Fool’s Gold parents guide

Fool’s Gold Parent Guide

Overall D+

Ben and Tess Finnegan (Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson) are treasure hunters whose relationship has encountered some rough seas. But just as the winds of divorce start to blow, Ben finds a clue to some sunken gold, which he hopes might just keep his marriage afloat too.

Release date February 7, 2008

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

Why is Fool’s Gold rated PG-13? The MPAA rated Fool’s Gold PG-13 for action violence, some sexual material, brief nudity and language

Run Time: 113 minutes

Parent Movie Review

For eight years, Tess Finnegan (Kate Hudson) and her husband Ben (Matthew McConaughy) have spent their lives searching for the legendary Queen’s Dowry. These chests of gems and gold, destined for Spain, were lost at sea during a violent Caribbean hurricane in 1715. Digging through ancient writings in dusty libraries and searching out written clues in cryptic correspondence, they followed the trail to a sunny tropical locale.

Presently however, even the thrill of the hunt and the idyllic surroundings are not enough to keep Tess happy. Tired of Ben’s irresponsible ways, she files for divorce and takes a job as a steward on a billionaire’s (Donald Sutherland) yacht until the papers are finalized. Then, just as their court date arrives, Ben discovers an encrusted artifact from one of the sunken ships on the bottom of the sea. Using his typical charm, he convinces Tess’s employer to become their benefactor and provide the funds to finance a recovery operation.

With the location of the famous shipwreck now unearthed, a myriad of treasure hunters descend on the spot. Among them is Bigg Bunny (Kevin Hart), a black rapper who hires gun-toting goons to do his dirty work while he rakes in the money.

Not opposed to the use of unethical methods for securing his wealth, Bigg’s employs severe beatings, kidnapping and the use of high-powered weapons to get his way. But this onslaught of unexpectedly graphic violence forces the comedic tone of the film onto a sandbar, particularly when he exercises his dominance by ordering one man to be shot at close range and another one thrown overboard with an anchor around his legs.

Yet the increasing violence on the tiny, tropical island isn’t all that wrecks this beachfront tale. Operating under the influence of alcohol, a group of young boaters drive recklessly through the water before one female passenger fully exposes her breasts to a stranded man—and the audience. An onslaught of moderate profanities and a torrent of innuendo also muddy the waters, along with overheard or implied sexual activity between heterosexual and homosexual couples.

After riding out the storm for nearly two hours, even the hopes of family reconciliations between the billionaire and his spoiled, teenaged daughter (Alexis Dziena) or the chance of a marital bliss for Ben and Tess are poor lures to keep viewers in their seats. With a sluggish script and waves of content concerns, most families will discover this high-sailing adventure is anything but a real gem.

Starring Matthew McConaughey, Kate Hudson, Donald Sutherland.. Running time: 113 minutes. Theatrical release February 7, 2008. Updated

Fool’s Gold
Rating & Content Info

Why is Fool’s Gold rated PG-13? Fool’s Gold is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for action violence, some sexual material, brief nudity and language

This tale about finding sunken treasure does have a daughter and father working out their differences and a husband and wife rethinking a divorce. However, other content overshadows these highlights. Violence consists of gunplay, with characters being threatened and shot at (some non-life-threatening wounds result). A man is harpooned in the leg, a woman is kidnapped by men and forced into a deep hole, and a pilot is kicked out of a plane while the craft is still in the air. Sexual content ranges from a variety of tiny bikinis and low cut shirts to one brief shot of fully exposed female breasts. Sexual activity between a married man and woman are implied as well as overheard. There are also plenty of sexual innuendos, including comments made by a homosexual couple. Moderate profanities and terms of deity are used frequently throughout the script. Alcohol use to the point of drunkenness is depicted, and one inebriated character is portrayed driving a boat.

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Fool’s Gold Parents' Guide

Interested in searching for sunken treasure? Real stories of gold under the water do exist, but they often come with modern day legal issues:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2634593.stm

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18736741/

Home Video

The most recent home video release of Fool’s Gold movie is June 16, 2008. Here are some details…

DVD Release Date: 17 June 2008

Fool’s Gold release to DVD and Blu-ray Disc with these nuggets: Mutiny on the Hi-larious Seas (a gag reel) and Flirting with Adventure (Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey discuss their formula for on-screen chemistry). Audio tracks are available in English, with subtitles in English, Spanish and French.

Related home video titles:

Matthew McConaughey searches for a lost ship in Sahara, released in 2005. He and Kate Hudson also teamed up in the romantic comedy How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days.