Common Sense Media Review
By Monique Jones , based on child development research. How do we rate?
age 13+
Feel-good comedy focuses on teamwork, integrity; language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
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Language
some
Swear words including "s--t," "bulls--t," "smartass," "bats--t," "a--holes," "bitches," "pissed off." Exclamatory use of God, including "oh God" and "Jesus." Ableist language and jokes, such as "Are you having a stroke?," "crazy man," "dummy."
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Products & Purchases
a little
Kellogg's brands mentioned/shown, including Frosted Mini Wheats. Red Bull is mentioned, as are Oreos (also shown), Kawasaki, Yoohoo, and popular culture such as Disney/Pixar's Up.
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
a little
The main store that Jerry and Marge buy their tickets from is called the Liquor Hut. Characters drink champagne and mention drinking. A character mentions drug dealers.
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Sex, Romance & Nudity
very little
Mention of sex; scene with kissing that alludes to sex. One scene with an STD joke.
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Positive Messages
a lot
Working as a team can help you achieve bigger goals than working alone. Sharing perseverance can help make big tasks seem easier -- and even fun. Most importantly, maintaining your integrity as you work toward your goals will allow you to enjoy your rewards.
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Positive Role Models
some
Jerry starts playing the lottery on a whim after learning how to game the system, but he eventually brings in his wife, Marge, and their town, setting up a corporation that helps the whole town prosper. Jerry also prevents a hotshot college student from sabotaging the game in order to keep the game fair to other players.
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Diverse Representations
some
Several prominent secondary characters of color, most notably Jerry's accountant (Larry Wilmore) and sister-in-law Shirley (Ann Harada), his former boss (Kurt Yue), and store owner Raj (Subhash Mandal). Another of Jerry's sisters-in-law doesn't have a speaking part but is played by a Latina actress (Ana Cruz Kanye). Several background actors of different races. Non-White characters are fleshed out rather than being treated as stereotypical additions. Jerry could be considered a positive representation of neurodivergence, given his quick mental math calculations and challenges around emotions.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Jerry and Marge Go Large is a comedy starring Bryan Cranston and Annette Bening that's based on a true story about a couple who figure out how to play the lottery so that they always win. Expect a fair bit of strong language ("s--t," "bitch," "a--hole," etc.), as well as drinking, kissing, and mentions of sex. Despite the fact that the story is based on figuring out how to work the system, the film has themes of teamwork, perseverance, integrity, and the importance of community. There's diversity within the cast, with characters of color fleshed out to be more than stereotypes. And Jerry's (Cranston) neurodivergence is explored as a positive trait. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
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What's the Story?
JERRY AND MARGE GO LARGE is a comedy about how one man brought his small community together for a common goal. Retiree Jerry (Bryan Cranston) feels unfulfilled. When he uses his math skills to figure out a way to successfully play the lottery, he begins a journey that involves his wife, Marge (Annette Bening), and eventually his whole town, bringing everyone closer together. Along the way, he encounters a Harvard student who tries to buy him out of the game.
Is It Any Good?
Our review:
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Kids say (1):
This fun, gentle comedy focuses mainly on themes that families can easily discuss around the dinner table, including integrity, giving back, and the importance of family. It's also perfect if you want to watch a film that allows you to escape from the harsh realities of the news and see people come together for good rather than because of tragedy.
The performances in the film are good overall, but the strongest, unsurprisingly, comes from Cranston, who dials into the folksy charm needed to play a character like Jerry. As Marge, Bening is passable, but hers is the weakest character in the film. She's painfully underwritten as a bland, nice woman. While Cranston was able to find some nooks and crannies to dig into Jerry's characterization, Bening turns Marge into a smooth stone of a person. Still, the film does entertain and is likely to leave viewers with feel-good fuzzies.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Jerry and Marge helped their town with the lottery winnings. Why did they want to do that? Were their decisions ethical?
How do the characters demonstrate teamwork, perseverance, and integrity? Why are those important character strengths?
Why was it important for Jerry to play the lottery? How did the lottery scheme bring Jerry and Marge closer together?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: October 15, 2022
- Cast: Bryan Cranston, Annette Bening, Rainn Wilson, Larry Wilmore
- Director: David Frankel
- Inclusion Information: Female actors, Black actors
- Studio: Paramount
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Friendship
- Character Strengths: Integrity, Perseverance, Teamwork
- Run time: 96 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: some language and suggestive references
- Last updated: September 14, 2024
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Jerry and Marge Go Large
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