Premium Rush parents guide

Premium Rush Parent Guide

Although this portrayal of a dirty cop often flirts with the comical, it does so in a way that feels appropriately nasty for an action flick aimed at audiences looking for thrills over substance.

Overall B-

It is just another day dropping off packages for a New York City bike courier named Wilee (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) until someone with sinister motives takes an interest in one of the envelopes he has been asked to deliver.

Release date August 24, 2012

Violence C
Sexual Content B
Profanity D
Substance Use B-

Why is Premium Rush rated PG-13? The MPAA rated Premium Rush PG-13 for some violence, intense action sequences and language.

Run Time: 91 minutes

Official Movie Site

Parent Movie Review

Nothing screams “insanity” like speeding through the traffic-clogged streets of Manhattan on a bike without brakes. Yet that is exactly what bike courier Wilee (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) does on a daily basis. He, along with his fellow riders, Vanessa (Dania Ramirez) and Manny (Wolé Parks), believes that getting packages delivered and doing it at full tilt is what the job is all about.

However, the real insanity begins when Bobby Monday (Michael Shannon) gets wind of an envelope Wilee has in his pouch. Bobby’s been attempting to supplement his NYPD paycheck with some gambling after hours. Unfortunately he has failed miserably and now is wallowing in debt to a group of Chinese mobsters who don’t believe in involving New York City’s justice system when it comes to taking care of insolvent delinquents. Inside that simple white sleeve is the answer to all of Bobby’s financial woes—if he can just get his hands on it.

Although Shannon’s overblown portrayal of a dirty cop often flirts with the comical, it does so in a way that feels appropriately nasty for a summer action flick aimed at audiences looking for thrills over substance. Premium Rush is a chase movie pure and simple. All that careening down the roadway leaves very little time for character development. But who cares if Wilee would rather risk road rash than take the bar exam after finishing law school? Viewers just want to see him ride.

All those spinning spokes leave little time for any face-to-face contact between characters as well. Both Wilee and Manny, however, manage a lip lock with Vanessa. Other physical encounters are of a more brutal nature, involving inappropriately applied police force resulting in bloody injuries and death, vicious beatings, weapon use and vehicular collisions in which riders and pedestrians don’t fare well. And profanities (including a strong sexual expletive, crude hand gestures and scatological slang) are as pervasive as car exhaust fumes in a downtown traffic jam.

Still despite the regular citizen’s disdain for these seemingly foolhardy messengers that bolt out of alleys and hurtle through traffic, Director and Screenwriter David Koepp (Angels & Demons, Spider-Man, Mission: Impossible) fashions the story in such a way as to justify the couriers’ extreme antics, even if only barely. However, reenacting these stunts on real city streets is best left to professionals.

Directed by David Koepp . Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Shannon. Running time: 91 minutes. Theatrical release August 24, 2012. Updated

Premium Rush
Rating & Content Info

Why is Premium Rush rated PG-13? Premium Rush is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for some violence, intense action sequences and language.

Violence: Characters are involved in numerous collisions with vehicles, bikers and pedestrians. Some bloody accident injuries are depicted. One man is run over by a bus. A courier hits a baby stroller. A man threatens others after a gambling loss. Characters are viciously beaten, one to death. A man chokes and threatens a woman. An injury victim is tortured by a man who repeatedly hurts him. A character is shot in the head. A man is pushed around and shoved to the ground. Characters gamble illegally. A man is beaten with a phone book.

Sexual Content: Characters kiss on several occasions. A man makes sexual remarks about a woman. Some brief, crude sexual content is included.

Language: The script contains pervasive coarse language, scatological slang, terms of Deity, a strong sexual expletive, two crude hand gestures, vulgar sexual expressions, slurs and crude name-calling.

Alcohol / Drug Use: Characters smoke and drink in an illegal gambling establishment and bar. A man suggests using a prescription drug to enhance thinking.

Other: A man texts while biking.

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Premium Rush Parents' Guide

What is appealing about being a bike courier to these riders? Why are they willing to face the dangers of driving through busy streets? Why does Wilee feel like his job is safer than the careers of his friends who have just graduated from law school?

How might the portrayal of a “dirty” cop affect the way a person views all policemen? Is it important to be able trust people in positions of authority? What impact could a bad officer have on the others in his unit?

How are bike couriers often viewed in real cities? What dangers do they pose to pedestrians and drivers? What dangers do they face while on the streets? What does the film do to justify the actions of these riders?

Home Video

The most recent home video release of Premium Rush movie is December 20, 2012. Here are some details…

Home Video Notes: Premium Rush

Release Date: 21 December 2012

Premium Rush releases to home video (Blu-ray/Ultraviolet Digital Copy) with the following extras:

- Behind the Wheels

- The Starting Line

Related home video titles:

We should have known that moving “packages” could be a dangerous business after watching other films like Babylon A.D. and The Transporter. For a more family-friendly depiction of couriers, check out Valiant.