various white lies to a family to make them feel better about their dead son. TK lies to the police about robbing a casino (as a way to attempt to get out of the military). FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed under "Violence" may be unsettling and/or suspenseful to some viewers. Colee jokes about planes crashing (while flying with Fred, TK and others), but TK reminds her that's not a good idea, with Fred adding that no one wants to think about drunk pilots and midair collisions. That might not sit well with those who have a fear of flying (although nothing happens). Fred takes prescription medication in the backseat, and when TK and Colee look back at him, he's unresponsive and drooling. Thinking he's overdosed, they try to rouse him, with TK taking his eyes off the road. When he looks back, there's a truck stopped in front of them. He slams on the breaks and stops short of the truck, but not a pole on the truck that smashes through the windshield and barely misses hitting him. TK and Colee drive off to get food, but run into a bad storm. Heavy rains and hail pelt the car, followed by a funnel cloud approaching them. Colee convinces TK to get out of the car and they scramble to get into culvert under the road as the winds whip all around them. GUNS/WEAPONS As TK travels with others in a military vehicle in Iraq, an explosion rocks it (seen from inside it), followed by machine guns being fired. TK then looks down and sees shrapnel stuck in his gun clip, and then blood soaked through his pants in the crotch area. In TV footage, we see a flamethrower being used on a vehicle in some military operation. We see a drawing of a gun used in a gun lock advertisement. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "F*ck you," "What the f*ck /is wrong with you/were you thinking?" "I can't f*cking afford it," "He's all f*cked up," "I'm f*cked up," "Sh*t, that was close," "Sure as sh*t," "Sh*tter saved my life," "Ah sh*t," "Holy sh*t," "You're bullsh*tting me," "I don't know sh*t," "Not gonna let p*ssy get us killed," "T*tty bars," "Oh, I think I'm fixing to come," "What the hell /were you doing?" "Screw it," "I oughta kick your ass," "Suck it up," "Nut-jobs," "A hell of a job," "Kicked their college asses," "Those guys are screwed," "I don't have to listen to this crap," "Where the hell is he?" "Jeez," "Bad ass," "You're one lucky bastard," "Ballsy," "He's a damn fool," "Get your asses the hell out of here" and "Hell no." While drinking, Colee says if they had straws and used them to drink the schnapps, they'd get drunker faster, but Fred doubts that. We see miscellaneous tattoos. JUMP SCENES As TK travels with others in a military vehicle in Iraq, an explosion rocks it (seen from inside it). MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) None. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least 23 "f" words, 16 "s" words, 2 slang terms using female genitals ("p*ssy"), 1 using male ones ("d*ck"), 3 for breasts ("t*tty"), 7 hells, 6 asses, 2 damns, 1 crap, 5 uses of "Oh my God" and 1 each of "G-damn," "God," "Jesus Christ," "Oh Christ," "Oh God" and "Oh my Lord." SEX/NUDITY While on duty in Iraq, we hear TK telling the others about women and sex, including that if a woman touches you soft, that's how she wants it, and he comments on doing that until she's "wet." He says his girlfriend was so thankful (for him sexually pleasing her) that she went out and washed and detailed his car. He then states they have to stop talking about "p*ssy" as he won't allow "p*ssy" to get them killed. Another soldier starts to ask if TK has ever been with two girls at the same time, but an attack interrupts this discussion. Following an attack in Iraq, we see blood soaked through TK's pants in the crotch area. We then hear a comment about him having an injury to his penis that now no longer works. Colee shows cleavage. About TK going to Vegas before seeing his girlfriend, Colee says she gets it, that he's going to have a little fun at the "t*tty bars," but he says that's not correct. After a traffic accident, we see blood on Colee's pants leg (from her previous injury reopening). TK rushes her to a medical center and then tends to her himself when no doctor is available. He tells her she has to remove her pants (she does and we briefly see her panties while she's seated). After Colee mentions the "t*tty" bar again, TK states that he was wounded in the "d*ck," that it doesn't work, and he "can't get it up." He then says he knows a place in Vegas that will get him "hard." Colee asks if that's a hooker, and he replies no, that they're high-end girls. Colee then tells him he can pleasure his girlfriend in other ways and lists them, including having another guy "do" her while he watches; using a vibrator on her; and putting a thing in or on his penis, commenting on a thing he can strap on. TK then says that if there's no sex, he and his girlfriend are nothing. Colee looks at photos on an auto shop wall that show scantly clad and bare-breasted women. In church, Colee announces to everyone (to solicit their prayers) that TK was wounded in the private parts and that's why he's been lying to his girlfriend about going to "whores." A married woman comes on to Fred at a party and dances with him. Later, Colee hears sexual sounds coming from next door, rushes to get TK, and then both listen to them. We then see a view inside that other bedroom, with Fred on top of the woman between her legs, with movement and the woman saying, "I think I'm fixing to come." That woman's husband then walks in, tells Fred to "give it to her good" and then starts to undress. We next see Fred rushing into the hallway, half-dressed, and Colee and TK make fun of that. Colee says they wanted to make a train of Fred, repeats the woman's orgasm comments, and says the woman wanted him, with TK adding so did the husband. While in a remote campground, Colee returns and tells TK that she has his problem solved, saying she's met some sex workers who can take care of him. They go over to meet the three women, and there's a question of how to proceed, such as just picking one. They say yes, or that he can have all three, with one saying TK is cute and thus will do it for free. He then heads off with her, but is then seen rushing away, saying he hasn't eaten and needs electrolytes before he can proceed. While huddled together in a culvert as a tornado roars above them, Colee realizes TK has an erection in his pants. She asks if it's working and he says it is. When they return to see Fred, Colee announces that TK's penis works. Fred jokes about TK getting "wood," and there are jokes that he could hammer a nail with it. Fred then wants to know how Colee knows, asking if she touched it. She says no, that it was poking right into her. A mother states that her son only slept with a girl once, but got her pregnant. SMOKING No use, but a woman states that all they have are soft drinks, salad, and a particular cigarette brand. TENSE FAMILY SCENES When Fred arrives home after a two-year absence in the service, his wife obviously isn't happy to see him. This continues for a bit until he asks what's wrong and she then admits that while she isn't seeing anyone else, she wants a divorce as she's now happy to be alone. Fred then learns that his son needs $20,000 in three weeks to attend Stanford, and to make matters worse, Fred's old job is now gone. Colee says her mom kicked her out of the house at the age of sixteen. Colee meets with her late boyfriend's parents and they talk about him. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT What it's like to be in the military and why various people choose that path. Physical and psychological wounds that often accompany military personnel home. Impotence and TK worrying that without sex, he and his fiancée have nothing. Casual sex. Colee says her mom kicked her out of the house at the age of sixteen. The comment that half of healing is fellowship. Fred states his son wants to enlist in the military for the money he needs to get into Stanford. Fred's idea that he's going to gamble to raise the money his son needs to attend Stanford. TK thinking he's on a lucky streak and burning karma. Fred tells TK he should go to Canada to avoid his fourth tour. Fred reenlisting in the military to get the money needed to send his son to college. VIOLENCE As TK travels with others in a military vehicle in Iraq, an explosion rocks it (seen from inside it), followed by machine guns being fired. TK then looks down and sees shrapnel stuck in his gun clip, and then blood soaked through his pants in the crotch area. After TK insults Colee's dead friend, she throws her soft drink on him, prompting the two to be mad at each other and nearly come to blows. Some young women act like snobs toward Colee and her injury (one mocks her limp and there's a snarky comment about Colee not being smart about being wounded in the war). As a result, she pushes and attacks the main perpetrator. When a guy tries to control her, she bites him and punches another, with TK and Fred then rushing up and pushing others to keep them at bay. Fred takes prescription medication in the backseat, and when TK and Colee look back at him, he's unresponsive and drooling. Thinking he's overdosed, they try to rouse him, with TK taking his eyes off the road. When he looks back, there's a truck stopped in front of them. He slams on the breaks and stops short of the truck, but not a pole on the truck that smashes through the windshield and barely misses hitting him. After that, we see blood on Colee's pants leg (from her previous injury reopening). In TV footage, we see a flamethrower being used on a vehicle in some military operation. Reviewed August 25, 2008 / Posted September 26, 2008