Man of the House (2005) parents guide

Man of the House (2005) Parent Guide

Overall C

When a group of bubble-headed cheerleaders (Christina Milian, Paula Garces, Monica Keena, Kelli Garner, Vanessa Ferlito) accidentally witness a murder, a tough Texas Ranger (Tommy Lee Jones) moves in with the girls... for their protection. Pitting his tough masculine side against their fluffy feminine forays, the question is, "Which will survive the mandatory confinement?"

Release date February 24, 2005

Violence D+
Sexual Content B-
Profanity C-
Substance Use B

Why is Man of the House (2005) rated PG-13? The MPAA rated Man of the House (2005) PG-13 for violence, sexual content, crude humor and a drug reference

Run Time: 100 minutes

Parent Movie Review

Put a tough, aging Texas Ranger in close proximity to five bubbly, bouncy Longhorn cheerleaders and you are guaranteed laughs. Right?

Well, there are some. But unfortunately, the film often falls as flat as a poorly executed cartwheel.

Roland Sharp (Tommy Lee Jones) is the hardened, no-nonsense veteran sent in to protect the spirited university squad (Christina Milian, Paula Garces, Monica Keena, Kelli Garner, Vanessa Ferlito) after they witness a violent murder in an alley behind a bar. With backup agents (Shea Whigham, Terry Parks) stationed in an upstairs apartment across the street, Roland sleeps on the couch while keeping a close eye on the energetic group and securing the premises.

However, the girls aren’t the least bit cheerful about their new houseguest. He severely hampers their lives by confiscating every link to the outside world, including their cell phones and pagers. He cancels all their social interactions, limits their public appearances and insists on accompanying them to class. To make things even worse, he’s grumpy all the time.

But when the pep squad is nearly killed after their van explodes, the girls begin to give some credit to their petulant protector.

Sending Roland out for tampons, giving him a cucumber facial and watching him frisk the pizza boy are just a few of the gags played for laughs. The officer also finds a cool way to encourage modesty when the pouty-lipped girls refuse to cover their midriffs and lanky legs.

While mandatory confinement isn’t pleasant, the girls do soften the edges of the craggy-faced Ranger and give him some tips on improving his relationships with the female portion of society. It’s advice that comes in handy with both his daughter Emma (Shannon Marie Woodward) and the single English professor (Anne Archer) he meets on campus. However, the cheerleaders most often come across as perky showpieces rather than as credible students or athletes.

Moreover, Man of the House contains a megaphone full of profanities, bullets, explosions and fistfights. Before the opening credits have finished, encounters between law enforcement officers and the crooks result in blood-covered bodies, a gunshot to the chest, and burning buildings. Later a driver is brutally shot in the head by his passenger. The cheerleaders also resort to illegal and often dangerous activities while attempting to trap the cons.

With a true fish-out-of-water premise, the film has plenty of opportunity to play on Roland’s discomfort with the world of cheerleading. Too bad it doesn’t stick with that instead of resorting to graphic depictions of violence that sap the pep out of this script.

Starring Tommy Lee Jones, Paula Garces. Running time: 100 minutes. Theatrical release February 24, 2005. Updated

Man of the House (2005) Parents' Guide

When the girls attempt to help catch the criminals, one cheerleader uses some unlawful skills she acquired while in juvenile detention. Why are illegal activities often portrayed as the only solution to a problem? What options might the girls have used instead?

Roland gets after a squad member who is caught plagiarizing a school paper. Why does he believe that cheating is worse than stupid? What does he do to help encourage her with her next assignment? How rampant do you think cheating is in your school?

For a list of more famous former cheerleaders, go to: http://cheerleading.about.com/od/famouscheerleaders/

Home Video

The most recent home video release of Man of the House (2005) movie is July 18, 2005. Here are some details…

If you bring home this Man of the House on DVD, he’ll arrive in either wide or full screen. Bags in tow will include a making-of documentary and the featurette Cheer Camp. The audio tracks are available in English (Dolby Digital 5.1) and French (Dolby Surround Sound), with subtitles in English and French.

Related home video titles:

In addition to playing an English professor in this film, Anne Archer stars as a harried working mother trying to balance her life in Uncle Nino. In the 1995 Disney film Man of the House, Chevy Chase tries to win over the affections of his girlfriend’s son and learns all about the father/son relationship.