The New Guy Parent Guide
Parent Movie Review
Once a geek, always a geek? High school student Dizzy Harrison (DJ Qualls) is convinced summer vacation along with maturing attitudes in senior high will release him from his status as school nerd. But a football hurled at his head knocks that notion flying.
Anxious to get away from his reputation and the brutal bullying, he starts a personal campaign to get himself expelled. Breaking a mop handle seems to be the final straw, and he ends up not only out of school, but also in the slammer. There in the cozy confines of a prison cell, he meets Luther (Eddie Griffin) and learns the finer points of remaking himself from dud to dude.
After serving his sentence (for breaking a mop?), Dizzy transfers to a new school as the oh-so-cool Gil Harris. With all the right moves, he soon makes a name for himself with a popular cheerleader (Eliza Dushku) and even impresses his garage band friends (Zooey Deschanel, Parry Shen, Jerod Mixon), who come by for the unveiling of “the new guy.” But his facade is threatened when a former classmate shows up on Dizzy’s new turf.
Like many before him, Dizzy learns popularity can come at a hefty price, especially to personal integrity. It’s this realization that tries to justify The New Guy and set it apart from other teen flicks. But despite Dizzy/Gil’s efforts to change class distinctions at his new school and stand up for the little guy, the marginal messages are sideswiped by a host of profanities and loads of sexual content involving teens. Foul-mouthed administrators, unchecked bullies and a guidance counselor who hands out prescription drugs all make jail seem like the preferable environment in this film.
While Dizzy Harrison may be looking for a fresh face to present to the world, The New Guy is merely a rewrite of a tired storyline with the usual stock of teen-movie characters. Cheesecake cheerleaders, wimpy musicians, tough jocks, and useless educators make this guy anything but new.
Running time: 87 minutes. Updated July 17, 2017About author
The New Guy
Rating & Content Info
Why is The New Guy rated PG-13? The New Guy is rated PG-13 by the MPAA
Overall: D
High school hijinks and bullying attitudes are more than extracurricular activities in this oft re-done story about a geek determined to become cool. Heavy sexual content, profanity, and crude “humor” overwhelm what little positive message is left, giving The New Guy failing grades in all of our categories.
Violence: D+
Several characters are hit in the head with objects. Students and teachers involved in unchecked bullying. Man is chased and gunfire is heard. Man threatens another with a cigarette lighter. Numerous characters are repeatedly kicked in the groin. Man hit in face with flaming object and at least three characters are shown on fire. Character repeatedly hits another in the face or stomach. Several characters are punched, thrown, or rolled down a steep incline. Unconscious character is dragged down hallway, pushed against wall and dropped (bloody nose shown). Character crashes into a tree on a motorcycle, falls from a rooftop, and crashes into the back of a car. Character body-slams others. Character snaps another with a bullwhip. Characters involved in rough sports play. Boy hits girl. Prison guards shown with guns on several occasions. Characters attack a single student. Woman is thrown from horse.
Sexual Content: D+
Includes scenes of characters cross-dressing, some wearing exposed rubber body parts. Homosexual comments are made, two men comically kiss. Several characters discuss sexual relations on various occasions. Girl makes comment about underclothing. Girl makes explicit and overt sexual advances on boy. Numerous female characters wear clothing that reveals cleavage or midriffs. Extended scene shows girl seductively modeling various bikinis. Couples kiss including one scene of passionate kissing. Character makes a sexual gesture.
Language: D
At least: 1 extreme sexual expletive and 1 extreme sexual hand gesture, 28 moderate and 26 mild profanities, 8 terms of Deity used as expletives, 28 crude anatomical terms, 10 crude terms for sexual relations, 5 sexual anatomical terms, 5 crude gestures, and name calling.
Alcohol / Drug Use: D
School counselor casually administers prescription medication. Several references made to street drugs. Comments made about students drinking at school events. Students drink under the bleachers.
Miscellaneous Concerns:
Character feeds prescription drugs to animals. Characters involved in rampant bullying at school. Numerous characters discuss, or are shown urinating. Prolonged scene shown of bathroom activity. Characters get tattoos. Character hit with food. Criminals mentor boy in prison. Boy starts a fire on school grounds. Principal uses profanity on several occasions.
Page last updated July 17, 2017
The New Guy Parents' Guide
At Dizzy’s new school, the students gather on an outside terrace with several levels. Is it significant that each level is a gathering spot for a different group of students i.e. punks, jocks, cowboys, nerds? How clear-cut are those distinctions in a real high school? Do you think that students from various interest groups can interact?
Both Danielle and Dizzy were willing to drop their old friends in the pursuit of popularity. How did it affect them in the end? What would you be willing to give up in order to be accepted by a group of people?
Home Video
Related home video titles:
Good teen movies are hard to find. Although our suggestions are not comedies, we can recommend The Mighty, a film about the positive influence of the new guy at school; and October Sky, which depicts hard work as the best method for achieving popularity.